7 Constipation Remedies Worth Trying When You Just Can’t Poop

Constipation can be a real pain the butt. But beating it might be easier than you think. Making some good-for-your-health habits part of your routine is good for your bowels, too, says Maged Rizk, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic. If your pipes are all clogged up, first try simple lifestyle changes to help you go number two before moving on to the heavy hitters. 

“The way I would rank constipation remedies would be from first-line therapies to last-line therapies,” says Rizk. Think of first-line as lifestyle changes you can make and last-line as options you have after you attempt those tweaks.

And first, a note on what doesn’t work: No matter how tempting it may be to take one, just say no to laxatives. “They can be effective in the short-term, but in the long-term, they can cause bowel dependence, which means the bowel won’t contract without the stimulant,” says Rizk.

Here are seven strategies—ranked in the order you should try them before moving on to the next. One method of relieving constipation isn’t necessarily better than another. Sometimes, you may need meds to help clear things out.