A Viral Video Claims Blowing Bubbles on the Toilet Can Help You Poop. A GI Doc Reveals If It’s True

Constipation means you have difficulty passing stool — which can show up in a lot of different ways. Maybe you have fewer than three bowel movements a week, or they’re dry, hard and painful. Another sign is feeling like you never fully empty your intestines after going to the bathroom, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Because of the varied symptoms, finding relief won’t look the same for everyone either. Home constipation remedies are popular online, and a somewhat strange one recently went viral: blowing bubbles through a straw while sitting on the toilet. In the Instagram post, Kelly Peterson, doctor of physical therapy and pelvic rehabilitation practitioner, said the hack can help you poop without straining or pushing, sparing you from hemorrhoids, anal fissures, bloating, trapped gas and pelvic pain. As unconventional as it might sound, it’s actually worthy advice, an expert says. What Is Constipation? Constipation, whether chronic or temporary, is a digestive condition that makes it difficult to have a bowel movement. It can manifest in so many ways because constipation is specific to each individual, explains Dr. Olufemi Kassim, gastroenterologist and clinical assistant professor at Northwestern Medicine. While you may have learned that healthy gut means pooping once or twice per day, “you don’t actually need to,” Kassim tells TODAY.com. “There’s a big range in terms of … frequency. So, you can go anywhere from every three days to three times a day, (and that) can be normal as long as you feel comfortable.” Once you become familiar with your bathroom cadence, you’ll know when you’re constipated because your bowel movements will become difficult or painful, you’ll feel bloated, experience nausea, go less frequently than normal, or the consistency of your stool will change. But going fewer times than someone else doesn’t necessarily mean you’re constipated, and going more than someone doesn’t necessarily mean you aren’t. Causes for constipation range from certain medications, lack of fiber and a sedentary lifestyle to certain illnesses and conditions, including pregnancy, and blockages in the intestines. Breathing Exercises To Poop The group of muscles known as the pelvic floor controls your rectum and several other organs, says Kassim, so “the pelvic floor needs to be engaged in the right way to have bowel movements.” Breathing exercises, such as slowly exhaling while you blow bubbles, are a great way to activate those muscles for a bowel movement and develop the mind-to-muscle connection required to poop, she adds. The slow exhale required to blow bubbles is called a Valsalva maneuver. It’s what happens when you exhale against a closed airway. When you strain to poop, for example, you might to do the Valsalva maneuver by keeping your nose and mouth while blowing out air. But if you do this too often or for too long, you might damage your pelvic floor muscles or develop tears in your anal canal or hemorrhoids from pushing too hard. On the other hand, the Valsalva maneuver where you blow bubbles requires you not to use your nose and instead to blow air out of your mouth slowly and with control. Doing so engages your pelvic floor, increases abdominal pressure and allows you to push the stool out. There’s no need to take this too literally, however, says Kassim. While you can bring a drink and straw into the bathroom and blow bubbles if you’d like, you can just mimic the movement, too. Slowly push air out of only your mouth. The goal is “consistent exhalation,” Kassim says. You might even vocalize while you do it. For example, say A, E, I, O or U while you exhale, do it for five to 10 seconds, and then breathe normally, repeating as needed. Instead of blowing bubbles, you can also imagine blowing out a candle, Kassim adds. Put your hand on your lower belly while you do it, and you’ll feel the pressure in your abdominals taking effect. Other Remedies To Relieve Constipation When you’re struggling to have a bowel movement, Kassim says to adhere to the five-minute rule. “Sit on the toilet for five minutes. No distractions. No phone. No magazine. Don’t read the shampoo bottle. Just focus on having your bowel movement,” she says. “If it hasn’t happened in five minutes, it’s not your time, and you should just try again after your next meal.” Some of her other tips for successful bowel movement include: Eat enough fiber. Most Americans aren’t eating enough fiber. “You want to get 25-35 grams of dietary fiber daily,” Kassim says. Increase fruit, vegetable and whole grain intake. You can also take a fiber supplement, which you can get in capsule or gummy form.Stay hydrated. If you don’t drink enough water, all that fiber won’t do much. Water helps everything you consume flow through your digestive tract.Position yourself to support the angle of the rectum. An easy way to do this is to elevate your feet, says Kassim. While you’re sitting on the toilet, you might put your feet on a stool or a stack of books so that you’re in a squatting position, making for a straight path from your colon to your anus.Try medication. There are plenty of over-the-counter medications for constipation, including laxatives and stool softeners. Your doctor will advise you if you need them or recommend prescriptions if necessary. If your constipation is getting in the way of your everyday life or last longer than two to three weeks, it may be time to see a healthcare provider, according to Mayo Clinic.