Milk of magnesia: What you need to know
Milk of magnesia What you need to know
Milk of magnesia is a trendy, effective remedy for constipation. Humans should purchase it from drug shops without a prescription.
This text explains what milk of magnesia is, the way to use it, what conditions it could treat, common facet results, and more.
What is milk of magnesia?
Milk of magnesia, additionally known as magnesium hydroxide, can act as an antacid or as a saline laxative.
This sort of laxative works via drawing moisture into a person’s bowels to assist loosen stool.
A person may also purchase milk of magnesia over-the-counter (OTC) without a prescription, however they should speak with their physician in the event that they revel in frequent bouts of constipation.
Mother and father and guardians need to avoid giving milk of magnesia to children under 6 years antique until their medical doctor recommends its use.
Makes use of and consequences
Humans use milk of magnesia for:
Constipation, due to the fact when used as a laxative, milk of magnesia attracts water into the bowel to assist soften and remove stool
Indigestion and heartburn
The authentic shape of milk of magnesia generally facilitates a person produce a bowel movement in 30 minutes to six hours.
Similarly to constipation and acid relief, milk of magnesia might also assist with conditions which include sunburn and pimples, even though empirical evidence is extensively lacking.
Milk of magnesia for sunburn
Some human beings accept as true with that making use of a skinny layer of milk of magnesia topically to sunburn will help ease the ache and burning sensation.
Though this can paintings for a few people, no research or empirical evidence exist to assist its use on sunburn.
Someone interested by sunburn alleviation must talk with their physician. Other OTC merchandise, together with aloe vera, may fit higher for someone.
Milk of magnesia for pimples
Some humans accept as true with that milk of magnesia can help with treating zits. The notion stems from the medicine’s capability ability to assist break up surface oils.
The simplest research on its use for acne dates again to a 1975Trusted source have a look at. In the examine, a researcher stated that the use of milk of magnesia combined with orally taking 250 milligrams (mg) of tetracycline and washing two times each day with a nonfat cleaning soap helped remedy pimples pustules and decrease inflammation.
No similarly research have looked at the use of applying milk of magnesia topically or taking it orally for the treatment of pimples. Someone must communicate with their doctor approximately alternative strategies to deal with acne.
Sorts
Milk of magnesia is available to shop for as both a pill or a liquid. Whilst using the pill form, someone normally wishes to bite the tablet before swallowing.
Milk of magnesia is available as a regular electricity liquid or a focused liquid. People must not give the focused liquid to kids under the age of 12.
Human beings should purchase exclusive styles of milk of magnesia from drug shops or online.
Dosage
Humans must not take greater medicine than their medical doctor or the packaging recommends.
Although dosing can vary, a person need to avoid taking extra than the recommended dose over the path of 24 hours.
To take liquid milk of magnesia, someone can blend it with milk or water. Shake the bottle well earlier than measuring out a dose. The dosage varies relying on why the man or woman is the usage of the medicine and their age.
The following sections describe the doses for milk of magnesia primarily based on use and age.
Milk of magnesia for constipation
Folks who are vintage sufficient to take milk of magnesia ought to drink a full glass, or 8 oz, of water with each dose of milk of magnesia. Use the 15-milliliter (ml) dosing cup or spoon provided for accuracy. It is first-class to take the medicine at bedtime.
The use of the unique version of milk of magnesia for constipation, the dosage in milliliters varies relying on a person’s age:
Adults can take 30–60 ml.
Children ages 6–11 can take 15–30 ml.
Ask a medical doctor earlier than giving this medication to kids underneath 6 years vintage.
For the focused version of milk of magnesia, the dosage is decrease:
Adults can take 15–30 ml.
Ask a doctor before giving this remedy to kids under 12 years old.
There are also chewable pills for children. Kids must drink a complete glass of liquid with every dose. The dosage varies depending on age:
Children a while 6–12 can take three–6 tablets in line with day.
Children ages 2–6 can take 1–3 drugs according to day.
Ask a doctor before giving this remedy to youngsters underneath 2 years antique.
People should no longer take milk of magnesia as a laxative for extra than 7 days in a row. Everyone who is nevertheless in want of a laxative or has continual pain in their belly area ought to speak with a health practitioner.
Milk of magnesia normally relieves constipation within 6 hours of taking it. If a person does now not have a bowel movement after the use of milk of magnesia, they need to prevent using it and speak with a medical doctor.
In those cases, an underlying circumstance may be the reason of constipation and might want additional treatment from a medical doctor.
Milk of magnesia for different digestive issues
In conjunction with constipation comfort, humans can also use some versions of milk of magnesia to alleviate heartburn and acid indigestion.
Adults need to take five–15 ml at a time with water and repeat as much as four instances in line with day as wished. They must now not take more than 60 ml in any 24-hour length.
Whilst using milk of magnesia as an antacid, it can even have a laxative effect. Do no longer use milk of magnesia as an antacid for more than 14 days in a row.
Speak with a physician before the use of milk of magnesia to treat other digestive problems in children under age 12.
Aspect results
Most people who take milk of magnesia do no longer revel in facet effects.
The most not unusual facet consequences of milk of magnesia are:
Diarrhea
Belly cramps
Nausea
Vomiting
Skin flushing
Drowsiness
Milk of magnesia additionally carries the chance of extra extreme facet results. Folks who experience any of the subsequent must prevent the use of the drugs and seek clinical attention:
Rectal bleeding
No bowel motion after taking it
Excessive nausea or vomiting
Sluggish heartbeat
Lightheadedness
Severe side consequences are more likely to occur if a person takes extra milk of magnesia than encouraged, or if they take it for an prolonged duration.
Dangers
Folks who are taking this medicine need to make sure they drink lots of water to save you turning into dehydrated. If everybody reviews diarrhea after taking a dose of milk of magnesia, they should not use it once more.
If someone overdoses on milk of magnesia, they have to seek emergency clinical interest. Signs and symptoms of an overdose can also consist of:
Intense diarrhea
Muscle weakness
Mood change
Slow or abnormal heartbeat
Little or no urination
A few human beings may be allergic to take advantage of of magnesia. Signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction that require scientific attention include:
Hives
Issue respiration
Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
Human beings living with impaired kidney feature must keep away from milk of magnesia. The subsequent humans ought to also avoid taking the drugs:
Human beings on a magnesium-limited weight loss plan
Humans with symptoms inclusive of nausea, diarrhea, or stomach pain
Individuals who revel in surprising bowel adjustments that ultimate longer than 14 days
Pregnancy and nursing
Magnesium may be capable of pass the placenta into the frame of the fetus. But, doctors do not know if milk of magnesia is safe for use at some stage in pregnancy, as there is no statistics on this.
Small amounts of magnesium may make its manner into breast milk, however medical doctors do no longer know the safety of this both.
As such, the general recommendation is to keep away from the usage of milk of magnesia whilst pregnant or nursing or ask a physician earlier than use.
Interactions
Milk of magnesia interferes with a wide variety of medications, this means that it affects how they work. These consist of prescription and OTC medications, as well as nutrients and supplements.
Because of the way it affects the beverages within the intestine, milk of magnesia can forestall pills from being absorbed well.
As a end result, someone ought to communicate with their health practitioner earlier than the usage of milk of magnesia in the event that they regularly take different medicines, inclusive of OTC medicinal drugs, nutrients, and prescription medicinal drugs.
Precis
Milk of magnesia is a well-known and powerful laxative for the quick-time period treatment of constipation.
People ought to now not use milk of magnesia for extra than 7 days at a time for constipation or 14 days at a time for different digestive problems.
Ongoing signs and symptoms may be a signal of a greater critical intestine fitness condition, so if the hassle persists, someone should touch their medical doctor.
Milk of magnesia works by drawing water into the bowel from the encompassing tissue. This indicates it is able to forestall the body from absorbing a variety of different medicinal drugs, including prescription drugs, supplements, and nutrients.
Each person who takes medicinal drug for a health circumstance have to talk with a health practitioner earlier than taking milk of magnesia.
