Laxatives are products that help people empty their bowels, and there are many types. Stool softeners are a type of laxative, but not all laxatives are stool softeners. Although some other laxatives ...

As someone living with chronic constipation, you may sometimes feel like your only treatment option is to go, well, in the complete opposite direction. In actuality, diarrhea isn’t something that you ...

Is it safe to take stool softeners to treat pregnancy constipation? Stool softeners are generally considered safe during pregnancy. Pregnancy constipation, defined as having fewer than three bowel ...

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What are the long-term side effects of taking a stool softener daily? It's the only thing that keeps me regular, and when I've tried taking it every other day, it's not effective. At ...