The herbal laxative senna has been in use for many centuries according to recorded history, and perhaps for thousands of years of unrecorded history. Originating temperate parts of the globe, it has been brewed in tea form to treat chronic constipation. Nowadays senna continues to be used but instead needs not be in tea form. Instead it can be purchased and used in tablet or pill form to the same effect and perhaps better.
There is a reason why constipation remedies are amongst the most popular over-the-counter (OTC) medications. It has been estimated that approximately 10-30% of the U.S. population suffers from this ailment, and most people do not see a physician. Those who do receive some help, but given that there is disagreement even among physicians as to what constitutes constipation, the efficacy of medical advice varies. Even effectiveness of medication is nonuniform from patient to patient.
Constipation is a condition that is thought to affect somewhere between 15-30% of the population in the United States. The majority of these people suffer from what is known as idiopathic constipation. In other words, the underlying cause is not known. This is due to our incomplete understanding of the physiological, dietary and genetic causes of constipation.
