MAKING THIS ANIMAL SOUND ON THE TOILET CAN ACTUALLY HELP YOU POOP

New York Post

 

Making this animal sound on the toilet can actually help you poop — a childhood habit works too

By Tracy Swartz

Published Dec. 9, 2024, 6:12 p.m. ET

 

Straining on the toilet can lead to hemorrhoids, which are swollen, inflamed veins around the anus or lower rectum. Here, a woman holds a toilet paper roll while sitting on a toilet with her jeans around her knees.

 

You can breathe easy with this

pooping pointer.

 

“If you’re struggling with constipation and straining, then this is one pooping hack that actually works,”

 

Dr. Karan Rangarajan, also known as Dr. Karan Raj, recently said on TikTok.

 

Rangarajan suggests three “gentler” forms of the Valsalva maneuver, a breathing exercise that involves forcefully exhaling while your mouth and nose are closed, increasing pressure within the chest and abdomen. The extra intra-abdominal pressure helps stool move through the colon.

 

“You’re controlling the exhalation phase of breathing, which activates your vagus nerve,” Rangarajan explained. “This means more wave-like contractions of your intestines and a good poop coming to a toilet near you.”

 

The vagus nerve, which is the longest cranial nerve, plays a crucial role in vital functions like breathing, heart rate and digestion.

 

The nerve is also the key component in the gut-brain axis, the complicated network of nerves that link the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system.

 

Rangarajan said that while the three diaphragmatic breathing techniques sound “silly,” they can strengthen the gut-brain connection.

 

“This helps you avoid straining by making sure your pelvic floor muscles are more coordinated, both in contraction and relaxation,” Rangarajan added. “And your rectum will thank you later when you don’t get hemorrhoids.”

 

Hemorrhoids are swollen, inflamed veins around the anus or lower rectum. They can manifest as bleeding, itching and pain and signal constipation, diarrhea, straining during bowel movements and sitting on the toilet for lengthy periods.

 

After Kelly Peterson, a pelvic, visceral and orthopedic physical therapist known as “the belly whisperer,” noted that blowing bubbles can help you poop without straining or pushing, Rangarajan said pretending to blow bubbles or blow out a candle or making an elongated moo that sounds like a “horny cow” should do the trick.

 

“I’m surprised this isn’t common knowledge,” Rangarajan told his 5.3 million TikTok followers.

 

Making an elongated moo that sounds like a "horny cow" can help you poop. Here, a brown and white cow with a yellow tag on its right ear moos.

 

The TikTok users were udderly divided in the comments.

 

“Tried the moo sound. Not a great option at the office bathrooms,” one person penned.

 

“Tried this trick this morning and it actually worked! No more straining for me. Who knew blowing bubbles could be so helpful?” another shared.

 

“Blowing your nose while sitting on the toilet does the same thing too,” a third advised.