Bulking agents ie. bran and ispaghula husk are a common type of laxative that work gently on the bowel. These do not specifically need to be in medicinal form – just increasing the fibre content of your diet can provide a good enough constipation treatment. Always take bulking agents  with plenty of fluids.

Osmotic laxatives (ie.lactulose) – these increase the amount of water in the stools by drawing water from the bowel lining.

Stimulant laxatives such as senna (eg Senokot) or bisacodyl (eg Dulco-lax) – these cause the bowel muscles to contract. There are many different products available both on prescription and over the counter.Macrogols are an effective treatment for patients with persistent constipation since their effects are often long-lived. Examples are Idrolax and Movicol – these are generally administered with extra fluids, so they don’t draw more water into the bowel from the body.