Get medical help right away if you have symptoms of intestinal obstruction. These include severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and inability to pass stool.
Bowel obstructions usually cause cramping, abdominal pain, vomiting and inability to pass bowel motions (faeces or poo) or gas. A bowel obstruction is an emergency and needs treatment in hospital to prevent serious complications. You may need surgery or another procedure to remove the blockage.
Early signs and symptoms of bowel obstruction include rectal bleeding, diarrhea, and belly cramps. Bowel obstruction, also called intestinal obstruction, is a partial or complete blockage of the small or large intestine that results in food or fecal matter being unable to move through the intestines.
If your digestive system comes to a grinding halt, you can't have a bowel movement or pass gas. You might also notice stomach pain and a swollen belly. A common type of blockage is called fecal impaction. This is when a large, hard mass of poop gets stuck in your digestive tract and can't get pushed out the usual way.
Symptoms of bowel obstruction
pain (usually colicky tummy pain) feeling sick. vomiting large amounts (including undigested food or bowel fluid) constipation (shown by not passing wind and no bowel sounds)
The four cardinal symptoms of bowel obstruction are pain, vomiting, obstipation/absolute constipation, and distention.
An abdominal X-ray, which can find blockages in the small and large intestines. A CT scan of the belly, which helps your doctor see whether the blockage is partial or complete.
The rule of 3-6-9-12 for bowel obstruction
The small bowel is normally <3cm in diameter. If it is >6cm it is at high risk of rupture. The large bowel is normally <6cm in diameter. If it is >9cm it is at high risk of rupture.
Most of the time, complete blockages require a stay in the hospital and possibly surgery. But if your bowel is only partly blocked, your doctor may tell you to wait until it clears on its own and you are able to pass gas and stool. If so, there are things you can do at home to help make you feel better.
Bowel perforation and peritonitis are one of the most serious complications of bowel obstruction. This type of infection is life-threatening, and can develop very quickly after a tear occurs. Surgery may be necessary, and a perforation always requires emergency medical care.
Identifying Bowel Obstruction Symptoms
Most people affected by a bowel obstruction are unable to pass gas or have a bowel movement, and may have a swollen abdomen. Infrequent bowel movements or hard stools usually do not indicate obstruction.
Without any fluids (either as sips, ice chips or intravenously) people with a complete bowel obstruction most often survive a week or two. Sometimes it's only a few days, sometimes as long as three weeks.
There are many common causes and risk factors, including: Adhesions: These are bands of scar tissue that may form after abdominal or pelvic surgery. An earlier abdominal surgery is the leading risk factor for small bowel obstruction in the United States.
• How to eat through the day
o Eat or drink small amounts every 2 hours. Large meals can cause more discomfort. Try to have 6-7 small meals or snacks spread out through the day. o Cut foods into small pieces. o Chew foods well and eat slowly.
Treatment for intestinal obstruction depends on the cause of your condition, but generally requires hospitalization.
Initial emergency department (ED) treatment of small-bowel obstruction (SBO) consists of aggressive fluid resuscitation, bowel decompression, administration of analgesia and antiemetic as indicated clinically, early surgical consultation, and administration of antibiotics.
Small bowel obstruction is a common surgical emergency due to mechanical blockage of the bowel. Though it can be caused by many pathologic processes, the leading cause in the developed world is intra-abdominal adhesions.
These may cause another blockage. Drinking plenty of water may help. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink. Your doctor may ask that you drink high-calorie liquid formulas if your symptoms require them.
Small bowel obstructions are usually caused by scar tissue, hernia, or cancer. In the United States, most obstructions occur as a result of prior surgeries. The bowel often forms bands of scar (called adhesions) after being handled during an operation.
An SBO is caused by a variety of pathologic processes. The leading cause of SBO in industrialized countries is postoperative adhesions (65-75%), followed by malignancy, Crohn disease, and hernias, although some studies have reported Crohn disease as a greater etiologic factor than neoplasia.
Individuals with fecal impactions often have breathing difficulties due to the collection of the stool in the colon. Fecal impaction can be life threatening. A bowel obstruction is either a partial or complete blockage of the small or large intestines and requires immediate medical attention!
A bowel obstruction happens when either your small or large intestine is partly or completely blocked. The blockage prevents food, fluids, and gas from moving through the intestines in the normal way. The blockage may cause severe pain that comes and goes.
Many people poop once or a few times per day or every couple of days. Constipation, which is a symptom of many other conditions, refers to having fewer than three bowel movements per week . People who go more than a week without pooping may have severe constipation and should talk with a doctor.