Bowel Obstruction Symptoms

Bowel obstruction is also regarded as intestinal obstruction, as it involves the small intestine and the large intestine. The blockage could be partial or complete, and it hinders the normal process through which foods and fluids are moved along the intestines.

» A cramping abdominal pain is a symptom common with both small or large intestinal obstruction. The patient may generally feel the pain arising or prevailing in the belly button region. This pain is intermittent by nature which means it may stop and start at regular intervals.

It is important to take a note of the fact that if the pain becomes continuous and severe, it might indicate that the affected part of the bowel is not receiving enough supply of blood.

»Other symptoms that are common to both the types of bowel obstruction include:

• Vomiting
• Constipation
• High-pitched gurgling sounds
• Diarrhea (generally, it indicates a partial intestinal blockage)

» Another group of symptoms of bowel obstruction may include:

• Swelling of the abdomen
• Abdominal tenderness
• Nausea
• Fever
• Blood in the stool
• Weakness
• Weight loss
• Lack of appetite

• Blockage in the small intestine may be caused by:

• Intestinal adhesion
• Hernias
• Tumors
• Intussusception of a portion of the small intestine
• Volvulus
• Stricture and inflammation or scarring of the intestine

• Blockage in the colon or the large intestine could be caused by:

• Cancer
• Diverticulitis
• Volvulus
• Impacted feces
• Stricture
• Intussusception and blockage created by a foreign object that is swallowed by the patient

A severe complication that may arise if bowel obstruction is left untreated is tissue death. The wall of the affected intestine may begin to die due to lack of adequate blood supply. This may cause perforation (tear/holes) in the intestine, which may lead to life-threatening infection.

Electrolyte imbalances and jaundice are the other complications that may occur.

• Treatment of intestinal blockage involves hospitalization in almost all cases. Fortunately, most cases are that of partial blockage which usually resolves on its own. To relieve the blockage, doctors may use enemas or stents. Once the patient is stabilized, no further treatment is required. A low-fiber diet is recommended to the patient.

• If the bowel obstruction does not resolve on its own or if there are any signs of tissue death, then the treatment involves surgery. It depends on what is causing the obstruction, and which part of the bowel has been affected. During the surgery, surgeons remove the obstruction, and any tissues that have died from the lack of blood supply.

A partial intestinal blockage is not as severe as a complete one. However, it may be difficult for a person to tell the former from the latter by merely examining the symptoms. So as soon as any of the symptoms cited above occur, one must get immediate medical help so that his/her doctor can rule out potential problems and begin the treatment before any severe complications occur.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this story is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.