The intestine is a very important part of the digestive system, as it is through which the nutrients are absorbed from the food that has been digested in the stomach and the rest is converted into waste that is excreted from the body through permanent bowel movement. It may happen that this movement is disrupted due to an intestinal obstruction, so what she Symptoms of bowel obstruction What are its causes, complications and methods of treatment?

What is an Intestinal Obstruction?

It is also known as intestinal obstruction, and it is a health condition in which the small or large intestine is partially or completely obstructed, preventing the passage of digested foods and liquids. serious life threatening.

Symptoms of bowel obstruction

There are several signs and symptoms that may indicate the occurrence of this blockage, and the appearance of symptoms depends on how bad the condition is, and they include: Symptoms of intestinal obstruction the following:

• constipation.
• Inability to pass gases from the abdomen.
• Abdominal pain and cramps that come and go frequently.
• Tachycardia and rapid breathing with bouts of contractions.
• Not feeling hungry and feeling full despite not eating.
• Feeling the urge to vomit or actually vomiting.
• Flatulence and swelling of the abdomen.
• In severe cases, diarrhea may occur as a result of fluid leakage into the abdominal cavity.

Therefore, if you suffer from constipation along with one of the other symptoms, you must go to the emergency room immediately so that serious complications that could threaten life do not occur.

Although persistent Symptoms of large intestine torsion The blockage of the small intestine for hours and becomes severe, but the blockage resulting from Colon Cancer Its symptoms may become slower to appear, and the patient may suffer from mild symptoms for several weeks or months.

Symptoms of bowel obstruction in children

Symptoms do not differ much in children from adults, but most children cannot express what they feel, so parents should note these symptoms:

• Nausea and vomiting.
• Constipation and the ability to pass gas.
• Anorexia.
• weight loss.
• Bad smell from the mouth.
• Flatulence.
• The feeling of pain and cramps in the abdomen comes in the form of bouts that the child cannot bear.

Causes of bowel obstruction and risk factors

There are two types of intestinal obstruction: an intestinal obstruction due to an actual object blocking the intestine, and a condition called a bowel obstruction false occlusion or intestinal paralysis Because there is a defect in the function of the intestine that prevents it from normal movement.

The most common causes of intestinal obstruction in adults include:

• Intestinal adhesionAs a result of the formation of abnormal tissues or fibers in the abdominal cavity, especially after abdominal or pelvic surgery.
• Swallowing a foreign body that moves to the intestine and blocks it.
• Abdominal hernia, especially in children.
• Reducing a part of the intestine and connecting it to another part.
• The presence of tumors in the intestine (colon cancer).
• Bowel torsion.
• Agglomeration and hardening of a mass of stool that the colon cannot get rid of.
• In rare cases, gallstones may cause intestinal obstruction.

As for the false occlusion or Pseudo-obstruction of the colon Its reasons include:

• Abdominal or pelvic surgery.
• Having some kind of bacterial or viral infection.
• Taking some medications that affect muscles and nerves, such as some antidepressants and opioid pain relievers.
• Muscular and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

risk factors

Bowel obstruction symptoms may appear more often in people who suffer from some other diseases, such as:

• Crohn’s disease in the digestive system.
• The presence of cancer in the abdomen such as colon cancer, especially after surgical removal of the tumor or radiotherapy.

Complications of intestinal obstruction

Failure to treat intestinal obstruction or delay in treatment can lead to serious complications, including:

• The walls of the intestine rupture and burst due to tissue damage and the lack of blood supply to it resulting from the obstruction, which leads to leakage of harmful contents into the abdominal cavity.
• Peritonitis (the membrane lining the abdominal cavity) as a result of infection is a serious, life-threatening condition that requires special care and often requires surgical intervention.

Diagnosis of bowel obstruction symptoms

As soon as the signs of bowel obstruction that we mentioned earlier appear, you should go to the doctor or hospital, then the doctor will do a physical examination and ask you if you have recently undergone abdominal surgery or if you have Crohn’s disease, and he will listen for any strange sound coming from the abdomen, and he may request some tests such as :

• X-ray of the abdomen.
• CT scan of the abdomen.
• Colonoscopy.
• Blood tests to analyze kidney and liver function and a complete blood count.

Bowel obstruction treatment

Treatment depends on the severity of the condition, the degree of obstruction, its location, and the cause. The doctor may prescribe some medications to treat symptoms, and some techniques may be performed to relieve pressure on the intestines. In some cases, hospitalization is required, and if the condition is severe, surgical intervention will be performed. (Find out more about Treatment of intestinal obstruction in detail)

Finally, you should not be late in recognizing the symptoms of bowel obstruction so that it does not get worse, causing complications that are difficult to treat and control.