There are many potential causes of intestinal obstruction. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial. An untreated intestinal obstruction can be fatal. Some symptoms may depend on the location and length of time of the obstruction. For example, vomiting is an early sign of small intestine obstruction.
A partial obstruction can result in diarrhea, while a complete obstruction can make you unable to pass gas or stool. Intestinal obstruction may also cause serious infection and inflammation of your abdominal cavity, known as peritonitis. This occurs when a portion of your intestine has ruptured. It leads to fever and increasing abdominal pain. This condition is a life threatening emergency requiring surgery.
An obstruction can be partial, which may get better without surgery. A complete blockage is more likely to need intestinal surgery. Mechanical obstructions are when something physically blocks your intestine. In the small intestine, this can be due to:. Although less common, mechanical obstructions can also block your colon, or large intestine.
This can be due to:. Your small and large intestines normally work in a coordinated system of movement. If something interrupts these coordinated contractions, it can cause a functional intestinal obstruction. This is generally known as a nonmechanical obstruction. First, a doctor may push on your abdomen to examine it. They then listen with a stethoscope to any sounds being made. The presence of a hard lump or particular kinds of sounds, especially in a child, may help determine whether an obstruction exists.
Treatment depends on the location and severity of the obstruction. Do not attempt to treat the problem at home. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take. If your doctor has told you to wait at home for a blockage to clear on its own:. Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if:.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if you have any problems. Author: Healthwise Staff. Care instructions adapted under license by your healthcare professional.
If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again.
Important Phone Numbers. When should you call for help? This could be from a tear perforation in the intestine or a problem with blood flow. You may also need surgery if other treatment does not remove the blockage. The goal is to remove the blockage and repair your organs. Your provider also might recommend using a small, flexible tube to keep your intestine open, instead of having more invasive surgery.
Complications are problems caused by your condition. Complications of intestinal obstruction include:. Abdominal adhesions that occur after surgery may be prevented if your medical team takes certain measures.
These include keeping the incision site moist instead of dry. Discuss in advance what steps your medical team can take to reduce your risk for adhesions after surgery. Get medical help right away if you have symptoms of intestinal obstruction. These include severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and inability to pass stool. If he or she has told you to change your diet as part of your treatment, stick to the new plan.
The goal of the diet is to reduce the work that your digestive tract has to do, while still giving you the nutrition you need. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. Among the many possible reasons for an intestinal obstruction are: Abdominal adhesions. Cancer Inflammatory bowel disease Swallowed foreign objects Chronic constipation Diagnosis To diagnose your condition, your healthcare provider will consider your overall health and health history.
Your provider will give you a physical exam. The small intestine and colon are components of your digestive tract, which processes the foods you eat. The intestines extract nutrients from the foods. What isn't absorbed by the intestines continues along the digestive tract and is expelled as stool during a bowel movement. Diarrhea can be present due to abnormalities in the small intestine or the large intestine.
Intestinal obstruction is a blockage that keeps food or liquid from passing through your small intestine or large intestine colon. Causes of intestinal obstruction may include fibrous bands of tissue adhesions in the abdomen that form after surgery; hernias; colon cancer; certain medications; or strictures from an inflamed intestine caused by certain conditions, such as Crohn's disease or diverticulitis.
Without treatment, the blocked parts of the intestine can die, leading to serious problems. However, with prompt medical care, intestinal obstruction often can be successfully treated. Because of the serious complications that can develop from intestinal obstruction, seek immediate medical care if you have severe abdominal pain or other symptoms of intestinal obstruction.
Intussusception is a rare, serious disorder in which one part of the intestine slides inside an adjacent part.
0コメント