What is bowel obstruction?

A bowel blockage, also called an intestinal obstruction, can prevent gas, fluids, or solids from moving through the intestines normally. It can cause constipation and, rarely, diarrhea. You may have pain, nausea, vomiting, and cramping.

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.

If you have had surgery for a bowel blockage, there are things you can do at home to make sure you heal well. You can also make some changes to keep your bowel from becoming blocked again.

Symptoms of a bowel obstruction include:

• Cramping and belly pain that comes and goes. The pain can occur around or below the belly button.
• Vomiting.
• Bloating and a large, hard belly.
• Constipation and a lack of gas, if the intestine is completely blocked.
• Diarrhea, if the intestine is partly blocked.

Most bowel obstructions are treated in the hospital.

In the hospital, your doctor will give you medicine and fluids through a vein (IV). To help you stay comfortable, your doctor may place a tiny tube called a nasogastric (NG) tube through your nose and down into your stomach. The tube removes fluids and gas and helps relieve pain and pressure. You will not be given anything to eat or drink.

Most bowel obstructions are partial blockages that get better on their own. The NG tube may help the bowel become unblocked when fluids and gas are removed. Some people may need more treatment. These treatments include using liquids or air (enemas) or small mesh tubes (stents) to open up the blockage.

Surgery is almost always needed when the intestine is completely blocked or when the blood supply is cut off. You may need a colostomy or an ileostomy after surgery. The diseased part of the intestine is removed, and the remaining part is sewn to an opening in the skin. Stool passes out of the body through the opening and collects in a disposable ostomy bag. In some cases, the colostomy or ileostomy is temporary until you have recovered. When you are better, the ends of the intestine are reattached and the ostomy is repaired.

If your blockage was caused by another health problem, such as diverticulitis, the blockage may come back if you don't treat that health problem.

Bowel blockage (obstruction) may be prevented by doing several things. Try eating smaller meals more often throughout the day. Chew your food very well. Try to chew each bite until it is liquid. Avoid high-fiber foods and raw fruits and vegetables. 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. You should check with your doctor before eating whole-grain products or using a fiber supplement such as Citrucel or Metamucil.

Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Walking is a good choice.

Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms, other digestive problems you've had, and any surgeries or procedures you've had in that area. He or she will check your belly for tenderness and bloating.

Your doctor may do:

• 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.

• Be safe with medicines. Have your child take medicines exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if you think your child is having a problem with his or her medicine.
• If the doctor prescribed antibiotics for your child, give them as directed. Do not stop using them just because your child feels better. Your child needs to take the full course of antibiotics.
• Have your child rest when he or she feels tired.
• If your child had surgery:
  • He or she may shower 24 to 48 hours after surgery, if your doctor says it is okay. Pat the cut (incision) dry. Do not let your child take a bath for the first 2 weeks, or until your doctor tells you it is okay.
  • If your child has strips of tape on the cut (incision), leave the tape on for a week or until it falls off. Wash the area daily with warm, soapy water and pat it dry.
  • Your child may not have much of an appetite after the surgery. But try to have your child eat a healthy diet. Your doctor will tell you about any foods your child should not eat.

Tumors, scar tissue (adhesions), or twisting or narrowing of the intestines can cause a bowel obstruction. These are called mechanical obstructions.

In the small intestine, scar tissue is most often the cause. Other causes include hernias and Crohn's disease, which can twist or narrow the intestine. Or a tumor can block the intestine. A blockage also can happen if one part of the intestine folds like a telescope into another part. This is called intussusception.

In the large intestine, cancer is most often the cause. Other causes are severe constipation from a hard mass of stool and narrowing of the intestine caused by diverticulitis or inflammatory bowel disease.

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.