Bowel blockage is also known as intestinal obstruction. This condition blocks digested food or liquid from passing out of either the large intestine or the small intestine. While the condition may seem to be harmless initially, it can pose serious health hazards. If not treated, the blocked parts of the intestine can die and cause serious complications. With a proper medical care, the condition can be treated successfully. It is essential to seek treatment immediately after the symptoms are visible.
Common symptoms of bowel blockage
The symptoms of the disease appear in its early stages. As the name suggests, a bowel blockage is an uncomfortable condition. If you are feeling unusually constipated despite having a healthy, fibrous diet, the odds are that something is wrong. Most people consider this to be a sign of constipation, but if you are suffering from any of the below-mentioned conditions along with constipation, then you are probably suffering from bowel blockage. Here are a few of the bowel blockage symptoms you need to check:
- Intense abdominal pain – Intense abdominal pain is one of the first signs of bowel blockage. The pain may seem to be unusual in nature and may induce cramps. Seek medical attention immediately as this is one of the sure-shot bowel blockage symptoms.
- Loss of appetite – You may experience a sudden loss of appetite despite maintaining a healthy diet and eating enough on a regular basis.
- Constipation – If you experience constipation and abdominal pain with cramps, visit a doctor immediately and set up an appointment. These two conditions point to bowel blockage.
- Vomiting – If you are vomiting from time to time for no apparent reason and are suffering from the above-mentioned symptoms, you may have a bowel blockage.
- Inability to pass gas and have a bowel movement – If you are unable to pass gas or have a bowel movement, it is likely that something is blocking its path. Get a check-up done immediately.
Swelling of the abdomen can be another sign of this problem too. Fibrous bands of tissues may form in the abdomen after surgery and these bands may lead to the onset of the condition. An inflamed intestine, hernia, colon cancer and infected pouches in the intestine may contribute to the disease as well. Severe complications develop from bowel blockage and hence, it is recommended to seek treatment immediately if you experience severe abdominal pain or any of the bowel blockage symptoms mentioned on this list.
