If you have these symptoms, it may be that your intestines are "blocked"! Don't take it lightly

We often hear terms like “blood vessel blockage” and “urethra blockage” in our daily life.

Did you know that your intestines can get clogged?

Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, inability to defecate, and flatulence follow. So how does intestinal obstruction occur? How to prevent it? The Xiangdong Hospital Affiliated to Hunan Normal University will tell you~

1. What is intestinal obstruction?

Intestinal obstruction is one of the common acute abdominal diseases in surgery. It refers to the inability of part or all of the intestinal contents to flow normally and pass smoothly through the intestine. Intestinal obstruction is a variable disease, develops rapidly, and can often endanger the patient's life.

2. The main symptoms of intestinal obstruction

1. Abdominal pain:

The abdominal pain of mechanical intestinal obstruction is paroxysmal and colic in nature. If the intervals between abdominal pains keep shortening and become severe and continuous, it may be strangulation intestinal obstruction.

2. Abdominal distension:

It occurs after abdominal pain, and its degree is related to the location of the obstruction. The abdominal distension is not obvious in high-level intestinal obstruction, but it is significant in low-level intestinal obstruction and paralytic intestinal obstruction.

3. Vomiting:

Vomiting is one of the main symptoms of mechanical intestinal obstruction. Vomiting occurs earlier and more frequently in high-level obstruction, and the vomitus mainly consists of the contents of the stomach and duodenum. Vomiting occurs later in low-level obstruction. Vomiting in colonic obstruction occurs only in the late stage. In paralytic intestinal obstruction, vomiting is mostly overflowing.

4. The liver portal stops expelling gas and defecation:

In the early stages of obstruction, especially when it is at a high position, the gas and feces accumulated underneath can still be discharged, which can easily lead to misdiagnosis as no intestinal obstruction or incomplete intestinal obstruction.

5. Associated symptoms:

Signs of dehydration include dry lips and tongue, sunken eye sockets, loss of skin elasticity, and oliguria or anuria. Signs of hypokalemia include muscle weakness and arrhythmia. Signs of poisoning and shock include rapid pulse, decreased blood pressure, pale complexion, and cold limbs.

Causes of intestinal obstruction

1. Extraintestinal factors: compression by adhesions, tumor compression, and hernia incarceration.

2. Intestinal wall factors: intussusception and intestinal torsion.

3. Factors within the intestinal cavity: blockage by fecal masses or foreign objects.

4. Causes: intestinal dysfunction, overeating, sudden changes in body position, etc.

4. How to prevent intestinal obstruction

1. Avoid strenuous activities after a full meal.

2. Patients undergoing surgery need to get out of bed and move around as soon as possible under the guidance of medical staff after the surgery to ensure adequate exercise and prevent intestinal adhesion.

3. The elderly are prone to constipation, and fecal stones blocking the intestines may also cause intestinal obstruction. Therefore, the elderly should keep their intestines unobstructed and use laxatives in moderation when necessary.

4. Larger tumors can also cause intestinal obstruction, so it is necessary to have regular physical examinations and promptly deal with intestinal polyps and intestinal tumors.

5. Patients with hernia are also prone to intestinal obstruction, and when the hernia sac becomes incarcerated or turns into a strangulated hernia, it can easily cause intestinal necrosis. Therefore, patients with abdominal wall hernia should undergo surgical treatment as soon as possible.

5. How to treat intestinal obstruction

1. Non-surgical treatment:

It is suitable for simple intestinal obstruction, intestinal obstruction without blood circulation disorder or incomplete intestinal obstruction. Gastrointestinal decompression, fluid replacement, anti-infection and other methods can be used to correct water and electrolyte disorders.

First, limit the intake of the digestive tract, fast and do not drink. Insert a gastrointestinal decompression tube from the nasal cavity into the intestinal cavity or stomach cavity near the obstruction to absorb the accumulated gas and liquid and reduce the adverse effects of abdominal distension on respiratory circulation.

Intravenous infusion of glucose and electrolyte solution should not only meet the physiological needs of patients who cannot take it orally, but also correct the dehydration and hypovolemia that have occurred as much as possible. According to the specific conditions of the patients, preventive use of antibiotics and antispasmodics can be used to relieve abdominal pain symptoms, small amounts of liquid enema can be used to stimulate intestinal peristalsis, and oral liquid paraffin oil or sesame oil can be used to promote intestinal peristalsis.

At the same time, the patient's condition should be closely monitored, and surgical treatment should be chosen promptly when the cause of the obstruction cannot be relieved on its own, when the obstruction persists for a long time and cannot be relieved, or when there is a risk of strangulation.

2. Surgical treatment:

The purpose is to remove the cause of intestinal obstruction, such as loosening adhesions, removing diseased intestinal segments, etc., in order to restore intestinal patency.

Xiangdong Hospital Affiliated to Hunan Normal University kindly reminds you: If you have abdominal cramps, bloating and constipation at the same time, it is recommended that you go to a regular hospital for medical treatment as soon as possible. Severe intestinal obstruction is a potential threat to life, especially for elderly patients and patients with other diseases. Specialists will diagnose whether intestinal obstruction occurs through physical examination, blood tests and abdominal X-rays or abdominal CT.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Zhong Yuqin, Publicity Department, Xiangdong Hospital Affiliated to Hunan Normal University

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(Edited by ZS)