10 Symptoms of Bowel Obstruction

Bowel obstruction, also known as intestinal obstruction, means functional or mechanical obstruction of the intestines, preventing the movement of digestive products. There are many causes of bowel obstruction, including adhesions, hernias, volvulus, inflammatory bowel disease, appendicitis, endometriosis, diverticulitis, intussusception, tumors, and more. The most typical causes of large intestine obstruction are volvulus or tumors. In the small intestines, the obstructions are mainly caused by hernias or adhesions.

Intravenous fluids and pain medications can be used to treat bowel obstruction, and almost  25 percent of small bowel obstruction will require surgery. In 2015, nearly 3.2 million cases of bowel obstruction happened, resulting in 264,000 deaths. It's important to know the symptoms of bowel obstruction in advance.

Symptom #1: Loss of Appetite

Loss of appetite, also known as anorexia, can be seen in various conditions. In an infection, appetite loss is regarded as part of the acute phase response caused by different components of the infective organism.

Loss of appetite can be found in anxiety, appendicitis, kidney disease, heart failure and more. In bowel obstruction, anorexia may be caused by increased intraabdominal pressure, nausea, abdominal pain, and cramps.