Bowel obstruction history and symptoms
|
Bowel obstruction Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Surgery |
|
Case Studies |
|
Bowel obstruction history and symptoms On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Bowel obstruction history and symptoms |
|
Risk calculators and risk factors for Bowel obstruction history and symptoms |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
History and Symptoms
Depending on the level of obstruction, bowel obstruction can present with abdominal pain, abdominal distension, vomiting, fecal vomiting, and constipation.
Obstruction may be due to causes within the bowel lumen, within the wall of the bowel, or external to the bowel (such as compression, entrapment or volvulus).
In small bowel obstruction the pain tends to be colicky (cramping and intermittent) in nature, with spasms lasting a few minutes. The pain tends to be central and mid-abdominal. Vomiting occurs before constipation.
In large bowel obstruction the pain is felt lower in the abdomen and the spasms last longer. Constipation occurs earlier and vomiting may be less prominent. Proximal obstruction of the large bowel may present as small bowel obstruction.