Intestinal Adhesion Symptoms

Intestinal adhesion is a relatively serious disease. When intestinal adhesion occurs, it is most likely to cause intestinal obstruction. Therefore, patients must be vigilant. The symptoms of mild adhesion are generally not particularly obvious. Sometimes when eating, it may cause abdominal pain and bloating. If the disease is more serious, it often causes belching and hiccups, resulting in dry stools.

Intestinal Adhesion Symptoms

1. Symptoms of intestinal adhesion in mild patients

Patients with mild intestinal adhesion symptoms may not have any outward symptoms, but may occasionally experience mild abdominal pain and bloating after eating.

2. Symptoms of intestinal adhesions in severe patients

Severe symptoms of intestinal adhesions may often be accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, difficulty passing gas, belching, hiccups, dry stools, etc. Patients with intestinal adhesions have their intestinal tract narrowed by adhesions, which hinders the passage of intestinal contents, and prevents the gas and feces in the intestine from being discharged smoothly. When the accumulation increases and the pressure in the intestinal cavity increases, the patient will experience worsening abdominal distension and difficulty defecating.

3. Symptoms of intestinal adhesions in critically ill patients

If patients with intestinal adhesions have dry stools, most of them are already in severe condition. Patients with intestinal adhesions at this stage often have larger adhesion areas, limited intestinal muscle function, and abnormal peristalsis, resulting in intestinal dysfunction. In mild cases, patients have a bowel movement once every two or three days, while in severe cases, patients have a bowel movement once a week. Each bowel movement is very difficult and must be completed with the help of laxatives. Long-term retention of stool can easily cause adhesive intestinal obstruction, intestinal necrosis, and even endanger life.

What is the relationship between intestinal adhesion and intestinal obstruction?

After abdominal surgery, 90% of cases have abdominal adhesions, of which 40% are intestinal adhesions. Among intestinal adhesions, only about 20% will cause intestinal obstruction, which we call adhesive intestinal obstruction. Intestinal adhesion does not necessarily lead to intestinal obstruction, but it is a common and major cause of intestinal obstruction.

Adhesive intestinal obstruction and intestinal adhesion should not be confused. The two are related, but the greater essential difference is that intestinal obstruction is an acute abdomen and a critical condition, while intestinal adhesion is a chronic or potential pathology. Patients with intestinal obstruction have experienced extensive intestinal dilatation, with a large amount of fluid retention in the intestinal cavity, as well as severe electrolyte imbalance and severe abdominal distension that cause circulatory and respiratory disorders, and even the occurrence of infectious toxemia. The goal of the former treatment is naturally to save lives, while the latter is to improve the quality of life.

When mechanical intestinal obstruction occurs, you should seek treatment from a regular medical institution in time, and take measures such as temporary fasting and infusion to supplement water and electrolytes. If necessary, gastrointestinal decompression, enema and other laxative treatments should be performed. If the obstruction cannot be relieved, or if there are critical conditions such as intestinal necrosis, perforation, peritonitis, etc., emergency surgical treatment is necessary to loosen adhesions and relieve obstruction. However, intestinal adhesions are not only difficult to diagnose, but also difficult to treat. The effectiveness of surgical treatment is difficult to grasp, which often makes doctors feel hesitant and at a loss.