Intestinal Obstruction

Mar 18, 2019 | Margaret Shepard | @Margaret_Marie | Comments (2)

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Intestinal obstruction is a blockage that keeps food or liquid from passing through your small or large intestine. While causes of intestinal obstruction may include Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, hernias and colon cancer, the most common cause is fibrous bands of tissue known as adhesions that form in the abdomen after surgery.

Without treatment, the blocked parts of the intestine can die, leading to serious problems, but with prompt medical care, intestinal obstruction can often be successfully treated. Dr. Erica Loomis, a Mayo Clinic trauma and critical care surgeon, explains what causes intestinal obstruction and how it's treated.

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etownbill | @etownbill | Mar 19, 2025

Hello looking for advice of questions for my gastro doctor at next weeks appointment following my second intestinal blockage in only 13 months !! Been diagnosed with IBSC for years and have had multiple different prescriptions that haven't worked over past several years

janspons | @janspons | May 16 12:11pm

I just watched this podcast, I have a jpouch due to UC, and currently have Crohns. I have recently had a scope which revealed severe inflammation I an currently taking Tremfya and my GI just added vancomycin to hopefully clear up the inflammation. In the past week, I have had intense cramping, could barely pass any stool, had small bouts of leakage throughout the day, along with the cramping. I didn't have any nausea but also if I tried to pass any stool it felt like my insides where going to come out so I could not push to have a bowel movement, it would just pass small amounts many times a day. Last night I woke up to a bit of cramping and as I massaged my belly, felt a round, golf ball size "something" on my right side. I continued to massage it, and it seemed to go away. I got up to go to the bathroom, and I passed more stool in one sitting than I had in days, and now the cramping and gut pains seem to be gone. I don't know that I have ever had a blockage in my small colon before, at least not like this, so it didn't even occur to me that it might be a blockage. After going on Mayo Connect and doing some searching and posting some of my info, it seems to be quite common. As I watched the podcast it was very informative to me, I am happy I did not have to go to the ER and it finally fixed itself. I doctor for my jpouch/crohns at Mayo, but I am about 4 hours away, and can't just jump in the car to see my GI. I have been seen at Mayo since 1996, so if anyone is going to mess with my insides, that is where I want to go. Thank you for this information, even tho it took me until now to find this podcast.