Medical References

Diseases & Conditions

Women's Health

Mental Health

Men's Health

Medical Web Links

MOL Site Map

Sites

Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
Read more health news

Bowel Obstruction

Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

Bowel obstruction describes a blockage in the bowels.

What is going on in the body?

The bowels can become blocked for many reasons. When the bowels become blocked, the food and fluids taken in through the mouth become trapped inside the gut. Eventually, this leads to symptoms in an affected person.

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

Bowel obstruction can be caused by many different things. These include:

scar tissue in the belly, often called adhesions. This tissue can wrap around a piece of bowel. The contents of the bowel are prevented from moving normally through the intestine.

bowel that twists on itself or develops a bad kink. This is often called volvulus.

fecal impaction, or hard stool that cannot pass through the bowel

cancer, such as colon cancer or cancer of the pancreas

infection of the bowel. This can be from colitis, which is an infection of the colon lining, or diverticulitis, which is an infection of small pouches that can develop in the wall of the colon.

inflammation or swelling of the bowel from any cause. An example is inflammatory bowel disease, a condition without a known cause that results in inflammation of the intestines.

lack of blood supply to the bowel, such as from a condition called ischemic colitis

Home • Sitemap • Contact Us • Advertising • Press Room • Give Us Your Feedback • Read Our Terms & Conditions and Our Disclaimer • Privacy Statement