How to check for intestinal obstruction?

Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
Updated on June 17, 2025
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Generally, after the occurrence of intestinal obstruction, patients typically exhibit classic symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, and cessation of passing gas or stool. If this happens, the most routine hospital examination includes abdominal ultrasonography and plain abdominal radiographs. When necessary, during the treatment process, a more comprehensive abdominal enhanced CT may be needed, or even gastroscopy and colonoscopy, because identifying the cause of the intestinal obstruction is crucial for treatment. Addressing the cause can reduce the frequency of future intestinal obstructions. For adhesive obstructions caused by abdominal surgery, lifestyle and dietary habits are extremely important. Since adhesive obstructions cannot be completely resolved through surgery, adjustments in diet or lifestyle and behavior are essential to minimize recurrence.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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Is intestinal obstruction dangerous?

Whether intestinal obstruction is dangerous depends on the actual individualized level. If the obstruction has progressed to symptoms of peritonitis, and if intestinal necrosis cannot be ruled out, not performing timely exploratory laparotomy surgery could potentially endanger the patient's life. However, if it is just a mild incomplete obstruction, with signs of passing gas and stools, and the patient’s abdominal symptoms are not pronounced, and related examinations are not concerning, then the risk to the patient might be relatively smaller. Therefore, in such cases, it is not possible to generalize, and decisions need to be made based on the individual situation.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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How is intestinal obstruction diagnosed?

First, we diagnose intestinal obstruction, on the one hand, based on the patient's typical symptoms, and then combined with corresponding examinations. Typical symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, and cessation of gas and bowel movements, among which cessation of gas and bowel movements is very important. Some have a state of persistent diarrhea, but the corresponding examination suggests intestinal obstruction, which is not the intestinal obstruction we speak of in surgical terms. After typical manifestations appear, corresponding examinations can be conducted. Currently, the fastest examination for diagnosing intestinal obstruction is an abdominal X-ray. The patient takes an X-ray in a standing position, for example, multiple fluid-gas levels appear in the abdominal plain film, in addition to proximal bowel dilatation and distal bowel collapse, or a CT scan reveals tumorous lesions, which are very important for the examination of the cause of the obstruction.

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Written by Gao Tian
General Surgery
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Symptoms of intestinal obstruction

The symptoms of intestinal obstruction generally manifest as abdominal pain, especially cunning types that can cause severe abdominal pain. Secondly, due to the blockage of the intestines by the obstruction, it can lead to vomiting of stomach acid, which is also greatly related to the location of the obstruction. Thirdly, there will be intestinal discomfort, which leads to some discomforts. Therefore, if the above symptoms appear, it is recommended to quickly visit the general surgery department to complete relevant examinations and intervene early based on the results to prevent further damage.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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What can you eat with intestinal obstruction?

Intestinal obstruction, as the name implies, is when the contents within the intestines are blocked. Generally, patients are not allowed to eat, but this depends on the progress of the condition and whether there is a need for food or water intake. In some cases of incomplete obstruction, it is possible to consume a small amount of liquid or residue-free diet. However, for cases of obstruction with clear symptoms and severe conditions, patients are not permitted to eat. They might even require gastrointestinal decompression, which involves the insertion of a gastric tube for further treatment.

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Written by Xu Jun Hui
General Surgery
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How long to fast for intestinal obstruction

Intestinal obstruction and the barrier to the passage of intestinal contents can lead to intestinal obstruction, typically characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, cessation of passing gas and stools, and in cases of high intestinal obstruction, it may also involve nausea and vomiting. How long fasting should be continued in the case of intestinal obstruction depends on whether the patient has resumed passing gas and stools, as well as whether symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and vomiting have subsided. If the patient's abdominal pain and bloating have mostly subsided, passing gas and stools have resumed, and there is no bloody stool or symptoms of nausea and vomiting, then a gradual reintroduction of a liquid diet can be started. If abdominal pain and bloating do not worsen, and there is passing gas and stools, then a transition to a semi-liquid diet until a normal diet is resumed can be made. Therefore, the duration of fasting for intestinal obstruction should be determined based on the effectiveness of the treatment for the obstruction.