Intestinal obstruction refers to the obstruction of the passage of intestinal contents in the intestine and is one of the common acute abdominal conditions. It can be caused by intestinal adhesions, intestinal inflammation or tumor, low digestive tract function, roundworms, intestinal foreign bodies, fecal masses, stones and other factors. Among the elderly intestinal obstruction, food intestinal obstruction is common and harmful, so it should be paid enough attention.
Why does food intestinal obstruction occur?
Due to the degenerative changes of all organs in the body, the intestinal function of the elderly is low, and the digestion, absorption, secretion and peristalsis of the intestine are easily disturbed. Food that can be digested by adults in general may not be easily digested in the gastrointestinal tract of the elderly. These incompletely digested masses can be excreted smoothly in adults, but may not be excreted in the elderly, thus blocking the intestinal lumen and leading to intestinal obstruction. Elderly people have reduced secretion of intestinal digestive juices, coupled with weak intestinal peristalsis, they often have habitual constipation, and the food residue gathered into a secret fecal mass can also cause intestinal obstruction. In addition, if the elderly are accompanied by other diseases, the secretion and peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract is further reduced, which is also a factor that induces food intestinal obstruction.
What are the dangers of food intestinal obstruction?
After the formation of food intestinal obstruction in the elderly, it is usually difficult to lift the obstruction by conservative treatment, and most of them need surgery. However, surgery may bring some new complications, for example, most elderly people will have intestinal adhesions after surgery, which will lead to adhesive intestinal obstruction, and patients will face the risk of re-operation. In some cases, loss of body fluids and electrolytes, impaired blood circulation in the intestinal wall, necrosis, secondary infection, etc. may occur, which may eventually lead to toxemia, shock, or even death.
How to prevent food-related intestinal obstruction?
The elderly should choose more easily digestible plant foods containing more fiber and less animal foods. Food should be finely processed or cooked to facilitate chewing. Animal food should be cooked and roasted to facilitate digestion and absorption. Some foods that are not easy to chew and easily form lumps, such as glutinous rice, grapes, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soybean sprouts, animal fascia, tendons, etc., should be eaten sparingly.
Protect the teeth of the elderly aging and losing teeth, easy to cause chewing incomplete. Combined with reduced intestinal peristaltic function, food is not easy to decompose, not fully chewed food swollen with water, it may lead to intestinal cavity blockage. Therefore, the elderly should be more often clean mouth, brush teeth. If too many teeth are lost, it is better to install dentures. Pay attention to dental maintenance or repair, is an important part of the prevention of food intestinal obstruction.
In addition to the usual activities, drink more water, eat less spicy food, if necessary, you can choose some drugs to regulate intestinal secretion function, promote intestinal peristalsis, help stool softening, prevent intestinal obstruction.
Treatment of other primary diseases digestive system and cardiovascular diseases are the common primary diseases causing intestinal obstruction. Clinical observation shows that the chance of food intestinal obstruction is significantly higher in patients with peptic ulcer, and the chance of food intestinal obstruction increases in elderly with pulmonary heart disease who are more bedridden and less active, and whose intestinal function is significantly lower than that of healthy elderly. Therefore, active treatment of the primary disease is also an aspect of preventing food intestinal obstruction.