How to Prevent Small Bowel Obstruction

Co-authored by Roy Nattiv, MD and Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: November 11, 2021 References

Small bowel obstruction can be painful, but it is preventable. The condition occurs when a blockage anywhere in your small intestine keeps waste from passing through into the large intestine. If you have an inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease, your risk of small bowel obstruction may be greater. You're also at greater risk if you've recently had abdominal surgery. A healthy lifestyle and a diet low in fat and fiber can help prevent small bowel obstruction.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Maintaining Healthy Eating Habits

1
Have small meals more frequently. Small snack-sized servings are easier for your body to digest than the full meal you may be used to. Aim to eat between 4 and 6 times a day, maybe once every 2 hours.^{[2]
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- Stop eating before you feel "full." This can decrease the risk of undigested food making its way to your small intestine, potentially causing a blockage.
2
Eat slowly and chew thoroughly. To ensure proper digestion, always eat in a relaxed setting. The more thoroughly you chew your food, the easier it is for your body to digest. Cook everything you eat so it is moist and tender.^{[3]
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- If something is difficult to chew, it is likely also difficult to digest. Many stringy fruits (pineapple, rhubarb) and vegetables (celery, bean sprouts) contain tough fibers that your body cannot digest. These fibers can build up in your small bowel, causing obstruction. Similarly, processed foods are harder for your body to digest. Meats, especially steak, take the longest to digest.
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3
Drink plenty of water. Water helps your digestive system to function properly. Drinking a glass of water while eating and after every meal may help prevent blockage. Aim to drink between 8 and 10 full glasses of water each day.^{[4]
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- In addition to water, other fluids such as broth, tea, and juice are good. Milkshakes can also be good as long as you aren't lactose intolerant.
- Even though they contain a lot of water, don't use other drinks as a substitute for your 8 to 10 glasses of water. Rather than drinking rapidly, sip on water regularly throughout the day.^{[5]
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4
Cook vegetables well. You may have heard that raw vegetables provide more nutrients than cooked vegetables. However, if you've had problems with small bowel obstruction, raw vegetables may exacerbate the problem.^{[6]
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- Look for canned vegetables that are well-cooked and have had the seeds and skins removed, such as carrots, tomatoes, squash, and cauliflower. Frozen vegetables can also be a great option once they're cooked, especially peas, carrots, and potatoes.
- In particular, you want to avoid leafy greens (spinach, cabbage), stringy vegetables (celery, asparagus), and vegetables with tough outer skins (eggplant, green or red pepper).
5
Remove seeds and skin from fruits. The seeds and skins of fruits contain types of fiber that humans cannot digest. In many cases fruit is peeled before eating. However, with some fruits, such as apples, the peel is routinely eaten.^{[7]
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- Avoid fruits with small seeds, such as berries or kiwi fruit, because you won't be able to remove the seeds before eating them. It's fine to drink the juice, however.
6
Avoid nuts and seeds. As with fruits, nuts and seeds generally have fiber the human body can't digest. If you eat nuts and seeds, this fiber can build up in your small bowel, causing an obstruction.^{[8]
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- Similarly, popcorn isn't a good snack if you want to prevent small bowel obstruction, as it's a leading cause of bowel obstruction. Your body can't digest the fiber in popcorn kernels.
- Nut butters are fine as long as they are creamy rather than chunky.
7
Limit consumption of alcohol and caffeine. Caffeinated and alcoholic drinks can irritate your bowel. Caffeine and alcohol also are diuretics that can cause dehydration, leading to other bowel problems.^{[9]
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- Coffee itself can also irritate your bowel, even if it is decaffeinated.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making Lifestyle Changes

1
Quit smoking. Cigarette smoking can put you at an increased risk of bowel diseases that can lead to small bowel obstruction, including Crohn's disease. Smokers also have worse symptoms than non-smokers, and require surgery more often to treat those diseases.
- If you're a regular smoker and want to quit, talk to your doctor about tobacco cessation options and develop a plan together.
2
Avoid heavy lifting. Heavy lifting increases pressure in your abdomen and may cause a hernia, which can lead to small bowel obstruction. You have an increased risk of a hernia if you've recently had surgery.
- After surgery or other treatment of a bowel injury, your doctor may give you a list of physical restrictions. You can also ask for a note from your doctor if you need one to excuse you from heavy lifting at work.
3
Get daily physical exercise. Staying active is important to maintaining healthy digestion and preventing small bowel obstruction. Walking, in particular, is good exercise and stimulates digestion. Try going for a short walk after each meal.^{[10]
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- If you've recently had a hernia or surgery, being active can help prevent scarring that could lead to small bowel obstruction.
- If you want to include resistance training in your exercise regimen, talk to your doctor first. Avoid using heavy weights, which could cause a hernia.
4
Take vitamin and mineral supplements. Generally, you want to get as many vitamins and minerals from the food you eat as you possibly can. However, the food preparation required to prevent small bowel obstruction may result in some deficiencies.^{[11]
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- A daily multi-vitamin can help ensure that you're getting the vitamins and minerals you need each day. Ask your healthcare provider whether they recommend other supplements for you based on your diet and your medical history.
5
Schedule yearly colorectal cancer screenings. Small bowel obstruction can be a symptom of cancer. If you're over 50, or if you've recently had a small bowel obstruction, get screened for colorectal cancer every year.
- Keep all of your appointments and work closely with your doctor to prevent small bowel obstruction.^{[12]
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  Roy Nattiv, MD
  Board Certified Gastroenterologist
  Expert Interview. 14 October 2020.}

Expert Q&A
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Question

What are some steps to take if I'm at a greater risk of having a small bowel obstruction?

Roy Nattiv, MD
Board Certified Gastroenterologist
Dr. Roy Nattiv is a Board-Certified Pediatric Gastroenterologist in Los Angeles, California. With over 20 years of experience he specializes in a broad range of pediatric gastrointestinal and nutritional illnesses such as constipation, diarrhea, reflux, food allergies, poor weight gain, SIBO, IBD, and IBS. He completed his pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and his fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). While at UCSF, he was a California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) fellowship trainee and was awarded the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) Fellow to Faculty Award in Pediatric IBD Research. Dr. Nattiv received his undergrad degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his medical degree (MD) from the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Roy Nattiv, MD

Board Certified Gastroenterologist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

It's really patient dependent, so it's important to have regular checkups with your gastroenterologist and adhere to the treatment plan that's been prescribed.

Warnings

If you have severe abdominal pain, seek medical treatment immediately. Bowel obstruction can be a life-threatening condition if not treated promptly.^{[14]
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