Symptoms & Signs
Adhesions in joints, tendons, or ligaments make it harder to move the joint and may cause pain.
Adhesions in the belly (abdomen) that caused a kink, twist, or pulling may cause a blockage of the intestines. Symptoms include:
* Bloating or swelling of your belly
* Constipation
* Nausea and vomiting
* No longer being able to pass gas
* Pain in the belly that is severe and crampy
Adhesions in the pelvis may cause chronic or long-term pelvic pain.
Diagnosis & Tests
Most of the time, the adhesions cannot be seen using x-rays or imaging tests.
* Hysterosalpingography may help diagnose adhesions inside the uterus or Fallopian tubes.
* X-rays of the abdomen, barium contrast studies, and CT scans may help diagnose a blockage of the intestines caused by adhesions.
Endoscopy (a way of looking inside the body using a flexible tube that has a small camera on the end) may help diagnose adhesions:
* Hysteroscopy looks inside the uterus
* Laparoscopy looks inside the abdomen and pelvis
Adhesion: Overview, Causes
Adhesion: Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
Adhesion: Treatment
Reviewed By : Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
