| To maintain its long tubular length, the small | | | | extensive, adhesions may spread more deeply |
| intestine or "bowel" undergoes dozens of loops | | | | into the organ, to support structures, or to |
| and folds as it absorbs nutrients en route from | | | | neighboring organs. The subtle geographical shift |
| the stomach to the large intestines. | | | | between structures can set up a pattern of |
| Since the bowel is not located within the rib cage, | | | | increased adhesion growth that may become |
| which encases or partially protects many of the | | | | problematic. The pull between structures tends to |
| upper abdominal organs (stomach, pancreas, and | | | | cause additional inflammation as the body |
| spleen), the bowel is exposed to more trauma | | | | participates in the activities of life. The |
| than many other organs. Whether it receives the | | | | inflammation begets more adhesions, and new |
| blow of a steering wheel or air bag in a car | | | | adhesions can cause further inflammation. This can |
| accident, or a more indirect trauma, such as | | | | create a spiral of adhesion formation within the |
| absorbing the shock of a fall, the bowel may be | | | | delicate folds of the bowels and lead to bowel |
| more susceptible to trauma than the neighboring | | | | obstruction. |
| organs above it. | | | | Bowel adhesions may form as curtains or ropes |
| The bowel is also close to and adjacent to the | | | | within a section of the bowel, or between the |
| pelvic organs. These structures are even more | | | | loops of the intestines. Bowel adhesions can kink |
| susceptible to tissue damage from infections, | | | | the intestines closed like a garden hose, or may |
| inflammation, and surgery. These organs are | | | | form a glue-like ring or plug, restricting or totally |
| often deeply involved in cases of endometriosis, | | | | blocking the passage designed to carry food |
| infections such as Chlamydia and pelvic | | | | through the bowel for processing and elimination. |
| inflammatory disease, and traumas such as a fall | | | | Thus these adhesions can create a weave of |
| onto the back, hip or tailbone. | | | | occlusion within the bowel, constricting its inner |
| Finally, the bowels themselves are often | | | | walls and slowly decreasing its ability to allow food |
| diagnosed with inflammatory conditions such as | | | | and nutrients to pass |
| diverticulitis, appendicitis, irritable bowel syndrome, | | | | Any narrowing or closing of the small intestine by |
| and Crohn's disease. | | | | adhesions is referred to as a small bowel |
| Any and all of these conditions may cause an | | | | obstruction, occlusion, or blockage. The first |
| adhesive response, as the body sends out | | | | indication of a bowel obstruction is often pain or |
| thousands of tiny but powerful collagenous | | | | nausea, accompanied by difficult or total inability to |
| crosslinks to begin the healing process. Adhesions | | | | have a bowel movement. The recurrent build-up |
| begin to form first at the site of greatest tissue | | | | of adhesions can lead to a partial or total bowel |
| damage, and then at other areas of inflammation. | | | | obstruction. Treatment for partial bowel |
| In the best event, adhesions confine themselves | | | | obstructions may be addressed through natural |
| to a small area on the surface of a single organ, | | | | remedies such as the Wurn Technique®. A |
| the tissues below heal, and the body returns to | | | | total bowel obstruction is a life-threatening |
| normal function. | | | | condition that must be treated surgically by a |
| But when the geography of healing is more | | | | physician. |