digestive disorders
Foreign Bodies in the Digestive Tract
Symptoms of Foreign Bodies in the Digestive Tract
Foreign bodies cause symptoms depending on the nature of the foreign body and where it becomes stuck. A small blunt object that is swallowed may cause the sensation of something being stuck in the esophagus and Difficulty Swallowing (dysphagia). This feeling may persist for a short time even after the object has passed into the stomach. A small sharp object that is swallowed may become lodged in the esophagus and cause pain, even though the person is able to swallow normally. When the esophagus is completely blocked, the person is unable to swallow anything, even saliva, and drools and spits constantly. The saliva may be stained with blood, and the person may gag and choke. The person may try to vomit, but nothing comes up. If a foreign body is partially or completely obstructing the stomach, the small intestine, or, rarely, the large intestine, it may cause cramps, bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting (see Intestinal Obstruction ). Sudden, excruciating pain during bowel movements suggests that a foreign object may be piercing the lining of the Rectum and Anus or If a sharp object pierces the esophagus, consequences may be serious. Food and other esophageal contents can leak into the chest cavity (mediastinum) and cause life-threatening inflammation ( Mediastinitis ). Sharp objects can also cause a Even a blunt object, if tightly impacted in the esophagus for many hours (for example, more than 24 hours), can cause serious problems. The impacted object can put enough pressure on the wall of the esophagus to cause death of that part of the esophagus and risk of perforation, resulting in Mediastinitis . People who have swallowed disk or button batteries, which can eat away at the lining of the esophagus or stomach, may have burns of the esophagus or stomach. This may rapidly progress to perforation of the esophagus or stomach, and so the swallowed battery needs to be removed from the esophagus or stomach as soon as possible. Sometimes foreign bodies lead to blood in the stool. If a person has swallowed an object filled with drugs, the object may rupture, which can then lead to an overdose of the drug. 