Ate a lot of persimmons, causing food residue to get stuck in the intestines
A story was shared about a woman who ate a lot of persimmons and ended up with food residue stuck in her intestines. A 59-year-old Vietnamese woman, A, was eventually diagnosed with intestinal obstruction. Health Chosun introduced her story on the 20th (local time), as reported by the Vietnamese media outlet Zing.vn. A suddenly experienced gas buildup and pain in her abdomen. She developed a fever along with nausea and vomiting, prompting her to visit Ninh Binh General Hospital. Tests revealed that she was diagnosed with 'intestinal obstruction' caused by food residue.
Intestinal obstruction refers to a condition where the contents of the intestines cannot pass through normally. The causes are divided into mechanical obstruction (tumors, adhesions, hernias, etc.) or functional obstruction (intestinal paralysis, nerve damage, etc.). It occurs when the intestinal motility is paralyzed or blocked by foreign substances.
The attending physician told the media, “The cause was the excessive consumption of persimmons three days prior,” adding, “Foods high in fiber and tannins such as persimmons, figs, and bamboo shoots cause the fiber and tannins in the food to bind with stomach acid, forming food residue that blocks the intestines.” Tannins are a type of polyphenol antioxidant that produce an astringent taste when consumed. A eventually underwent surgery to clear the blockage and was discharged six days later.
In fact, intestinal obstruction causes symptoms such as abdominal pain, abdominal distension, nausea, and vomiting due to the accumulation of gas, stool, and food residue in the intestines. Especially, tannins, which produce an astringent taste, bind with stomach acid and digestive proteins in the digestive tract to form food residue. Foods containing tannins include persimmons, chestnuts, acorns, tea, and pomegranates.
Earlier, on the 15th (local time), in China, a woman in her 40s, B, was diagnosed with acute intestinal obstruction after eating persimmons and hairy crabs. B, who regularly ate persimmons, consumed three persimmons at once and then ate two hairy crabs for dinner. By night, abdominal pain began and symptoms worsened. She visited the hospital two days later, underwent tests, and was diagnosed with acute intestinal obstruction.
B had a 4 cm by 3 cm-sized bezoar blocking her small intestine, preventing normal passage of food. Medical staff at Hangzhou First People's Hospital partially resected B’s small intestine and attributed the bezoar formation to the foods she consumed.
Meanwhile, when the intestines are blocked, food, digestive juices, and stool cannot pass down and accumulate, causing abdominal pain. Severe abdominal pain is accompanied by bloating, vomiting, and chills. The intestinal contents cannot pass, and only a small amount of water moves, resulting in no bowel movements. Additionally, insufficient absorption of water and electrolytes reduces blood volume, increasing the risk of shock due to hypotension or dehydration. In severe cases, intestinal perforation may occur.
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