What are massive intestinal blockages?

A massive intestinal blockage is when something big gets stuck in your tummy and stops food from moving through.

Imagine you're eating a huge pile of spaghetti, but instead of going smoothly down your throat and into your stomach, it gets stuck halfway, like a traffic jam on a busy road. That’s what happens with a massive intestinal blockage. Your intestines are like roads inside your body, and when something really big, like a big piece of food or even a toy that someone swallowed, gets stuck, it blocks the way.

Your tummy might start to feel like it's full of balloons because gas can't escape easily. You might feel pain, like when you twist your ankle too hard, and you might even throw up, just like when you're too full from eating cake on your birthday.

Sometimes doctors use special tools to see what’s stuck and help move it out so food can keep moving again.