Hirschsprung disease causes severe constipation and intestinal blockage because of slow moving stool through your large intestine. The genesis of these symptoms is missing nerve cells. Without them, intestinal muscles fail to receive a signal to propel stool along (peristalsis). Therefore, stool stagnates in the large intestine.
Your large intestine is the point of the digestive process where water is absorbed out of waste. So, slowed stool tends to over harden causing a further slow down, which often creates an obstruction to a healthy flow. This is why those with Hirschsprung disease have fewer and difficult to pass bowel movements, sometimes to the extent of complete blockage.
Hirschsprung disease is present at birth and the severity of this health condition varies based on the degree to which intestinal segments lack nerve cells.
The primary symptoms of Hirschsprung disease is severe constipation and intestinal blockage. One symptom typically noticed shortly after birth is newborn’s failure to have a bowel movement within a couple of days. Some other symptoms are:
- anemia
- diarrhea
- jaundice
- vomiting
- slow growth
- malnutrition
- poor feeding
- excessive gas
- bloody diarrhea
- swollen abdomen
- infrequent explosive stools
Hirschsprung disease its treated with surgery. Essentially, the large intestine segment without nerve cells is removed. Early treatment and the less bowel taken out results in a good chance for a healthy life in the future.