Some of the other or alternate reasons for blockages are adhesions, whether they are wrapped around your gut or something else, preventing things from flowing freely in the gut or (in my case) sticking the gut to the abdominal wall in an elbow shape that didn't allow things to flow through) or kinks that can come from 100 reasons including drinking a carbonated drink too fast (yup, I didn't believe that one either until it happened to me)...swelling caused by a bug or flu that leaves your system fragile or getting hit in the gut (been there, done that too)...
You have 2 major types of blockages, total and partial.
Total: nothing is moving at all...can not even take a pill or sip water, it comes right back up. Nothing comes out the other end either. No peristaltic rhythm unless you put something in and then the cramping, labor pains, and hell have no name. You can have chills, fever, nausea (yes!!!) and lower back pain.
Partial: things can go in or come out but just a few drops at a time. Pain, cramping, nausea, vomiting, swelling...all of the above symptoms but you can still hydrate. Do not eat even if you are tempted until it passes.
Some of the solutions are:
1. Walk, walk, walk. Keep moving, it stimulates the gut and can help unblock things.
2. Rock & roll...up and down on your toes, climb stairs, roll on a pilates ball...But gently...do some simple yoga moves if you can (no twisting)...anything to help the gut to unblock itself.
3. Heating pad for the pain and relief.
4. Massage the gut with your hands, using gentle circular movements...knead it too...At this point anything helps or at least shouldn't hurt.
5. Take a hot bath.
Usually, I give it 24 hrs before heading out to ER...they are mostly lost and useless, not able to do much but sedate me, put me on I.V. fluids (after 24hrs it is sort of a must with a total blockage) and do x-rays...useful to find out what is going on in there.
Call your doctor to give him a head's up even if it resolves itself...he needs to know that this is happening and keep an eye out for it if it happens again.
I am sure that there are more causes and more solutions but that is my personal list...hope that you never need to use it.
Sharon