Abdominal adhesions caused by something other than surgery are quite common. While the diagnosis “abdominal adhesions” generally means scar tissue specifically, there is a wider range of possibility for what adhesive tissue can be.
In addition to surgery, abdominal adhesions can be caused by:
- Scar tissue from a single, usually severe, blunt force trauma – for example from a fall
- Scar tissue from repetitive blunt force trauma – for example from martial arts practice
- Scar tissue from tearing or otherwise damaging a muscle – such as during heavy duty exercise or sudden, heavy weight bearing such as catching someone as they fall
- Fibrous tissue laid down by the body in response to inflammation – often from some form of chronic inflammation or from a significant infection
- Tissues (muscle, fascia, etc.) sticking to each other as a result of prolonged sitting, repetitive motions, and/or dehydration.
How quickly you can resolve adhesions from any source often depends on what caused them, how long they have been around, and your own body’s healing tendencies. Sometimes the process is a matter of a few weeks, sometimes it takes a couple of years or potentially more if you want to move at a slower pace.
You can see my Recover Program for working with your own abdominal adhesions here.