Adhesions and Scar Tissue -

What are adhesions and scar tissue?

Adhesions and scar tissue are forms of fibrous connective tissue that develop as part of the body’s natural healing process after surgery, injury, infection, or inflammation. Scar tissue forms at the site of tissue damage to repair and strengthen the area. Adhesions form as the first step in healing from tissue damage, but their powerful glue-like bonds can last a lifetime. Wherever they form, adhesions can squeeze muscles, organs, or nerves, causing pain or ‘unexplained’ dysfunction. Adhesions can bind unrelated structures together, causing internal tissues or organs to stick together abnormally.

Common Related Conditions

Endometriosis

Chronic Pelvic Pain

Infertility or Subfertility

Chronic Abdominal Pain

Post-Surgical Pain Syndromes

Menstrual Pain (Dysmenorrhea)

Painful Intercourse (Dyspareunia)

Bowel Obstruction or Partial Bowel Obstruction

Causes of adhesions and scar tissue

Adhesions and scar tissue most commonly form as the body’s natural healing response to tissue injury. Surgical procedures—especially abdominal or pelvic surgeries—are the leading cause, as the body’s response to the tissue damage that occurs in surgery can trigger excessive scar formation. Infections such as pelvic inflammatory disease or abdominal infections can also cause adhesions to form. Inflammatory conditions like endometriosis, Crohn’s disease, or appendicitis may lead to ongoing tissue irritation and internal scarring – adhesions. Trauma, internal bleeding, radiation therapy, and repeated surgeries further increase the risk by intensifying inflammation and disrupting normal tissue healing.

Symptoms of adhesions and scar tissue

Symptoms of Adhesions and Scar Tissue May Include:

Chronic or recurring ‘unexplained’ abdominal or pelvic pain
Pulling, tightness, or restricted movement sensations
Bloating or abdominal distension
Digestive discomfort or changes in bowel habits
Nausea or vomiting
Pain during physical activity or stretching
Pain during or after eating
Painful intercourse
Menstrual pain or irregular cycles
Partial or complete bowel obstruction symptoms
Diagnosis of blocked fallopian tubes or hydrosalpinx
Endometriosis
Frozen pelvis

Treatment for adhesions and scar tissue

We have helped many men, women, and children overcome ongoing pain or dysfunction caused by scar tissue or adhesions. Our therapists use the Wurn Technique®, applying pressure and shearing to detach the cross-links at the core of adhesions. Our primary therapy focus is to decrease or eliminate adhesions that affect the soft tissues of the entire body, including:

Fascia, the connective tissue that supports and separates all body structures, is the body’s main shock absorber
Muscles, which help us move
Organs, which help us function
Nerves, which alert us to problems, through pain
Ligaments, which connect bone to bone
Tendons, which connect muscles to bone

Other Treatments for Adhesions

Until recently, the only choice medical science offered to repair adhesive damage was a surgical procedure called lysis (destruction) of adhesions. Whether performed by laparoscopy or open surgery, lysis involves cutting or burning the adhesions. While lysis of adhesions can be very effective, it has some major drawbacks:

Despite the best skills of the finest surgeon, the body creates more adhesions to heal from the very surgery designed to remove them.
Inadvertent enterotomy (IE): the damage caused by inadvertently cutting or burning nearby structures when cutting through adhesions that mask underlying structures. A surgical journal study (Binenbaum & Goldfarb, 2006) suggests that the incidence of IE may be greater during laparoscopic surgery than during an open procedure due to the surgeon’s limited field of vision.
Recent data notes potential adverse long-term effects from the anesthesia required during surgery. These include memory issues, confusion, and difficulty concentrating, especially in the elderly or those with heart/brain conditions.
A 10-year study of nearly 30,000 patients published in The Lancet noted that 35% of all open abdominal or pelvic surgery patients were readmitted to the hospital more than twice to treat post-surgical adhesions during the 10 years after their original surgery. Many follow-up surgeries (22%) occurred in the first year after surgery, and “readmissions continued steadily throughout the 10-year period” of the study. (Ellis et al., 1999)

As the patients in the study noted above, a number of our patients struggling with symptoms of adhesions have felt trapped in a cycle of surgery-adhesions-surgery, with no end in sight.

Condition Specific Disclaimer:

Clear Passage® Therapy offers a non-surgical, hands-on manual physical therapy approach designed to help improve mobility and reduce restrictions associated with adhesions and scar tissue. This information herein is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition, nor does it replace care from a licensed physician. We are glad to consult with you and your doctor; we encourage all patients to consult with their physician regarding their care.

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Adhesions and Scar Tissue