Intermittent crampy abdominal pain with constipation suggests which diagnosis?

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Intermittent crampy, or colicky, abdominal pain that comes in waves with constipation points to a blockage in the bowel. The pain occurs as the intestines contract against an obstructing lesion, and stool and gas cannot pass beyond that point, leading to constipation. This pattern—colicky pain plus inability to pass stool or gas—is classic for bowel obstruction.

Cholecystitis usually causes constant, often severe RUQ pain with possible fever and tenderness, not the characteristic intermittent cramping with constipation. Pancreatitis presents with epigastric pain that may radiate to the back, often accompanied by vomiting and a risk factor history, rather than a primary issue with stool passage. Diverticular disease can cause abdominal pain and changes in bowel habit, but the pain is typically localized (often LLQ) and not the episodic cramping pattern seen with obstruction.