Maybe you have noticed that your tummy swells up for no reason, and then falls again as if nothing has happened? If that's the case, don't worry - you're not the only one. Many women and - less commonly - men are afflicted by intermittent swelling from the abdomen, an unpleasant symptom that may make you are feeling embarrassed. Fortunately, usually no serious underlying cause is to blame.
Persistent or increasing swelling from the abdomen, however, is one of those symptoms that you need to do need to take seriously. If your swelling comes on gradually or occurs regularly, consider the following causes:
Constipation: If your stools are hard and dry, abdominal swelling are closely related to constipation.
Excessive wind: Acute swelling of the abdomen should be due to excess wind in your bowels - it's easy to notice rumbling noises. Eliminating the wind through your mouth or back passage usually relieves the swelling and discomfort.
Excessive wind is hardly ever anything to be worried about, and is usually brought on by eating certain foods such as cabbage or beans, or because of swallowing air. Talk to your pharmacist about over-the-counter medications that can relieve your symptoms and consult your doctor if you fail to improve.
Fluid retention: Rarely, a build-up of fluid (also known as fluid retention) due to heart, liver or kidney problems can cause swelling from the abdomen. Where this issue is the cause, your ankles may also be puffy - check whether you can produce indentations whenever you press into the swelling for a few seconds with your fingertip. If you think that you may be accumulating fluid, ask your doctor to check you over.
Hormonal changes: If you're a woman and also the swelling comes on at the same time as your period or at another regular time in your cycle, it might be due to hormonal changes. Such changes aren't dangerous, but do see your doctor if you're concerned.
Obesity: Simply being overweight is one of the very common causes of a swollen abdomen.
Pregnancy: If your chance exists that you might be pregnant, perform a home pregnancy test and contact your doctor surgery for pregnancy-related advice if the test is positive.
Urine retention: A sudden painful swelling in the lower abdomen are closely related to retention of urine in the bladder. Enlargement of the prostate gland in men is a very common cause of this problem. Contact your doctor immediately. Contact your doctor or call '999' in an emergency if you suffer from an acutely swollen abdomen and the following symptoms:
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03102011
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