For many people the term ascites is not known, but they certainly have heard of the dangerous disease
Ascites is a disease in which the fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity. Many people confuse it with the emergence of a beer belly, so they don’t go to the doctor and when they do, the treatment becomes more difficult.
Ascites can develop in 3 stages.
Light ascites – can be seen only by ultrasound and by computed tomography (CT);
Average ascites – swelling of the abdomen is noticeable mostly when lying down.
Strong ascites – the belly is so swollen that it’s clearly visible to the naked eye. There is also a feeling of liquid inside.
The most common causes of ascites are associated with the gastrointestinal tract.
These are cirrhosis of the liver, liver stagnation, alcoholic hepatitis, liver metastases, blocked liver veins.
Loss of protein in the small intestine, peritoneum infections, peritonitis, caused by fungi, bacterial peritonitis etc.
There are cases of ascites caused by nephrotic syndrome (kidney), kidney failure, renal dialysis, tumors of the ovary, heart failure.
THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS OF ASCITES ARE:
Discomfort in the stomach and abdomen
Pain in the stomach and abdomen
Feeling of muscle tension in the abdomen
Quick and without external cause weight gain, due to fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity
Nausea or loss of appetite due to increased fluid that presses the stomach and intestines
Appearance of dyspnea, which is due to the diaphragm being clamped and difficulty in the movement of the lungs, and the reduced return of blood in the venous system to the heart
Umbilical hernia appears as a result of the increased pressure in the abdominal cavity
From the above, it is clear that when you feel pain in the stomach or abdomen, you should consult your doctor because you might have ascites.
The ascites treatment is directed in two phases – detecting and removing the cause of the occurrence of ascites and procedures in order to reduce the fluid in the abdomen.
If a person leaves his belly to gather a large amount of fluid and doesn’t seek treatment, it can greatly hurt him, because in the medical practice there are cases of cracked skin.