Ascites or water belly is the abnormal accumulation of fluids inside the abdomen, in the space between the tissues that line the abdomen and the abdominal organs. Ascites is not considered a disease but a phenomenon that is present in several diseases, the most common being liver cirrhosis.
Ascites has no cure, however, it can be treated with diuretic remedies, restricting salt in the diet and not drinking alcoholic beverages, to eliminate excess fluids in the abdomen.
The fluids that can accumulate inside the abdomen can be blood plasma, which is the name given to blood fluid, lymph, which is a transparent liquid present throughout the body that is part of the circulation of water, bile or urine, for example. example.
Possible diseases that cause ascites
Some of the most common diseases that can cause ascites are cirrhosis, fulminant liver failure, delayed or obstructed outflow of hepatic blood, congestive heart failure, constrictive pericarditis, restrictive cardiomyopathy, Budd-Chiari syndrome, venous disease occlusive, neoplasms, peritoneal tuberculosis, Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome, AIDS, kidney, endocrine, pancreatic and biliary diseases and lupus.
What symptoms
The symptoms of ascites are related to the volume of fluid inside the abdomen. In the beginning, ascites usually have no symptoms, however, in case of massive ascites, symptoms such as:
- Swelling and belly growth; Difficulty breathing; Pain in the abdomen and back; Loss of appetite; Weight gain for no apparent reason; Feeling of heaviness and pressure in the abdomen; Frequent urge to urinate; Constipation; Nausea and vomiting.
Ascites may be accompanied by other signs and symptoms such as enlarged liver, swelling in the legs and feet or eyes and yellowed skin, depending on what the cause is.
How the treatment is done
The treatment for ascites or water belly depends on the disease that is at its origin, which may include:
- Rest, preferably with the person lying down; Diuretic remedies, such as spironolactone (Aldactone) and / or furosemide (Lasix); Restriction of dietary salt, which should not exceed 2 g / day, through a diet plan indicated by a nutritionist. Learn more about ascites feeding; Interruption of alcoholic beverage intake; Restriction of fluid intake, when serum sodium is less than 120 g / mL; Abdominal paracentesis, in severe cases where treatment with diuretic drugs is not working result, which is a medical procedure with local anesthesia, in which a needle is inserted into the abdomen to extract the ascites fluid; antibiotics when ascites fluid infection occurs, called spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, a serious complication that can lead to death, being necessary that the person is also hospitalized.
Some home remedies with diuretic properties can also help in the treatment of ascites, see which home remedies are indicated for ascites.
