Content
Ascites or "water belly" is the abnormal accumulation of protein-rich fluid 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, and lymph, which is a transparent liquid present throughout the body that is part of the circulation of the waters.
Ascites 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 growth of the belly;
- Difficulty breathing;
- Pain in the abdomen and back;
- Loss of appetite;
- Weight gain for no apparent reason;
- Feeling of weight and pressure in the abdomen;
- Urge to urinate frequently;
- Constipation;
- Nausea and vomiting.
Ascites can 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.
Possible causes
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.
How the treatment is done
The treatment for ascites or water belly depends on the disease at the origin, which may include:
- Rest, preferably with the person lying down;
- Diuretic remedies, such as spironolactone (Aldactone) and / or furosemide (Lasix);
- Restriction of salt in the diet, which should not exceed 2 g / day, through a diet plan indicated by a nutritionist;
- Interruption of alcoholic beverages;
- Restriction of fluid intake, when serum sodium is less than 120 g / mL;
- Abdominal paracentesis, in severe cases where treatment with diuretic remedies is not working, which is a medical procedure with local anesthesia, in which a needle is inserted into the abdomen to extract the fluid from the ascites;
- Antibiotics when ascites fluid infection occurs, called spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, a serious complication that can lead to death, and the person must also be hospitalized.
Some home remedies with diuretic properties can also help in the treatment of ascites, see which home remedies are indicated for ascites.