Abdominal distension

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Abdominal distension is most commonly caused by gas or intolerance of certain foods, but sometimes it is a sign of a more serious underlying disease or condition. For this reason, if the abdominal distension is new, different, or does not respond to over-the-counter medications, it is recommended to see a physician.

Abdominal distension can be a sign of many conditions affecting many organ systems. ^{[1] [2]}

Surgery is done if the underlying cause is a bowel obstruction, a hernia or a tumor.

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Abdominal distension (or “distended abdomen”) can be a sign of many conditions affecting many organ systems. ^{[1] [2]}

• Air swallowing (a nervous habit)
• Constipation
• Gastroesophageal reflux
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Lactose intolerance and other food intolerances
• Overeating
• Weight gain

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

• Female gender
• High body mass index or high BMI

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

• Complications are few if the cause of the abdominal distension is gas or a dietary intolerance.
• Complications of celiac sprue include malnutrition.
• Some causes of abdominal distension can lead to death, such as an abdominal aortic aneurysm, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and ovarian cancer.
• Bowel obstruction can lead to bowel necrosis and death.

The outlook and prognosis for abdominal distension is fairly good if the cause is gas or a dietary intolerance. Prognosis is poor if ovarian cancer is the cause of the bloating, and varies with liver disease. Depending on the severity of the liver disease, Other causes will have a variable prognosis and is based on the diagnosis and the time at which the diagnosis is made.

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