The case is presented of a patient with alzheimer disease, who was referred to the hospital emergency department for primary care due to an abdominal distension of several days onset. Abdominal distension is a condition in which the abdomen belly feels full and tight. Abdominal distension an overview sciencedirect topics. Horchata a milky spanish drink made from tiger nuts and almonds makes a very pleasant beverage.
Whorwell, md, comment on the relationship between bloating and distension and explore potential mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of bloating in fgids. The main causes of generalised abdominal distension. Abdominal distension symptoms, diagnosis, treatments and. Abdominal distention can be a challenging clinical problem. Pdf abdominothoracic mechanisms of functional abdominal. Complete this lesson to find out more about the many conditions that can cause distention, what. A quick introduction to the clinical problem of bloating and distension. Adverse reactions reported in less than 2% of trulancetreated patients and at an incidence greater than placebo were. While the cause of bloating remains unknown old explanations such as a excessive intestinal gas, exaggerated lumbar lordosis and psychiatric problems have been disproved. Abdominal distention american academy of pediatrics. Melissa conrad stoppler, md a distended stomach is a term usually used to refer to distension or swelling of the abdomen and not of the stomach itself. Most of the time, abdominal distension is caused by.
All of our patients had abdominal pain that was dull, nagging, and chronic. Diagnostic and therapeutic protocol of recurrent abdominal distension. Abdominal distension occurs when substances, such as air gas or fluid, accumulate in the abdomen causing its expansion. An 87 year old woman presented with a two month history of abdominal distension and vomiting. More than 50% of persons with bloating and distension report a significant impact on quality of life. Abdominal distention american academy of pediatrics textbook of. Natural remedies to reduce abdominal swelling step to health. Careful history taking and abdominal examination are essential. The incidence of clinically detectable paresis is 0. Irritable bowel syndrome ibs is characterized by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort and a fluctuating disturbance in defecation.
Parker, 1959, abdominal distension was among the first symptoms experienced by most patients. Abdominal distension occurs when substances, such as air gas or fluid, accumulate in the abdomen causing its outward expansion beyond the normal girth of the stomach and waist. Rectal examination to determine any obvious enlargement large animals is also helpful. Ideal sources for wikipedia s health content are defined in the guideline wikipedia. In the large collected series mitchell et al, 1982. It is particularly common in persons with the irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. The assessment of distention invites us to combine a systematic diagnostic. Distension definition of distension by merriamwebster. Healthy infants may have variable degrees of abdominal distention caused by. It is typically a symptom of an underlying disease or dysfunction. List of abdominal distension medications 5 compared. People suffering from this condition often describe it as feeling bloated. Conditions that cause distended stomach include indigestion, lactose intolerance, malabsorption, problems in bowel function ibs, or constipation. Abdominal bloating and distension clinical features.
Physical activity and intestinal gas clearance in patients with. Abdominal distension is a manifestation of functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome ibs, and is characterized by an increase in abdominal pressure together with a. Distension definition is the act of distending or the state of being distended especially unduly or abnormally. Abdominal distension refers to the swelling of the abdomen. Abdominal distension on the web most recent articles. Irritable bowel syndrome causes, diagnosis, treatment. Abdominal pain may occur as a result of indigestion. Abdominal distension may be generalised or may be localised to a discrete mass or enlargement of an organ. Management strategies for abdominal bloating and distension. Request pdf physical activity and intestinal gas clearance in. However, if the pain is frequent and intense, it could be warning us of a bigger problem. Bloating is considered as a subjective sensation and abdominal distention as an objective sign, i.
It is typically a symptom of an underlying disease or dysfunction in the body, rather than an illness in its own right. Diagnosis and management of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. A case is reported in which an abdominal protrusion appeared in relation with a zosteric eruption at 11 th dorsal dermatome. Most of the time, abdominal distension is caused by some kind of minor digestive malady. Patient presentation a 10yearold male came to the emergency room with a several day history of abdominal distension and generalized abdominal pain. Distension abdominal, una molestia frecuente dr onofre. The following list of medications are in some way related to, or used in the treatment of this condition. A distended stomach is a condition where there is swelling or distension of the abdomen and not actually of the stomach.
First part of three five minute consults on the topic. Animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus and there are no adequate and wellcontrolled studies. Nov 18, 2019 distension is defined as something that is enlarged or stretched beyond its normal state, typically from within. The accumulated substance causes an outward expansion of the. Intestinal gas endogenous gas production via the fermentation of luminal contents is a significant contributor to raised intraabdominal volume. Observation of the abdominal symmetry allover the abdomen. This is the area immediately behind and around the. Bloating and abdominal distension are common symptoms in patients with irritable bowelsyndrome ibs. If the aneurysm ruptures then blood may accumulate within the abdomen internal bleeding thereby causing generalized distension. His article began thus, in 1911, i saw a psychopathic woman, past the menopause, who, with her protuberant abdomen, was sure she was pregnant by the holy spirit. Clinical assessment will usually indicate the nature of abdominal distension ie whether ascites, gastrointestinal gas, pregnancy, etc but further investigations are often required to determine the precise aetiology. Abdominal distension is the swelling or enlarging of the abdomen in the area between the ribs and the groin. Bloating can be described as the feeling that there is an inflated balloon in the abdomen. Sufferers often experience a sensation of fullness, abdominal.
Abdominal distension is symptom of a wide variety of mild to serious diseases, disorders and conditions. A rare cause of recurrent constipation with abdominal pain and. The false positive rate cannot be calculated for this study. Abdominal distension caused by ascites occurs at some time in almost every patient with bcs. Thus, abdominal pain should not usually be expected to be a feature, except with abdominal distension due to gas in bowel obstruction. Distended stomach causes entire abdomen or certain quadrants. During the test, patients developed abdominal distension, which was related. Lactulose, which is poorly absorbed in the small bowel and therefore fermented in the colon, has been shown to be associated with bloating and distension in healthy volunteers 1 and in patients with chronic. For example, while abdominal distension has a fairly low ppv for ovarian cancer, the combination of abdominal distension, postmenopausal bleeding, abdominal mass and being aged over 60 is likely to have a far higher ppv. Diverticulitis can develop when small pouches called diverticula. Common and important causes of abdominal distension for doctors and medical students this page is currently being written and will be available soon. Abdominal distention is caused by a buildup of fluids or gas in the abdominal section of the body.
Differential diagnosis for abdominal distension oxford. As nouns the difference between distention and distension is that distention is the act of distending while distension is the act of distending. Figure 2 abdominal wall protrusion following herpes zoster at the right. The patient and family could provide few details but the pain was located periumbilically, occurred only during the day and would come and go. The distension may be caused by either air gas or fluid collection. Treatment for distended stomach includes making dietary changes and medications. Unit 4, week 2 abdominal distension scheme study guide by alpawesome includes 33 questions covering vocabulary, terms and more. These pouches can tear, swell, and become infected. Abdominal distension isnt always painful, but it can be very uncomfortable, and if the condition is caused by something more serious, severe pain wouldnt necessarily be uncommon. Abdominal distension can result from infection, malignancy, inflammation, trauma, fluid retention, obstruction and other abnormal. So if there is distension, it may be unilateral or bilateral. Jul 21, 2014 patient presentation a 10yearold male came to the emergency room with a several day history of abdominal distension and generalized abdominal pain. Other symptoms of diverticulitis include fever, nausea, and vomiting.
New suggestions include recent weight gain, weak or inappropriately relaxed abdominal. After the failure of conservative treatment, a colonoscopic decompression was required. What causes abdominal swelling abdominal distension. Apr 26, 2020 abdominal distension isnt always painful, but it can be very uncomfortable, and if the condition is caused by something more serious, severe pain wouldnt necessarily be uncommon. Distension definition of distension by medical dictionary. In patients with functional gut disorders, abdominal distension has been associated with descent of the diaphragm. Pdf are bloating and abdominal distention attributed to.
Abdominal cavity conatains vital organs as the stomachs, intestine, liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys and urinary bladder. Jun 19, 2012 the largest case series of functional abdominal bloating is still alvarezs unfortunately titled hysterical type of nongaseous abdominal bloating. The largest case series of functional abdominal bloating is still alvarezs unfortunately titled hysterical type of nongaseous abdominal bloating. Bloating, distension, and the irritable bowel syndrome. Abdominal distension causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment.
Distension is defined as something that is enlarged or stretched beyond its normal state, typically from within. One of the most common causes of lower left side abdominal pain. To be updated when it is complete please like us on facebook, follow us on twitter or subscribe on youtube using the follow us buttons. A merge has been proposed between bloating and this page. Abdominal distension is a sense of increased abdominal pressure that involves an actual measurable change in the circumference of a persons abdomen. Aorta problems abdominal aorta are more likely to cause distension in the middle of the abdomen. It is a commonly reported symptom and is sometimes associated with distension, or the visible increase in the width of the area between your hips and chest abdominal girth. There are no statistical definitions of distention available to pediatricians.