What Causes Swollen, Enlarged, or Distended Abdomen?

What Causes Swollen, Enlarged, Or Distended Abdomen?

Swollen, enlarged, or distended abdomen can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'minor' to 'generally fatal'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.

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Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose swollen, enlarged, or distended abdomen, we could:

Research the topic
Find a doctor with the time
Use a diagnostic computer system.

The process is the same, whichever method is used.

Step 1: List all Possible Causes

We begin by identifying the disease conditions which have "swollen, enlarged, or distended abdomen" as a symptom. Here are eight of many possibilities (more below):

Intussusception
Rapid Stomach Emptying
Sarcoidosis
Gluten Sensitivity
Intestinal Obstruction
Ovarian Cancer
Hernia
Enlarged Lymph Nodes

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

We then identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

multiple swollen inguinal nodes

frequent painful axillary nodes

constant thirst

coffee consumption

minor joint pain/swelling/stiffness

unusual vaginal bleeding

meal-related bloating

reduced sense of smell

meal-induced pain for 1-4 weeks

diabetes in family members

severe fatigue after slight exertion

nasal congestion

... and more than 60 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of swollen, enlarged, or distended abdomen:

Cause	Probability	Status
Intestinal Obstruction	93%	Confirm
Rapid Stomach Emptying	16%	Unlikely
Gluten Sensitivity	15%	Unlikely
Enlarged Lymph Nodes	0%	Ruled out
Hernia	0%	Ruled out
Intussusception	0%	Ruled out
Ovarian Cancer	0%	Ruled out
Sarcoidosis	0%	Ruled out

* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

If you indicate abdominal discomfort, The Analyst™ will ask further questions including this one:

Do you experience any abdominal swelling / distension that does not appear to be meal-, gas- or weight-related? In other words, is your abdomen larger than it should be?

Possible responses:

→ No / probably meal/gas/weight-related / don't know
→ Slight, comes and goes with or without meals
→ Slight, always present with or without meals
→ Significant, comes and goes with or without meals
→ Significant, always present with or without meals

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate either slight abdominal distension or significant abdominal distension, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:

(Prescription) Drug Side-Effects

Certain medications, including those containing lactulose or sorbitol, may cause bloating.

Abdominal Hernia

A strangulated hernia may cause abdominal distension.

Ascites

Constipation

Crohn's Disease

Diverticular Disease

Endometriosis

A study of 51 women, 26 with endometriosis and 25 without, found that a significantly larger proportion of women with endometriosis than control subjects experienced abdominal bloating (96% vs. 64%) [J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2009 Dec; 31(12): pp.1159-71]

Enlarged Bladder

Enlarged Lymph Nodes

Enlarged Lymph Nodes also suggests the following possibilities:

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

Consequences of Vasectomy

Sarcoidosis

Giardiasis Infection

Gluten Sensitivity / Celiac Disease

Hookworm Infection

Hormone Imbalance

Hormonal fluctuations such as those occurring with pregnancy or at the start of a menstrual period (these raise progesterone levels) can slow down gut motility and cause food to pass more slowly through the digestive system, sometimes causing bloating and/or constipation.

Internal Bleeding

Intestinal Obstruction

Intussusception

Kidney Stones (Urolithiasis)

Nutritional Deficiency

Low protein intake can manifest as edema of the hands and feet, swollen abdomen, irritability, anorexia, a peeling rash, hair discoloration, and a large fatty liver. The abdominal swelling is due to (1) ascites caused by hypoalbuminemia and (2) an enlarged fatty liver.

Ovarian Cancer

Abdominal swelling/bloating/clothes being too tight is a possible early warning sign. The symptoms of ovarian cancer are vague, which means that it is often diagnosed too late. If bloating is continuous and you have other symptoms such as abdominal fullness and pain, it should be considered.

Overconsumption

Pregnancy-Related Issues

Premenstrual Syndrome

Problems Caused By Being Overweight

The classic 'beer belly' is usually caused by high levels of visceral fat. This is not the same as subcutaneous fat, which lies immediately under the skin. Visceral fat or "gut fat" surrounds the internal organs and causes central obesity.

Rapid Stomach Emptying (Gastric Dumping)

Strongyloides stercoralis Infection

Tuberculosis

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