The following symptoms and complaints may indicate ascites (abdominal dropsy):
Leading symptoms
- Increase in abdominal circumference (abdominal girth increase) → abdominal tightness, possibly pronounced abdominal pain.
- Extending flanks (when lying down).
- Spread navel
- Umbilical hernia
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
Associated symptoms
- Anorexia (loss of appetite) with a rapid feeling of fullness.
- Nausea (nausea)/vomiting
- Singultus (hiccups)
- Gastroesophageal reflux symptomatology (reflux (backflow) of acidic gastric juice and other gastric contents into the esophagus (food pipe)).
- Impaired intestinal motility (→ meteorism (flatulence), constipation (constipation)).
- Malnutrition (→ muscle breakdown, increasing fatigue).
- Formation of leg edema to anasarca (tissue fluid (edema) in the connective tissue of the subcutis with signs of dystrophy in the covering epidermal layers).
Other notes
- Ascites is clinically detectable at a volume of approximately 500 ml (see above).
