A swollen abdomen is when your belly area is bigger than usual.
A swollen abdomen that is caused by eating a heavy meal will go away when you digest the food. Eating smaller amounts will help prevent swelling.
For a swollen abdomen caused by swallowing air:
Avoid carbonated beverages.
Avoid chewing gum or sucking on candies.
Avoid drinking through a straw or sipping the surface of a hot beverage.
Eat slowly.
For a swollen abdomen caused by
, try changing your diet and limiting milk. Talk to your health care provider.
For irritable bowel syndrome:
Decrease emotional
.
Increase dietary
.
Talk to your provider.
For a swollen abdomen due to other causes, follow the treatment prescribed by your provider.
Contact your provider if:
The abdominal swelling is getting worse and does not go away.
The swelling occurs with other unexplained symptoms.
Your abdomen is tender to the touch.
You have a high fever.
You have severe diarrhea or bloody stools.
You are unable to eat or drink for more than 6 to 8 hours.
Swollen belly; Swelling in the abdomen; Abdominal distention; Distended abdomen
Ball JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW. Abdomen. In: Ball JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW, eds. Seidel's Guide to Physical Examination. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 18.
Landmann A, Bonds M, Postier R. Acute abdomen. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022:chap 46.
McQuaid KR. Approach to the patient with gastrointestinal disease. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 118.
Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.