Ascites: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, and Home Remedies

Specialty: MBBS, Family Medicine

Dr. Bhakti Kapse is a General Practitioner with over 10 years of experience in family medicine. She obtained her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (M.B.B.S) from Government Medical College, Nagpur. She is skilled in diagnosis and... more

Kushneet holds a postgraduate degree in biotechnology and an ISSA Certified Specialist in Fitness & Nutrition. Her scientific background, coupled with her passion for writing, propelled her toward... more

Our bodies are machines, and they, like all machines, suffer from wear and strain. Ascites is one such issue that our bodies have to deal with. Ascites occurs due to the fluid build-up in the abdominal cavity. It can cause a lot of pain and swelling, and if it is not treated quickly enough, it might lead to the failure of organs.

What Is Ascites?

In simple words, ascites is a bodily disorder caused due to the build-up of fluid in the abdominal cavity. This fluid can also travel to the chest cavity and cause difficulty in breathing. by putting pressure on the diaphragm, which then presses on the lungs (1, 2).

What Are The Types Of Ascites?

Liver cirrhosis is responsible for 85% of ascites. The table below lists the other types of ascites and what organ they are associated with (3).

Type Of AscitesAssociated Body Organ/PartHepaticLiver, Inferior Vena CavaCardiogenicHeartNephrogenicKidneysMalignantMost organs of the body (with cancer)PancreaticPancreas

Some of the uncommon types of ascites are:

What Causes Ascites?

Ascites most commonly occurs due to structural damage of the liver, leading to improper function. A liver disease like cirrhosis is primarily accountable for ascites. Apart from this, cancers that affect different organs like the colon, stomach, liver, breast , and pancreas are another major cause that can lead to ascites. Other causes include:

Note: There is an epidemic of nonalcoholic liver disease in younger people from the overconsumption of sucrose (table sugar) and fructose (from high fructose corn syrup sweeteners in soda).

Symptoms Of Ascites

Common symptoms of ascites are:

  • Enlarged abdomen
  • Swollen legs
  • Weight gain
  • Bloating
  • Indigestion, nausea, and/or vomiting
  • Problem in breathing while lying down (1, 2)

Diagnosis Of Ascites

After a basic physical exam and investigation of your symptoms, ascites is diagnosed mainly by two methods.

Other tests that may be done are:

  • Urine analysis
  • Kidney function tests
  • Liver function tests
  • Varied blood tests depending on other symptoms
  • Electrolyte levels (1, 2)

There are several home remedies that can provide relief from ascites and its associated symptoms. We are not saying that you can cure ascites with these remedies – because the damage is already done. A person would have to change their lifestyle completely to begin to heal the liver. The best home remedies that can help you with relieving symptoms are listed below.

Why This Works

Epsom salts detoxify the body and soothe the swollen legs that are usually seen during ascites. They reduce the swelling and relax you (6). The magnesium ions in Epsom salts can be absorbed through the skin and assist the body in many of its metabolic functions.

Why This Works

When it comes to abdomen-related issues, fenugreek is surely one of the best forms of home treatment. It has hepatoprotective and anti-cancer effects. It reduces inflammation and helps in eliminating free radicals that are causing damage inside the body (7).

Why This Works

Garlic is easily available in every kitchen. People suffering from ascites can greatly benefit from this. The regular use of this simple ingredient can help to reduce the bloating and tenderness associated with ascites. Garlic is also said to possess anti-cancer properties (8).

How Often Should You Do This

Drink a cup of ginger thrice a day after every meal.

Why This Works

Ginger, being a diuretic, removes excess water from the body through urine. It has potential as a home remedy for treating edema (9). It also works as an antitumorigenic agent on the cancer-associated ascites tumor cells (10).

Why This Works

Fresh juices can really help to bring down the pain and swelling that comes with ascites. Carrot juice has mild diuretic effects on the body and helps regulate the digestion process. It also exerts a cleansing effect on the liver by aiding it to release excess bile and fats that have accumulated (11).

Why This Works

Castor oil is known to open the lymphatic vessels and allow greater lymphatic circulation. This reduces the inflammation and pain.

What You Have To Do

You can use any other oil in place of castor oil as well.

Why This Works

Massages feel heavenly, don’t they? A proper abdomen and back massage can really prove beneficial for those suffering from this liver disease. It helps to get rid of the gas, giving instant relief. It also mitigates the strain on the abdomen by helping the lymph to enter the venous system again (12).

How Often Should You Do This

Consuming a glass of radish juice once or twice a day can provide relief.

Why This Works

Radish is considered to be good for the liver because it acts as a natural detoxifier (13). Radish is considered one of the key elements in treating ascites, especially in cases due to liver problems. You can also put radishes in your salad or eat them raw as well.

How Often Should You Do This

The patient needs to consume this at least thrice a day for rapid relief.

Why This Works

Regular consumption of bitter gourd root juice gives instant relief from ascetic soreness. It is beneficial for treating liver disorders because of its tonic and antibilious properties (14).

What You Have To Do

Add onions to your meals and salads or eat them raw.

How Often Should You Do This

Include onions in your daily diet as it helps in getting rid of the fluid build- up.

Why This Works

Onions are considered to be diuretic and eliminate toxins and excess fluids from the body (15). If eaten continuously for a couple of days, onions can offer relief from the symptoms associated with ascites.

Why This Works

This Ayurvedic remedy is also referred to as Hogweed. It is one of the world’s best-known liver healers and is commonly used to treat ascites and dropsy. It has diuretic and expectorant effects on the body (16).

How Often Should You Do This

You can drink up to three cups of dandelion root tea in a day.

Why This Works

Dandelion root, also known as gravel root, is a natural diuretic. It helps to reduce the excess fluid in the abdomen. It also aids digestion and has anti- inflammatory effects on the cirrhosis-affected liver (17).

Why This Works

Soup made from horse gram has proven to be effective in treating ascites. When taken in proper proportions on a daily basis, it shows its effect instantly as it is a diuretic and a tonic. Compared to other diuretics, horse gram contains lesser sodium and eliminates the excess fluids that have accumulated in the abdomen (18).

What You Have To Do

Ingest the buckthorn root with water, preferably in the morning hours.

Why This Works

Buckthorn root hasshave diuretic and laxative agents that help treat ascites effectively (19).

Why This Works

Milk thistle contains a compound called silymarin that acts as an antioxidant by combating free radicals and lipid peroxidation and also prevents the binding of toxins to the liver cells (20).

Ascites can become serious without treatment. Its symptoms can be treated with the home remedies mentioned above. Most of these ingredients are easily available and can be made a part of a healthy diet.

Diet For A Patient With Ascites

Using home remedies will work only to a certain extent, or sometimes, hardly at all, if your diet is not healthy. A diet low in fats and cholesterol is recommended for patients with ascites. Here are some diet recommendations for you:

Foods To Avoid With Ascites

It is always better to consult your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet.

Yoga For Ascites

The benefits of yoga are known to all. It stimulates blood and lymph flow in the body and helps in treating multiple ailments. For ascites, these three asanas or poses are recommended by yoga specialists.

If you are a beginner, please do not attempt the yoga poses by yourself. Practice them under a specialist’s supervision to avoid any complications. In addition to these, it is also important to get good sleep as it heals the body cells, relaxes the body, and restores body homeostasis.

Hope this article was helpful. Do share your views with us in the comments section below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ascites in medical terms?

Ascites is the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, causing abdominal swelling. This happens when there is an imbalance in the levels of plasma that flows in and out of the blood and lymph vessels (1, 2).

Why does ascites occur in cirrhosis?

In cirrhosis, the liver’s functions are impaired due to scarring of the liver tissue. There is high blood pressure in the venous system of the liver, i.e., there is portal vein hypertension. As a result of this, fluid accumulates in the abdomen. It is a complex process (20).

What is ascites fluid?

Ascites fluid is protein-containing serous fluid that collect in the abdominal cavity.

What color is the abdominal fluid?

The accumulated abdominal fluid is usually clear to pale yellow in color.

What are the complications of ascites?

Ascites, if left untreated, can lead to severe complications. These complications are related to infections or are due to the excess pressure that has built-up on the abdominal organs:

  • Bacterial peritonitis (infection of the ascitic fluid)
  • Kidney failure
  • Protein malnutrition
  • Hepatic encephalopathy
  • Severe liver complications (21)

Can ascites be prevented?

Measures that aim at keeping your liver healthy work towards preventing ascites. Some preventions tips are listed below:

  • Stop drinking alcohol.
  • Stop using high fructose corn syrup sweeteners.
  • Exercise on a regular basis.
  • Eat healthy food.
  • Avoid smoking.
  • Lower your table salt intake.
  • Practice safe sex.

What is the outlook (prognosis) for ascites?

Patients with ascites do not usually have a good prognosis. There is a mortality rate of 15% at a one-year interval. However, this outlook greatly depends on the underlying cause(22).

What is malignant ascites?

Malignant ascites is due to cancer and there ares malignant (cancer) cells in the ascitic fluid. These cancer cells are usually secondary malignancies of primary tumors of ovarian, colorectal, pancreatic, and uterine origin. Such patients have a very poor prognosis, and their treatment options need to be carefully weighed to avoid further complications (23). Cancer accounts for about 10% of ascites cases (24).

What is an ascitic drain?

When medications do not work in removing the fluid build-up, doctors opt for the ascitic drain. It is a process in which a tube is carefully inserted into the abdomen, and the ascitic fluid is drained out into a bag. This process is also called paracentesis (24).

To stay healthy, we need to make sacrifices sometimes. Though eliminating your favorite foods and drinks may feel like a punishment, if you want to stay healthy, you need to learn to say NO. Now that you know about ascites, its causes and symptoms, it’s time to try these home remedies to either treat or prevent ascites. You will likely already be under a doctor’s care, but you can also use these remedies as part of your protocol.

Hope this article was helpful. Do share your views with us in the comments section below.

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