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Short answer How abdominal masses are worked up Common questions Related questions SourcesAn abdominal mass is treated by finding and treating its cause, so the first step is examination and imaging rather than any single treatment.
Causes range from constipation, a hernia, or an ovarian cyst to an enlarged liver or spleen, an aortic aneurysm, an abscess, or a tumor, and each is handled differently. Doctors usually start with a physical exam, blood and urine tests, and an ultrasound or CT scan, then decide between monitoring, medicine, drainage, or surgery. Small, soft, painless swellings are often watched with repeat scans; firm, fixed, or growing ones get worked up faster. Note where the lump sits, whether it changes with coughing, straining, meals, or your menstrual cycle, and whether you have fever, weight loss, vomiting, or blood in your stool, since those details shape the plan. Any new abdominal lump should be examined by a clinician rather than watched at home.
How abdominal masses are worked up
Common questions
How is Abdominal mass treated?
Treatment depends on what the lump turns out to be, so testing comes before treatment. A hernia is repaired with surgery, or watched if it is small and painless. A fluid-filled ovarian cyst often resolves on its own with repeat scans. Fullness from constipation clears with fiber, fluids, and stool softeners. An enlarged liver or spleen is managed by treating the underlying cause. An aortic aneurysm is monitored by size and repaired when it reaches a threshold. Abscesses need antibiotics and sometimes drainage, and tumors are managed by a specialist team. Get urgent care for a hard, painful, pulsating, or rapidly growing mass.