Ascites
Ascites, also known as a swollen belly, is another sign of liver damage that everyone should watch out for. It refers to the fluid buildup in the space between the abdomen lining and abdominal organs.
Swollen belly or ascites is the main complication of cirrhosis. It’s a resulting symptom caused by portal hypertension or high pressure in the liver’s blood vessels, resulting in low levels of albumin. When it gets difficult for the blood to flow through the liver and get cleaned because of the scarring, it flows back up into the veins surrounding your liver, increasing the likelihood of the liver problem progressing into decompensated liver cirrhosis. It also left behind a scarred liver and raised blood pressure, which further causes fluid to gather in the belly. As the extra fluid accumulates in the space between the abdomen and abdominal organs, the belly grows, and the stomach hurts and bloats, requiring surgical draining.
