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Family Medicine (Expert Forum)
Lower Abdominal Firmness
Questions in the Family Medicine forum are answered by Dr. J.M. Keyes. Topics covered include general health issues, adolescence, babies, child health, eating disorders, fitness, immunizations and vaccines, infectious diseases, medical tests and procedures, and senior health.
Lower Abdominal Firmness
by tjsb, Dec 11, 2001 12:00AM
The other night my wife fell asleep in a living room chair. She is in her late 30s and is obese. My concern is the following day her lower abdomen was almost hard like. Like the area got compacted. Some small spots in this "hard area" produced some slight pain when some pressure was applied. She said that this has happened before and its gone away. When I investigated the area closer I noticed that if you applied pressure with your fingers, its feels like a pimple that pops under the skin. This did not cause her any pain. She did get her period the next day and her left ankle and lower left leg were also swollen.
She has a doctor's appointment coming up and I wanted to know what you think and what I should have the doctor check her for? She doesn't seem to be too concerned about this, she thinks its due to water retention during her time of the month. But I am concerned.
Thank you.
She has a doctor's appointment coming up and I wanted to know what you think and what I should have the doctor check her for? She doesn't seem to be too concerned about this, she thinks its due to water retention during her time of the month. But I am concerned.
Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by Forum-M.D.-DT, Dec 12, 2001 12:00AM
Thank you for visiting the Family Practice Forum.
You describea "hard spot on the abdomen ... which feels like a pimple that pops under the skin". You also describe swelling of one leg and ankle.
My first impression is that the area of the skin you are describing may very well be a sebaceous cyst. A sebaceous (or epidermoid) cyst is a noncancerous swelling under the skin. It is lined by packed outer skin cells. The cyst itself is filled with oil or dead cells. Under certain conditions such as stress, increased activity, mechanical irritation, diabetes, or other concurrent illness these cysts may enlarge and become somewhat tender. On occasion, these cysts will be drained by the physician and antibiotics will be prescribed. Warm moist compresses will commonly help bring these cysts “to a head” and help them drain. It is not uncommon for these cysts to increase and decrease in size particularly when there is increased activity and/or sweating. Sebaceous cysts are commonly present in patients with cystic acne.
With regard to the leg swelling, while this may indeed be only fluid retention, fluid retention, if present, is usually in BOTH legs. Blood clots in the legs may present as swelling in just one leg. Commonly they are associated with redness, and pain as well.
Here is what you need to ask your doctor:
1. Does the area of the area of the abdomen in question appear to be due to a sebaceous cyst, or is there evidence of a more seious intra-abdominal problem?
2. Does your (the doctor's) examination of the leg show any evidence that there may be a blood clot present.
3. What can be done to resolve these problems.
4. What medical options are there for resolving the leg swelling, or...is further testing needed (such as an ultrasound of the leg).
You describea "hard spot on the abdomen ... which feels like a pimple that pops under the skin". You also describe swelling of one leg and ankle.
My first impression is that the area of the skin you are describing may very well be a sebaceous cyst. A sebaceous (or epidermoid) cyst is a noncancerous swelling under the skin. It is lined by packed outer skin cells. The cyst itself is filled with oil or dead cells. Under certain conditions such as stress, increased activity, mechanical irritation, diabetes, or other concurrent illness these cysts may enlarge and become somewhat tender. On occasion, these cysts will be drained by the physician and antibiotics will be prescribed. Warm moist compresses will commonly help bring these cysts “to a head” and help them drain. It is not uncommon for these cysts to increase and decrease in size particularly when there is increased activity and/or sweating. Sebaceous cysts are commonly present in patients with cystic acne.
With regard to the leg swelling, while this may indeed be only fluid retention, fluid retention, if present, is usually in BOTH legs. Blood clots in the legs may present as swelling in just one leg. Commonly they are associated with redness, and pain as well.
Here is what you need to ask your doctor:
1. Does the area of the area of the abdomen in question appear to be due to a sebaceous cyst, or is there evidence of a more seious intra-abdominal problem?
2. Does your (the doctor's) examination of the leg show any evidence that there may be a blood clot present.
3. What can be done to resolve these problems.
4. What medical options are there for resolving the leg swelling, or...is further testing needed (such as an ultrasound of the leg).
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