Ask Dr Mel: Bloated tummies and wrist lumps

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Woman's Weekly logo Each week we team up with our sister magazine, Woman's Weekly, to bring you expert health advice from Dr Melanie Wynne-Jones

Q.My tummy seems to be quite large, although I'm not really fat. Should I be worried?

A. Unfortunately, our tummies tend to get bigger as we get older, especially if we put weight on, too, but this may not just be middle-age spread.

Bloating due to wind is a common cause - this usually makes tummies seem smaller in the morning and bigger in the evening. And some people build up fat around their internal organs, as well as on the outside, so their tummies look apple-shaped; if your waist is greater than 31.5in (80cm), this increases your risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. And although it's very unlikely that you have something serious, ovarian cancer is another cause of increasing tummy size.
One of the reasons it's often diagnosed late is that the symptoms are vague or blamed on something else. They include persistent bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, bowel or urinary problems, severe tiredness or back pain. So although your tummy is probably very normal, it's well worth seeing your GP, who can examine you and arrange tests if necessary.

For more information, contact Ovacome (ovarian cancer support - 0845 371 0554), or Eve Appeal(020 7299 4430).

Q. I've developed a small lump on the back of my wrist. It's not painful, so should it be removed?

A. All new or growing lumps should be checked by a doctor to see what they're made of, and whether they need removal or treatment. I suspect yours will turn out to be a ganglion, as these often occur around the wrist, and sometimes on the top of the foot or elsewhere in the body.

Ganglions are small cysts, or bursae, which form around joints and muscle tendon sheaths. They contain a thick, jelly-like substance and don't do any harm, although they can hurt if they're pressing on a nearby nerve. However, they can grow to the size of a large grape, and look rather odd. The traditional treatment is to bash them with a heavy object so that the fluid disperses, but I wouldn't recommend it!

If your GP is sure that it's a ganglion, you could choose to live with it, or see a specialist, who may suck the jelly out with a needle and syringe, inject it with a steroid drug or suggest a small operation to remove it. But, if your GP isn't certain, you may need an ultrasound or MR (magnetic resonance) scan, to make sure that it is a ganglion.

Advice given here is for general information only and is correct on
date of publication. Please seek help from your own GP if you have a
medical problem.

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