Is it normal to feel your abdominal aorta

Atherosclerosis is a potentially serious condition where arteries become clogged up by fatty deposits, such as cholesterol. An AAA is thought to develop because these deposits called plaques cause the aorta to widen in an attempt to keep blood flowing through it.

As it widens, it also gets weaker. Smoking, eating a high-fat diet and high blood pressure all increase your risk of developing atherosclerosis.

As well as contributing to atherosclerosis, high blood pressure hypertension can place increased pressure on the aorta's wall. One study found that people who had a brother or sister with an AAA were eight times more likely to develop one than people whose siblings were unaffected.

This suggests that certain genes you inherit from your parents may make you more vulnerable to developing an AAA. Read about how to reduce your risk of developing an AAA. An abdominal aortic aneurysm AAA usually causes no symptoms. Therefore, they tend to be diagnosed as a result of screening, or during a routine physical examination when a GP notices a distinctive pulsating sensation in your abdomen.

A diagnosis can be confirmed using an ultrasound scan. Ultrasound can also determine the size of the aneurysm, which is an important factor in deciding on a course of treatment. All men should receive an invitation in the year they turn 65 years old. For more information, visit our page on AAA screening.

Treatment for an abdominal aortic aneurysm AAA depends on several factors, including the aneurysm's size, your age and general health. In general, if you have a large aneurysm 5. This is because the risk of the aneurysm rupturing is usually greater than the risk of having it repaired. If you have a small 3. You will also be given advice on how to slow its growth and reduce the risk of it rupturing — for example, stopping smoking — and perhaps medications to reduce your blood pressure and cholesterol level.

If you are diagnosed with an AAA that is 5. The surgeon will discuss treatment options with you, taking into account your general health and fitness, as well as the size of your aneurysm. Although both techniques are equally effective at reducing the risk of the aneurysm bursting, each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Endovascular surgery is a type of "keyhole" surgery where the surgeon makes small cuts in your groin. A small piece of tubing called a graft— made of metal mesh lined with fabric — is then guided up through the leg artery, into the swollen section of aorta, and sealed to the wall of the aorta at both ends.

This is the safest of the two types of surgery available. However, the way the graft is attached is not as secure as open surgery. You will need to have surgery again if either of these occurs. In open surgery, the surgeon cuts into your stomach abdomen to reach the abdominal aorta and replaces the enlarged section with a graft. The risk of complications linked to the graft after surgery is lower than in people who have endovascular surgery. The main risk of open surgery is death or heart attack, and recovery time is longer than with endovascular surgery.

If you are diagnosed with a small 3. If you smoke, the most important change you can make is to quit. Aneurysms have been shown to grow faster in smokers than in non-smokers. Read more about stopping smoking and nicotine replacement therapies NRTs that can make it easier to stop smoking. Your GP will be sent your test result and may decide to change your current medication or start you on a new one, especially if you have:. Emergency treatment for a ruptured AAA is based on the same principle as preventative treatment.

Grafts are used to repair the ruptured aneurysm. The decision on whether to perform open or endovascular surgery is made on a case-by-case basis by the surgeon carrying out the operation. The best way to prevent getting an aneurysm, or reduce the risk of an aneurysm growing bigger and possibly rupturing, is to avoid anything that could damage your blood vessels. If your GP finds out you have high blood pressure or a high cholesterol level, you may be prescribed medication for both.

This will reduce the risk of developing an abdominal aortic aneurysm AAA. Smoking is a major risk factor for aneurysms because it causes atherosclerosis hardening of the arteries and raises your blood pressure. Many people feel occasional gas or cramping. For others, there may be a sudden twitch. But have you ever felt a pulse in your stomach? Researchers are always studying gastroenterology and strange feelings people have. Having a feeling of a pulse in your stomach can be very odd.

In some cases, a pulse in the abdominal area, often called the stomach by people that are not in the medical field, may be due to an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

According to Medical News Today, an aneurysm occurs when a weakened area of a blood vessel swells which forms a bulge. When a patient has abdominal aortic aneurysm, it occurs in the aortic artery in the abdomen. For an anatomy recap, the aortic artery is the largest artery of the body. Patients with this condition rarely experience any other symptoms besides the stomach pulse.

That is, unless they experience any swelling tears or ruptures. If your surgeon recommends an operation, they will give you more information. You can also find more details of these procedures in our other sections. The larger your aneurysm becomes the more chance there is of it causing serious problems. Most abdominal aortic aneurysms occur in the lower end of the aorta. In this position they can get bigger without causing any symptoms.

However, larger aneurysms are more likely to grow quickly so scans are done more frequently as the AAA enlarges See reference 1 below. If an AAA gets bigger there is an increased risk that it may leak or rupture burst without any warning. The chance of rupture is very low for small AAA.

For aneurysms measuring less than 5. As aneurysms get larger than 5. For any given size, rupture risk is increased in smokers, those with high blood pressure, and those with a family history of an AAA. If you have been told you have an aneurysm, there is no need to limit your everyday activity. Moving around, lifting and exercise will not affect your aneurysm or cause damage.

What do I do if I get new symptoms? If you experience sudden onset of new severe abdominal pain or back pain that is distinct from any back pain you may have had previously, you may be developing a leak from your AAA or it may be at immediate risk of rupture.

If you experience any of these symptoms you should dial for an ambulance and tell the ambulance control that you have an abdominal aortic aneurysm and need to go urgently to hospital. If you are a smoker the single most important thing you can do to help yourself is to give up smoking see reference 2 below.

Stopping smoking will also help to protect all of your arteries making it less likely that you will suffer from heart attacks or strokes. Giving up is not easy but there is a smoking cessation service and support groups that can help.

Your vascular specialist nurse or GP practice nurse can advise you about these. Gentle exercise such as walking and cycling are recommended to help to improve your overall level of fitness. Exercise helps your body to produce healthy cholesterol and this helps to protect your arteries against bad cholesterol. High blood pressure. High blood pressure is a known risk factor for rupture of aneurysms.

If you have been prescribed medication for high blood pressure, you must make sure that you take it according to the instructions given. If you have diabetes it is important that your blood sugar levels are well controlled.

High blood cholesterol levels fatty substance in your blood. There are a number of them in your body. Here are a few common ones:. You can feel a pulse in these spots because an artery is running close to the skin and being compressed by a hard structure below. Here are three simple steps to take your carotid pulse:. A normal resting pulse for adults is between 60 and beats per minute. Your pulse should also feel steady with a regular gap between each beat.

Talk to your doctor about any irregularities.