Human Diseases Redefined

(c) 2008, 2010: Dr. V.M. Palaniappan

41. Gastrectasia / Gastrectasis (Enlarged Stomach)

The stomach (not the abdomen as such) becomes dilated (enlarged), either temporarily or permanently.

Overeating is said to be one of the reasons for this problem.

I have traced this to be due to the wearing of tight belts, elastic-fitted hard-gripping underwear, pants, skirts, etc.

Very tight waist-ware reduces the abdominal volume, within which the stomach would normally extend when that gets filled with food and liquids.

Within a short while after eating, as the food gets down into the intestinal tract, the stomach bulge normally subsides.

But, if the waist area is narrowed by mechanical tightening, then the pylorus region (that is below the stomach) gets constricted, and therefore, the stomach has no choice except to getting distended and enlarged.

If one eats stomach full and wears loose clothes at the waist (without elastic material), only temporary gastrectasia forms, and that will subside in one or two hours.

It is the hard-pressed abdomen that gives rise to permanent gastrectasia. Some policemen wearing tight belt for most part of the day daily develop pot-belly, and they form good examples of this kind.

Of course, calcification of the cells that make up the stomach and the abdomen too would give rise to potbelly.

See Gastritis.