Contact & assessment

If there is a lump, or pain that is worsening

Do not wait for a routine appointment. A tender lump in the midline, a bulge that does not push back in when you lie down, vomiting, severe abdominal pain or a swelling that appeared over hours needs medical assessment, and in some cases emergency care, rather than a cosmetic consultation. Say what you are feeling when you call, so that the right clinic sees you.

Arranging an ordinary assessment

Where the bulge has been present and stable, appointments are made through the hospital outpatient line or through the appointment service described on the appointments page. Say when booking that the question is about the abdominal wall, and if you are travelling from outside Chongqing, say so, because the assessment and any imaging can sometimes be arranged across fewer visits.

What to bring

Bring the dates of any pregnancies and how long ago they were, any previous abdominal surgery, a list of your current medicines and allergies, and the names of any conditions you are being treated for. If you have been doing a training programme for the wall, bring what it consisted of, because whether it was the right kind of work changes what the next step should be.

What happens at the consultation

Expect a measurement exercise rather than a presentation. The midline is felt at, above and below the navel, at rest and with the head lifted, and the band between the muscles is assessed along with the fat and the skin in front of it. You should leave knowing how wide the gap is, whether anything is pushing through it, whether it explains the bulge you see, and what the next rung would be.

Questions without booking

Questions about the content of this site, including any correction you believe should be made to it, are welcome through the hospital administration line. Clinical questions about your own abdomen are best answered in person, and we will say so rather than guess.