Contact & assessment

If there is a lump, or pain that is worsening

Do not wait for a routine appointment. A tender lump, a bulge that does not reduce 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 complaint 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 abdomen, 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 following a training programme for the abdominal 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 an examination rather than a presentation. The skin is assessed for quality and for the fold it makes, the fat for how much of the contour it explains, the muscle wall at rest and with the head lifted, and the navel for position and shape. You should leave knowing which layer is responsible, what each option would change, what each would leave alone, and which guide answers your particular version of the problem.

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.