Overview

Your baby’s healthcare provider will ask you about your baby’s eating habits and perform a physical exam. Sometimes, providers can feel an olive-sized lump in your baby’s belly (abdomen). That’s the thickened pyloric muscle.

Your baby’s provider may recommend a blood test, as well. This test can tell if your baby is dehydrated or has an electrolyte imbalance from vomiting. Electrolytes are minerals that keep your baby’s body working the way it should.

What tests will be done to diagnose pyloric stenosis?

If your baby’s healthcare provider doesn’t feel a lump in their belly or wants to confirm the diagnosis, they may want to look for the pyloric stenosis on ultrasound. During an abdominal ultrasound:

  1. Your baby’s provider places a probe (tool) gently against their belly.
  2. The probe uses sound waves to create images.
  3. Their provider can often see the thickened pyloric muscle in the images.

Sometimes, even a physical exam and ultrasound don’t show any problems. If this happens, your baby’s provider may recommend an upper gastrointestinal (GI) series:

  1. Your baby drinks a special liquid.
  2. Their provider can see the liquid on an X-ray as it travels through their stomach toward their small intestine.
  3. Their provider can figure out if the liquid moves from their stomach through the pylorus. If it doesn’t, that indicates pyloric stenosis.
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Symptoms

When to see a doctor

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Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.
The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:
  • High blood pressure.
  • Diabetes.
  • Heart failure.
  • Some types of heart valve disease.
Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:
  • Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
  • Don't smoke or use tobacco.
  • Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
  • Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
  • Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Reduce and manage stress.


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