Blunt Abdominal Injury (Benign)

Home care

• Rest until you are feeling better.

• You may develop a bruise at the site of your injury.

• Eat foods that are low in fiber (called a low-residue diet). Allowed foods include white bread, white rice, and fruit and vegetable juices without pulp. These foods will pass more easily through the intestine. Until you have no symptoms and feel normal, stay away from whole-grain foods, whole fruits and vegetables, meats, and seeds and nuts. Also stay away from fried or fatty foods, dairy, alcohol, and spicy foods.

• Use over-the-counter pain medicine if needed, unless another pain medicine was prescribed. Talk with your doctor before using these medicines if you have chronic liver or kidney disease or have ever had a stomach ulcer or gastrointestinal bleeding.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your doctor, or as directed.

When to get medical advice

Contact your doctor right away if you have:

• Pain that doesn't start to improve within 24 hours.

• Vomiting that continues.

• A fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or as directed by your doctor.

• Chills.

• Blood in your urine (pink to dark red).

Call 911

Call 911 if you have:

• Blood in vomit (bright red or coffee ground color) or bowel movements (dark red or black color).

• Weakness, dizziness, or fainting.

• Pain that keeps getting worse or gets worse all of a sudden.

• Swelling in your belly that increases.