There are many times when we visit a doctor for a common ache or pain and he/she uses big and scary sounding words to tell us what we are suffering from. But that jargon often has a common and simple explanation. So here is today’s word – ascites. If you have ever seen a friend or family member have a swollen stomach or abdomen and he/she is suffering from liver cirrhosis you are most likely to hear the doctor say that he/she has ascites. Ascites is the term used to describe the buildup of fluid between the abdominal organs and