Does anyone else have a pulse in his/her stomach?

[kysmitty27]

Whenever I am laying on my back (or in some cases on my stomach) I can feel a somewhat heavy pulse in (sync with my heartbeat) about 1-2 inches above my naval. If I am on my back, the pulse is visible. I am 17 years old and (relatively) thin and active. However, when I looked this up (I know I shouldn't have) the first thing that kept repeatedly coming up was an abdominal aortic aneurysm. I know an AAA would be extremely rare considering my age and sex, but the thought of having something that could kill me at any moment is causing me to panic. I will be thankful for any replies, I am new to this site! ~Kylie :)

[ServerError]

The heart is a great big pump that had to force blood around your body with enough force to get it to the top of your head and the soles of your feet. You're going to feel your pulse in many places, including your midriff, which is pretty close to your heart. The alternative to being able to feel your pulse is much worse.

I don't know what you read that gave you such a horrifying diagnosis, but it's nonsense. If I were you, I'd stop the pulse checking behaviour. If you find that hard to do, you'll need to get some help.

Oh, and sadly, there are many things that kill any of us in an instant. Fact is though, most people make old age these days. By the time you're even in your 30s, medical science will be even more advanced. But ultimately, none of us knows what's round the corner. At 17, you shouldn't be fretting about this kind of stuff at all. I'm 32 and am still far younger than the average age at which people die in the UK. One thing I do now is that, when I do go, I'd much rather drop dead on the spot than have a long drawn out terminal illness involving lots of suffering.