When you’re bloated, your stomach seems stretched or overstuffed. In addition, you could experience cramping, burping, diarrhea, constipation, swelling, gas, and a lot of gas.
When food, gas, or liquid collects in one area of the intestines, it puts pressure on the other parts of the digestive system, causing discomfort. It can also occur when the diaphragm muscle contracts instead of releasing, when abdominal wall muscles are weak, or when the contents of the stomach move through the digestive system too slowly.
Symptoms of bloating
Stomach pain, discomfort, and gas are typical signs of bloating. You can also have regular belly rumbling or gurgling and the need to burp or belch.
There may be additional hazardous signs besides severe bloating. Like:
- Signs of internal bleeding
- Conspicuous weight reduction (without trying)
- Internal hemorrhaging (between your periods, or if you are postmenopausal)
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- More painful heartburn
- Fever (related to infection) (due to an infection)
Call a doctor immediately if you have any of these in addition to your bloating:
What is causing your bloating?
Intestinal gas or air causes bloating. What you consume can be a major contributor to this problem. In terms of intestinal gas, some foods are worse than others. Lactose intolerance is a possible contributor (problems with dairy). Some straightforward causes of bloating are:
1. Gas
As we eat, our intestines produce gas, and some people’s systems respond more strongly to this gas than others, resulting in bloating. Certain people’s neural systems may be particularly sensitive to gas, leading to an overreaction in the gut and the resulting bloating, as suggested by a recent theory on the subject. More study is required to confirm this hypothesis.
2. Gastrointestinal disorders
Several gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, cirrhosis, constipation, and air swallowing, can cause abdominal distention and bloating. Almost all persons with IBS report bloating, according to single research.
3. Bacteria
The presence of harmful bacteria in the digestive tract has been hypothesized by some medical experts to contribute to abdominal distention. The accumulation of harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract is thought to be the root cause of abdominal distention since it leads to an increase in gas production in the gastrointestinal system.
4. Hormones
Hormones Sometimes, bloating occurs when a woman’s progesterone and estrogen levels drop precipitously during her period.
5. Medicines
Bloating may be a symptom of a more serious medical condition, such as cancer. Bloating can be a sign of cancer in a number of different organs, including the stomach, ovaries, colon, and pancreas.
Bloating: How to Get Rid of It?
You don’t have to accept bloating as part of your life, especially if it’s causing you discomfort. You could try to determine the cause of your bloating by asking yourself if it seems to be related to digestion and, if so if the source is more likely to be the stomach or the bowels.
- Record what you eat and how you’re feeling. The first step in preventing gas and bloating is to identify the specific factors that set you off. The results of this test should reveal whether or not your bloating is caused by particular foods. Provide detailed information, including the time of day, what you consume, any symptoms you may be experiencing, and how often you urinate or defecate. Everything counts, from vitamin supplements to the amount of alcohol and water consumed to the type of dressing used on salads and even the number of candies eaten at midday. Your doctor or nutritionist can utilize this data to determine the root of your bloating problem.
- Removing potential allergens from one’s diet can help. If you have identified a trend, you can test whether or not gas and bloating improve by eliminating the meals that seem to trigger them, one by one.
- The importance of meal patterns, rather than individual items, should not be overlooked. Sometimes it’s not the food itself that causes gas, but the way it’s digested. Some people may feel unsatisfied if they skip breakfast and instead split their daily caloric intake between two substantial meals instead of three smaller ones plus a couple of snacks.
- Manage your constipation. See your doctor about treatment options if you are not passing stools regularly or effectively enough to feel a meaningful sense of relief.
- Adopting these sorts of lifestyle adjustments will help you breathe more easily and swallow less air. Some of the best doctors recommend that people avoid gum chewing and eat leisurely. Those who regularly consume large quantities of gum or hard sweets may inadvertently ingest air.
- Watch your thoughts. Think about what might be causing your bloating and whether or not it’s tolerable before deciding whether or not to make any changes. It may be worthwhile, for instance, to trade off occasional bloating for the health benefits of a higher-fiber diet.
- Get checked out. Your doctor may recommend further testing to rule out medical causes of persistent bloating and digestive issues. Routine labs including testing for H. pylori infection or celiac disease should be investigated. If necessary, your doctor may also offer an abdominal ultrasound or endoscopy to take a closer look at what’s going on inside your stomach. Antibiotics may be used to treat gas bloating caused by bacterial overgrowth.
Conclusion
Stomach pain and gas might be uncomfortable, but they usually aren’t serious enough to warrant a trip to the doctor. The issue can be improved with over-the-counter medications or with self-analysis and dietary adjustments. When the symptoms spread to other areas, become more severe, or are accompanied by other issues like lack of appetite, nausea, and stomach pain, it’s time to consult a top stomach specialist.
FAQs
1. When does the bloating usually go away?
Generally, bloating goes gone on its own within 24 hours, but here are some quick fixes and long-term preventative measures to hasten the process.
2. To what extent can bloating be fatal?
If you experience occasional bloating or gas, it’s likely not necessary to contact a doctor. But some causes of stomach swelling, flatulence, and pain can be quite serious, even life-threatening.
3. What can be done to reduce stomach gas after a meal?
Normal post-meal gas expansion is nothing to worry about, and it can frequently be avoided by making a few easy changes to one’s diet and lifestyle, such as cutting back on fiber, avoiding carbonated beverages, and taking one’s time while eating and drinking.
