Why Do I Have a Bloated Stomach, And What Can I Do About It?

Is your belly feeling tight, with a sense of pressure and fullness inside? If yes, you’re probably having a bloated stomach. Bloating, or having a bloated stomach, is usually a temporary condition wherein your stomach feels full and tight. While you may or may not notice a distended tummy when you’re bloated, you may feel pain and discomfort, which can range anything from mild to severe.

Most people have occasional bouts of bloated stomach that gets better in some time. However, if you’re someone who faces this problem every now and then, you might benefit from a doctor’s visit.

In today’s blog post, we share the common reasons behind a bloated stomach and what measures you can take to find relief.

Possible Causes of a Bloated Stomach

Gas Build Up

When undigested food breaks down in your digestive tract, it leads to the buildup of gas. Accumulation of this gas inside your abdomen leads to a bloated stomach.

Hormonal Changes

Women quite frequently experience abdominal bloating a few days before or during their periods. This happens due to the changes in the levels of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. These fluctuations cause a bloated stomach through factors such as fluid retention, gas buildup, and backup of digestive tract contents.

Underlying Medical Conditions

Several medical conditions result in abdominal bloating. Common ones include food intolerance, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, eating disorders, giardiasis, and more. Having these conditions often causes issues like the ones mentioned below and leads to stomach bloating.

• Accumulation of gas
• Constipation
• Slow gas transit
• Issues in carbohydrate absorption
• Too much or too little bacteria in the digestive tract
• Improper abdominal reflexes

Other Serious Causes

Most cases of abdominal bloating that are caused by digestive issues or hormonal changes get better in some time. However, if you experience a bloated stomach for an extended period of time or you have other symptoms along with it, you must visit your doctor for a check-up. Other conditions that may cause abdominal bloating are:

• Certain types of cancer
• Pancreatic insufficiency
• Celiac disease
• Gastritis or enteritis
• Fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity

Relieving a Bloated Stomach

Home Remedies

There are a few things you can do to relieve your bloated belly:

1. Exercise regularly: Performing regular physical activity can help combat abdominal bloating.

2. Drink teas: Herbal teas like chamomile, turmeric, and ginger can facilitate digestion and relieve gas.

3. Take probiotics: These can balance your gut bacteria and help in digestion and gas relief.

4. Take a fibre supplement: Supplements like psyllium husk help to get things moving in the digestive tract and reduce the instances of bloating.

5. Take antacids: Along with relieving acidity, antacids also help in passing the gas accumulated in the abdomen.

Lifestyle Modifications

Bringing authentic changes to your lifestyle can help in lowering the instances of a bloated stomach. Modifications you can try include:

1. Follow a low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) diet. This diet avoids gas-producing foods such as wheat, garlic, milk, and cauliflower.

2. Eat your food slowly and chew it well before swallowing.

3. Avoid chewing gum, carbonated drinks, and foods that cause gas (beans, cabbage, etc.).

4. Limit or avoid foods that are difficult to digest.

5. Take a walk after a meal to aid digestion.

6. Consume smaller meals throughout the day and avoid large meals.

Medications

While many cases of abdominal bloating are rectified by trying home remedies and making modifications to lifestyle, sometimes you may need medical intervention to treat bloating. Your healthcare provider will check you up and advise medications depending on your condition and the reason behind the bloating. You can expect to get antibiotics or antispasmodics if that’s what you need.

Other Symptoms That Call for a Doctor’s Visit

Sometimes bloating is accompanied by other symptoms. If you notice any of the following along with a bloated stomach, go visit your doctor:

• Abdominal pain
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Heartburn
• Loose stools
• Weight loss
• Bloody or dark stools

Takeaway

A bloated stomach can be an unpleasant and discomforting experience. Most people are able to manage it through simple home remedies and changes in lifestyle. But for those who experience bloating due to underlying causes, they must pay attention to what might be causing this symptom and visit a doctor so they can find out the actual reason behind their problem.

Looking for affordable medicines and healthcare products but don't know where to buy them? Check out our Dawaa Dost website, where we make quality and affordable medicines accessible to all!

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment of any health condition.

Sources:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21740-bloated-stomach#care-and-treatment

https://www.healthline.com/health/abdominal-bloating#when-to-seek-help