What To Do When You Feel Bloated And Gassy
Dont smoke cigarettes because it can cause or aggravate bloating and gas. Eat smaller portions if you feel bloated after overeating. Reduce your intake of fatty foods, which can contribute to feeling overly full. Eat more slowly. It can take up to 20 minutes to feel full after youve started eating.
What Causes Severe Bloating
Cases of severe abdominal bloating may occur because of medical conditions in the gastrointestinal tract, bacteria in the bowel, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, or a sign of cancer. One example is Crohns disease, which causes inflammation of the GI tract , thereby causing painful intestinal bloating.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Do I need a test to diagnose lactose intolerance?
- Why do certain foods cause my bloating when they never used to?
- What can I do if I have diabetesand my medicine or artificial sweeteners cause bloating?
- Could my bloating be a sign of something more serious?
- What kind of tests will I need?
- What kind of over-the-counter medicine can I try?
Read Also: Can Constipation Cause Dizziness
Dyspepsia Or Upset Stomach
Dyspepsia is also called upset stomach or indigestion. It is a condition characterized by a painful or burning feeling in the upper abdominal region or stomach.
The most common dyspepsia symptoms include abdominal pain and bloating, cramping in the stomach, a growling stomach, nausea and vomiting, gas and belching, constipation, diarrhea, and a burning sensation in the stomach or upper abdomen.
Causes Of Bloating And Abdominal Pain
In some cases, abdominal pain and bloating are not a cause for concern and can often be relieved with simple dietary and lifestyle changes. Other times, abdominal bloating can be a sign of something more serious, and therefore further action is needed to treat the root of the problem.
Bloating is often a problem with digestion, and many things can affect gut health and the bodys ability to properly metabolize food and eliminate waste.
Gas is thought to be the most common cause of bloating, especially after eating a meal or drinking too fast. Gas builds up in the GI tract when you swallow air or when undigested food gets broken down.
Excessive gas is due to inadequate protein digestion, imbalances in gut bacteria, and the inability to fully break down carbohydrates and sugar.
This section will detail 32 potential causes of abdominal bloating and pain, which are often related to digestive disorders, food sensitivities, parasitic infections, bowel obstruction, hormonal changes like pregnancy, and a number of cancers like stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, or non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Lets get started.
Don’t Miss: Does Peanut Butter Help Heartburn
Am I At Risk Of Heart Failure
Heart failure is often the result of a number of problems affecting the heart at the same time, added the national health body.
This can include heart disease, high blood pressure, arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathy.
In some cases, anaemia, drinking too much alcohol, an overactive thyroid or pulmonary hypertension can lead to heart failure.
DONT MISSBaking soda: How to make baking soda toothpaste How to live longer: Apple cider vinegar helps Covid vaccine side effects: Three side effects
What Causes Bloating In The Stomach After Eating
Gas and air. Gas is the most common cause of bloating, especially after eating. Gas builds up in the digestive tract when undigested food gets broken down or when you swallow air. Everyone swallows air when they eat or drink.
According to research conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, an estimated 20 percent of the population experiences bloating in one form or another from time to time . Healthline detailed the most common symptoms of bloating as stomach pain, overall discomfort, and gas.
Don’t Miss: Do Bananas Help With Bloating
Black Americans And Uterine Cancer
Although uterine cancer rates are slightly higher among white women than Black women, Black women are more likely to die from uterine cancer than white women. Racial disparities are reflected in higher rates and shorter survival among Black women, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. One reason for the shorter survival time is late diagnosis. Approximately 69 percent of white women are diagnosed when the cancer is local compared with 54 percent of Black women. Because Black women are less likely to be diagnosed in the early stage of the disease, their survival rate is lower at every stage.
Eating More Calories Than Usual
Lets face it. When youre off your schedule, sometimes the most interesting thing you can do is bake. But consuming excess calories especially those found in cookies, cakes and bread can pack on the pounds and cause your belly to bloat.
If cooking is your jam while sheltering in place, reserve high-calorie recipes for special occasions, or cut it back to one meal a week.
You May Like: Probiotic Appetite Suppressant
Excess Gas Can Build Up
Gas is a normal part of digestion, but if it builds up in your intestines, it may cause bloating and pain. Gas happens when food that is not digested is broken down in your colon. This process produces methane and hydrogen, which you pass naturally as gas.
If you do experience bloating due to gas, modifying your food intake may help. Here are some common drinks and foods that can cause bloating:
- Foods high in fiber or fat
- Fried and spicy dishes
- Carbonated drinks, such as soda or beer
- Lactose found in milk, cheese and yogurts
Over-the-counter supplements can even trigger bloating.
What Causes Pain In Lower Left Side Of Stomach And Back
1. Sickle Cell Crisis This a painful condition in which the red blood cells, which are generally round in shape become sickle-shaped due to abnormal hemoglobin . This process is called SICKLING.Due to this shape of red blood cells, they tend to occlude smaller blood vessels and rupture. Sharp, dull and throbbing type of pain in the abdomen, back, knees, arms, legs and chest is a common presentation of sickle cell crisis.
2. Pyelonephritis This is an inflammatory condition of the kidneys usually due to bacteria. Mechanical obstruction of urine due to stones, strictures in the urethra and benign enlargement of the prostate. Use of urinary catheter can also favour the occurrence of pyelonephritis.
When the left kidney is affected, the signs and symptoms include fever with chills, severe left side flank region pain and tenderness at back in the region of kidney affected. Urinary complaints include burning or pain during urination and increased the frequency of urination.
3. Renal Calculus Presence of stones within the kidneys is called Renal Calculi. Low water intake, high calcium intake, recurrent urinary tract infections, obesity, high intake of sugars and animal protein and certain medications favour kidney stone formation. Stones up to 5mm in size can be passed through urine.
These kidney stones frequently pass into the ureter . Ureteric stones are capable of causing severe agonizing pain which can disable the person.
Also Check: Is Mobic Good For Sciatica Pain
Don’t Miss: Can Prenatal Vitamins Cause Diarrhea
Causes Of Serious Bloating You Need To Know About And What To Do About Them
1. Ovarian cancer isnt the most likely, but it is one of the most lethal. Although ovarian cancer is only the fifth most common cancer in women, it causes more deaths than any other reproductive cancer mostly in women over 50. Risk factors include never having children or having them late in life, obesity, a family history of ovarian cancer, certain genetic abnormalities, and long-term treatment with hormone replacement therapy. Persistent bloating, feeling full faster, and pelvic pain are typical symptoms.
What to do if youre concerned about ovarian cancer:
A thorough pelvic exam or transvaginal ultrasound is the best way to diagnose ovarian cancer. The blood test CA-125 isnt a reliable screening test, but it can be helpful for following the course of treatment after diagnosis.
2. Uterine cancer. In addition to bloating, uterine cancer can cause abnormal vaginal bleeding, a watery or blood-tinged vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, or pain with intercourse or urination. But its important to know that sometimes bloating or a change in bowel habits may be the only initial signs of uterine cancer. Important risk factors include taking tamoxifen taking estrogen supplements that dont also contain progesterone radiation therapy a family history of uterine cancer or a family history of a form of inherited colon cancer called Lynch syndrome.
What to do if youre concerned about uterine cancer:
What to do if youre concerned about colon cancer:
See More
Why Do I Feel Bloated And My Back Hurts
Back painaretheirpainbloating are
. Also asked, what is the symptoms of lower back pain and bloated stomach?
Gas and gastrointestinal problemsThis pain can radiate to the back, causing back pain and bloating. Minor gastrointestinal problems, such as stomach viruses, may also cause intense gas pain. Sometimes, GI issues can cause muscle pain.
One may also ask, can bloating make your back hurt? Bloating causes a distended stomach when the abdomen fills up with gas or air. This discomforting sensation can also cause pain that may be felt in the back. Together, a swollen stomach and back pain can make you feel not only distressed but perhaps a bit self-conscious as well.
Similarly one may ask, why is my stomach bloated and my back hurts?
If your abdominal bloating and back pain persist, make an appointment with your doctor. You may need medical attention if your symptoms are caused by infection or other severe or chronic illness. These conditions may include: gastrointestinal tract infection, obstruction, or perforation.
What causes stomach bloating in females?
There are many possible causes of abdominal bloating, including fluid retention, irritable bowel syndrome, and infection. Yet in many cases, the cause may be something as simple as indigestion or too much gas building up in the stomach and bowels.
You May Like: Is It Painful To Cut Your Wrist
Don’t Miss: Can Soy Milk Cause Diarrhea
What Gdv Means For Dogs
In GDV, a dog’s stomach spins around itself and becomes twisted at both ends. We frequently don’t know why or how the twisting happens, but when it does it completely blocks the escape of gas, liquid, and other stomach contents from the stomach. This buildup of gas and liquid causes the stomach to expand like a balloon , hence the bloated stomach. This is Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus, or GDV.
It’s not just the passage of gas and liquid from the stomach that’s altered in GDV, it’s also the blood flow to and from the stomach, as well as throughout the rest of the body , that’s severely compromised. The severely bloated stomach can also cause breathing issues and a host of serious metabolic problems such as acid-base and electrolyte imbalances, blood clotting abnormalities, and widespread inflammation for the dog, which lead to some of the symptoms described below and can be fatal.
Bloat/GDV will not resolve itself. If a dog with GDV is not brought for prompt veterinary care and surgery, the dog will not survive.
Things To Tell Your Doctor:
- Is the symptom located in the upper or lower abdomen?Is it in a concentrated area?
- Is your bloating or distension associated with burping?
- Do you experience nausea or vomiting?
- Is the symptom associated with pain in your abdomen?Upper or lower?
- Does the bloating or distension relate to passing gas or a change in your bowel habits ?
- Are your symptoms related to food? Which ones?
- Do they occur right after eating?
- Do your symptoms increase during the day or improve during night hours?
Recommended Reading: Does Peanut Butter Cause Heartburn
How Long Does A Bloated Stomach Last
If your bloating is due to something you ate or drank or to hormone fluctuations, it should begin to ease within a few hours to days. If you are constipated, it wont go down until you start pooping. Water, exercise and herbal teas can help encourage all of these things along. If it doesnt go away or gets worse, seek medical attention.
How Is Bloating Diagnosed
Your doctor can generally diagnose the cause of your bloating through a physical exam in the office. They will ask you questions about your symptoms. They will want to know if your bloating is occasional or if it occurs all the time.
Temporary bloating is usually not serious. If it happens all the time, your doctor may order other tests. These could include an imaging test to look inside your abdomen. This could be an X-ray or CT scan.
Don’t Miss: Can Soy Milk Cause Diarrhea
How To Prevent Bloating
Typically, the first line of treatment for preventing gas and bloating is changing your diet. Research has shown that a low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols diet can reduce the symptoms of gas and IBS. A low FODMAP diet avoids fermentable, gas-producing food ingredients, such as:
- Oligosaccharides, which are found in wheat, onions, garlic, legumes and beans
- Disaccharides, such as lactose in milk, yogurt and ice cream
- Monosaccharides, including fructose , apples and pears
- Polyols or sugar alcohols found in foods such as apricots, nectarines, plums and cauliflower, as well as many chewing gums and candies
The small intestine doesnt always fully absorb these carbohydrates, instead passing them to the colon, where they are fermented by bacteria and produce gas, Lee says. Not everyone gets gas and bloating from every FODMAP foods. You might start by cutting out FODMAP foods and then slowly bringing them back into your diet one at a time to pinpoint problem foods.
In the long run, the key to preventing bloating is understanding its cause. If mild constipation is the problem, a fiber-rich diet, water and exercise may help, but these steps wont always work for chronic constipation. Chronic constipation and other conditions, such as IBS or gastroparesis, require medical treatment, so its important to talk to your doctor about your bloating symptoms.
Feeling Bloated?
Common Causes Of Bloating
The following are some common reasons why you might feel bloated. In most instances, these causes of bloating can be reduced or eliminated by practical diet and lifestyle changes.
Healthy eating. Believe it or not, healthy foods are the reason for a bloated stomach. Whole veggies such as cabbage, brussel sprouts, and carrots and legumes such as beans, can cause extra air to get trapped in your belly, giving you that uncomfortable and bloated feeling. Foods high in fiber and lactose can also cause bloating since they release hydrogen and methane, which are bloating gases. Certain fruits like apples, pears, and watermelon can also cause bloating because of the high ratio of fructose to glucose.
Consuming diet products. Sugar substitutes found in many diet foods, such as sorbitol and xylitol) can cause you to feel bloated and uncomfortable. Ingesting too much of these or any artificial substances can cause bloating.
Fizzy drinks. Bubbly drinks like soda, champagne, or seltzer can do a number on your stomach because of the carbonation. When you ingest these drinks, the bubbles expand in your gut, which leads to that bloated feeling. This is also true of popular probiotic, naturally fermented drinks like kombucha, which can cause gas, bloating and loose stools.
Recovery from a stomach bug. Many people experience bloating after having a stomach virus or bug. Thiss because of the bacterial overgrowth that occurred in the small intestine as a result of the infection.
Also Check: Lettuce And Ibs
How To Tell The Difference Between Belly Fat And Bloat
One easy way to tell the difference between bloat and belly fat is to note belly fat does not cause your stomach to expand wildly throughout the course of a day bloat does. One other way to tell the difference between bloat and belly fat is you can physically grasp belly fat with your hand, you cannot with bloat.
Food Intolerance And Bloating
Food intolerance can lead to bloating when:
- your bowel does not empty properly
- the food causes gas to be trapped
- too much gas is produced as a reaction to the food
The most common foods to cause problems are wheat or gluten and dairy products.
The best approach if you have a food intolerance is to eat less of the problem food or cut it out completely.
Keep a food diary for a couple of weeks, noting everything that you eat and drink and when bloating troubles you most. But do not get rid of food groups long-term without advice from your GP.
Find out more about food intolerance.
Read Also: What Does It Mean When You Keep Having Heartburn
Take A Warm Bath Soaking And Relaxing
The heat of the bath can provide relief for a sore abdomen. Relaxation can reduce stress levels, which may allow the GI tract to function more effectively and help reduce bloating.
Quick fixes are not always effective for some causes of bloating. However, people who have frequent bloating may find that certain lifestyle changes can tackle the causes and reduce bloating over time.
People can use these simple steps to try to prevent bloating in the long-term:
When To See A Healthcare Provider
As noted earlier, the symptom of abdominal bloating is most commonly caused by conditions that are more of a nuisance than life-threatening. That said, it is often the first symptom of ovarian cancer which is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in women and often diagnosed when it is “too late,” at least to be curable.
Whether your symptoms are due to a “serious” cause or not, it is important to see your healthcare provider. So-called “nuisance symptoms” can interfere with your quality of life, and by that measure, are not just a nuisance.
If your symptoms do not improve with whatever treatment is recommended, talk to your healthcare provider or seek out a second opinion. In our overworked, over-busy society, it’s important to be your own advocate in your medical care, no matter what your symptoms or the condition that is responsible.
Also Check: What Does It Mean When You Keep Having Heartburn