What Causes Abdominal Bloating?
Abdominal bloating occurs when the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is filled with air or gas. Most people describe bloating as feeling full, tight, or swollen in the abdomen. Your abdomen may also be swollen (distended), hard, and painful. Bloating is often accompanied by:
· pain
· excessive gas (flatulence)
· frequent burping or belching
· abdominal rumbling or gurgles
Abdominal bloating can interfere with your ability to work and participate in social or recreational activities. According to the University of North Carolina, people who do experience abdominal bloating use more sick days, visit the doctor oftener, and take more medications than other people. Bloating is common among both adults and children.
Why do I feel bloated ?
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. But some people can swallow more than others, especially if they are:
· eating or drinking too fast
· chewing gum
· smoking
· wearing loose dentures
Ø Burping and flatulence are two ways swallowed air leaves the body. Delayed emptying of the stomach (slow gas transport) in addition to gas accumulation can also cause bloating and abdominal distension.
Medical conditions conditions can also lead to bloating .. such like ?
· irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
· inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease
· other functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs)
· heartburn
· food intolerance
· weight gain
· hormonal flux (especially for women)
· giardiasis (intestinal parasite infection)
· eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa
· mental health factors such as stress, anxiety, depression, and more
· some medications
These conditions cause factors that contribute to gas and bloating, such as:
· overgrowth or deficiency of bacteria within the GI tract
· gas accumulation
· altered gut motility
· impaired gas transit
· abnormal abdominal reflexes
· visceral hypersensitivity (feeling of bloating in small or even normal body changes)
· food and carbohydrate malabsorption
· constipation
Treatments to prevent or relieve bloating
Lifestyle changes
In many cases, the symptoms of abdominal bloating can be diminished or even prevented by adopting a few simple lifestyle changes such as losing weight, if you’re overweight.
To reduce swallowing too much air, you can:
· Avoid chewing gum. Chewing gum can cause you to swallow extra air, which in turn can lead to bloating.
· Limit your intake of carbonated drinks.
· Avoid foods that cause gas, such vegetables in the cabbage family, dried beans, and lentils.
· Eat slowly and avoid drinking through a straw.
Warning signs: When to see a doctor
Consult your doctor if bloating is accompanied by any of the following:
· severe or prolonged abdominal pain
· blood in the stools, or dark, tarry looking stools
· high fevers
· diarrhea
· worsening heartburn
· vomiting
· unexplained weight loss
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