Abdominal bloating or bloated stomach is a very common symptom that is nonspecific in nature. It can affect all people, irrespective of age and sex. It can be related to an organic disorder, some functional gastrointestinal disorder or at times even appear on its own.
The patient usually has a tight and full stomach, however, in some cases, bloating can also cause pain and shortness of breath. Pain is usually very sharp and changes locations quickly. In some cases, the pain can be so intense that it can be misinterpreted for heart-related pains, especially in cases when the pain is striking in the upper left part of the chest.
Pain on the right side can also be misunderstood for a bladder or appendix problem. Bloating can be cured by treating its main cause whereas discomfort can be treated through dietary modifications and proper medication.
10 Causes of Abdominal bloating:
Cause #1: Fibre
Bloating can happen due to an improper diet as the gas happens because of the presence of bacteria in the colon. Bacteria generate gas after the fiber is digested. Improper intake of fiber and fluids leads to bloating coupled with constipation. Fiber is mostly found in fruits, vegetables, and grains. Plant fiber cannot be easily digested by humans and thus soluble fiber ferments into gas whereas insoluble fiber absorbs water through the digestive tract.
Cause #2: Gas
Two sources of gas in the gastrointestinal tract are intestinal bacteria and swallowed air. Another reason of bloating is swallowed air during eating or drinking rapidly. Body removes accumulated gas by means of burping, from the mouth or by farting, from the anus.
Cause #3: Constipation
Prime reasons for constipation are hard stools in the intestine, irregular bowel movements or even he urge to strain in the process of passing motion. Constipation can easily be cured by easy lifestyle changes. Intense pain or blood in the stool require the patient to seek medical attention.
Cause #4: Heartburn and Reflux
Heartburn also causes bloating along with burping. Heartburn happens when there is acute pain in the chest. Reflux happens when acid is flows in the backward direction from the stomach to the oesophagus. Heartburn mainly happens because of stress, medication, food or obesity.
Cause #5: Lactose Intolerance
It is a condition in which the patient cannot digest lactose because of lack of required enzymes in the small intestines. Lactose is usually found in milk and dairy products and about 65% of the world population suffers from this disease. Bloating is caused by lactose intolerance.
Cause #6: Premenstrual Syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome refers to the physical and emotional changes in women before menstruation. Major symptoms are acne, bloating, mood swings and tender breasts among various others. This phenomenon does not occur during pregnancy or menopause. The condition aggravates after a salt rich diet, caffeine or alcohol.
Cause #7: Celiac disease
Celiac disease affects the small intestines and major symptoms include bloating, diarrhoea, appetite loss coupled with malabsorption of nutrients. This is mainly noticed as an allergic reaction to gluten, found in grains like wheat, barley and rye. The disease is generally genetically predisposed and the body produces autoantibodies to fight the allergy.
Cause #8: Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome tends to degrade the quality of life as it is a gastrointestinal disorder. Major symptoms include abdominal bloating and pain. Treatment of the disease involves dietary changes, probiotics, medication and counselling along with many others.
Cause #9: Dumping Syndrome
The dumping syndrome is also known as rapid gastric emptying. In the condition, food moves rapidly from stomach all the way to duodenum. This condition usually prevails in people who have undertaken gastric or oesophageal surgery. This happens as a side effect of medications. Common symptoms include diarrhoea, bloating, pain, abdominal cramps, dizziness, nausea and various others.
Cause #10: Overeating
When a person eats more than the required amount and thus generates more energy, this is known as overeating. This causes excessive weight gain along with bloating. It is considered to be an eating disorder and thus has no medication but only self-control. Overeating can be managed by therapies but leads to body image problems due to excessive weight gain.
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