Bloating
A common gastrointestinal sensation of fullness often linked to gas buildup.
Abdominal bloating is a short-term gastrointestinal condition marked by an excess buildup of gas, air, or fluids in the stomach, leading to sensations of tightness, pressure, or fullness. It can affect any age group and is usually self-diagnosed, often not requiring serious medical attention. The term is frequently used interchangeably with abdominal distension, though the two likely involve different and not fully understood pathophysiological processes.
Quick Facts
- Symptoms
- Blood in stool
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
- Duration
- A few hours to days
- Risks
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Unintentional weight loss
- Prevention
- Eating high fiber foods
- Drinking water
- Exercise
- Treatment
- Most cases do not require serious medical treatment, Over-the-counter drugs
Facts from the source article.
Symptoms and signs
The most frequent symptom is a sensation that the abdomen is full or distended. Rarely, bloating may cause pain or shortness of breath. Bloating-related pains are sharp and cause stomach cramping; they can occur anywhere in the body and shift locations quickly. Pain on the upper left side of the chest may be mistaken for heart pain, while right-side pain is often confused with appendix or gallbladder issues. Hiccups, though not typically associated with gas, can help release gas before it reaches the intestines and causes bloating.
Causes
Bloating has many causes, including diet, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, reflux, and constipation. Specific conditions like Crohn's disease or bowel obstruction can also contribute. Common causes include overeating, gastric distension, food intolerances (lactose, fructose), premenstrual syndrome, food allergy, aerophagia, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, partial bowel obstruction, gastric dumping syndrome, gas-producing foods, constipation, visceral fat, splenic-flexure syndrome, menstruation, polycystic ovary syndrome, ovarian cysts, Alvarez' syndrome, massive intestinal parasite infestation, diverticulosis, certain medications (e.g., phentermine), and salivary hypersecretion with dehydration. Important but uncommon causes include large cancerous tumors of the ovary, liver, uterus, or stomach; megacolon from diseases like Chagas disease; and cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures. In animals, causes include gastric dilatation volvulus in dogs and ruminal tympany in ruminants.
Treatment
The low-FODMAP diet has shown significant benefits for bloating, distension, and abdominal pain severity in people with irritable bowel syndrome, with the best evidence among diet interventions. This diet is most effective when guided by a dietitian through restriction, reintroduction, and personalization phases. Over-the-counter options include food enzymes that break down sugars in grains, vegetables, and dairy, taken before or added to food. Antacids help belch gas more easily but do not affect intestinal gas. Simethicone, an oral anti-foaming agent, helps expel gas more quickly. Combinations of prokinetics (domperidone, metoclopramide) with diphenhydramine and proton pump inhibitors have dramatic effects on bloaters and belchers.
More in Symptoms and Signs: Digestive System and Abdomen
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