Bloated Stomach | Overview and Causes

Bloated stomach is a sensation of tightness, pressure, or fullness in your abdomen. It might or might not be accompanied by an obviously enlarged or swollen abdomen. The sensation might be anything from barely irritating to excruciatingly agonizing. After some time, it normally fades away, but for some people, it keeps happening. Cycles of bloating can be brought on by hormonal changes and digestive problems. 

My stomach is bloated; what’s the reason?

Excess intestinal gas is the biggest factor behind stomach aches and bloating. It can be a digestive problem if you have stomach bloating after eating. It could be as easy as eating overly fast, or you could have a condition like food intolerance or another problem that makes gas and stomach contents pile up. Another frequent reason for minor bloating is your menstrual cycle. Occasionally, a bloated stomach may be a sign of a more serious medical condition.

How prevalent is stomach bloating?

10% to 25% of normally healthy persons express periodic bloated stomach complaints. Up to 75% of people classify their symptoms as moderate to severe. 10% of people claim they regularly encounter it. It may reach 90% among those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Bloating occurs before and during the period for up to 75% of women. Only 50% of those who notice bloating also describe a swollen abdomen.

Possible Causes of Stomach Bloating?

Malabsorption of Carbohydrates

Many people have trouble digesting specific carbs (sugars). The carbohydrates in wheat and legumes, fructose, and lactose are a few examples of common irritants. Your body may struggle more with harder carbs because of an intolerance you have, or it could just be that you have general issues. You can identify your dietary sensitivities with the assistance of a nutritionist.

Small Intestinal Bacterial 0vergrowth (SIBO)

The small intestine becomes infected when intestinal bacteria from the colon overflow there. These bacteria can become so numerous that they outnumber the bacteria that are supposed to balance them. Some bacteria actually take up the gases released by others, but if there are too many of one type and not enough of another, the balance can get unbalanced.

Excessive Gas Production

Gas is a normal outcome of digestion, but excessive intestinal gas indicates that something is wrong with your digestion. While it is possible to consume gasses through the inhalation of air or the consumption of fizzy beverages, most gasses are expelled through belching before they reach your intestines. The fermentation process that occurs when gut bacteria break down carbohydrates is what mostly produces gases in your intestines.

There may be excessive fermentation taking place because too many carbs weren’t properly digested earlier in the digestive process, before reaching those gut bacteria or maybe you just ate too much food too fast for proper digestion. 

Bowel obstructions

Tumors, scar tissue, strictures, stenosis, and hernias can all clog the large and small bowels of your body. Diverticulosis and Crohn’s disease are two inflammatory conditions that can harm your small intestine in specific areas and lead to strictures that restrict the passage of digestive fluids.

Constipation

You may experience brief constipation as a result of your diet or way of life, or you may experience persistent constipation as a result of a medical problem. Food that has just been digested stays longer in the intestines while it waits to pass because of backed-up feces in the colon. Bloat results from everything expanding to accommodate the additional volume.

Recently Gained Weight

The weight you’ve put on recently usually goes to your tummy first. Your abdominal volume is undoubtedly being affected if you’ve gained ten pounds or more. Because there is less space for regular digestion, even a healthy meal could make you feel unusually bloated as it is being broken down. Water retention, which can make you feel bloated from fluids in your stomach and other areas, can occasionally accompany increase in weight.

Hormones

Perhaps you’ve observed that your stomach bloating follows a distinct rhythm—one that is more closely related to your menstrual cycle than your digestive cycle. If so, you are not by alone. Up to 3 out of 4 women report having abdominal bloating both before and after their periods. Bloating is another typical symptom of perimenopause hormone changes. When it comes to stomach bloating, female hormones should be specifically mentioned because they can effect bloating from many angles, including fluids, gas, and digestive back-up, as well as your susceptibility to those things.

Estrogen makes you retain water. You’ll have fluid-related bloating when progesterone levels fall and estrogen levels rise. You may feel bloated due to this as well as the expansion of your uterus right before menstruation.

Pancreatic Insufficiency

In this type of pancreatic dysfunction, the pancreas is no longer able to produce enough digestive enzymes to fulfill its role in the digestive process.

Inflammation of the stomach (gastritis) or the intestines (enteritis)  

A bacterial infection (often H. pylori infection) or excessive alcohol use are the usual causes of this. Peptic ulcers may also be connected to it.

Ascites

This is fluid that has gradually accumulated in your abdominal cavity. It is typically brought on by liver disease, however renal or heart failure can also play a role.

Gastrointestinal Functional Problems

When your body has more trouble digesting food for unclear reasons, IBS and functional dyspepsia are indicated. Gas and bloating after eating are frequent symptoms. Keep a look out for the typical alarm symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, anemia, bleeding, diarrhea or constipation, fever, and unexpected weight loss.

Digestive Secretions

They may be made up of solids, liquids, or gases. When there is a blockage or restriction in your digestive tract or when the muscles that move digestive contents forward are somehow compromised, digestive contents may pile up in your digestive system. The digestive tract will have less space if there has been an accumulation of digesting substances there. Additionally, it takes up less space in your abdomen for additional components like fat and circulatory fluids, giving the entire area a tighter sensation.

Visceral Hypersensitivity

Even when their gas volume is normal, some people nonetheless feel bloated and gassy. This syndrome frequently co-occurs with IBS and other neurological illnesses of the gut-to-brain pathways. For the purpose of creating greater space in the abdominal cavity for gas, some persons even acquire a muscle hypertrophy (abdominophrenic dyssynergia). Even if the actual volume of the gas is normal, their abdominal muscles loosen up and extend outward when there is gas present.

When to Contact a Doctor

Consult a medical professional if your bloated stomach:

• Worsens over time.
• Persists for longer than a week.
• Is painful on a constant basis.
• Comes with disease symptoms including bleeding, vomiting, or fever.