As long as your symptoms eventually go away, they probably aren't serious. But if your bloated stomach doesn't go away or gets worse, or if you have other symptoms of serious illness, such as fever or vomiting, you should seek medical attention to rule out other medical causes.
Common symptoms of bloating include stomach pain, discomfort, and gas. You may also burp or belch frequently or have abdominal rumbling or gurgling. Severe bloating may occur along with other serious symptoms, such as: Blood in your stool.
“When it's accompanied by red-flag symptoms—vomiting, blood in stool, unexplained weight loss, yellowing of eyes or skin—those are signs of a more urgent and serious disorder,” she says. Liver disease or an obstruction of the GI tract can cause bloating accompanied by some of these red-flag symptoms.
Bloating That Doesn't Go Away
"If bloating is persistent and does not vary with changing eating habits or bowel movements, it is a good idea to seek medical care," added Alex Hewlett, DO, associate professor of medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Temporary bloating is common and nothing to worry about. But if you're troubled by bloating on a regular basis, talk to your doctor. Physical obstructions such as scarring of the stomach opening can make it hard for food to pass through the digestive tract normally.
Ongoing bloating is not normal and may have many causes, so you should call your doctor if you feel bloating every day. Bloating is a chronic and bothersome condition for a large minority of the population. Anywhere from an estimated 16% to 31% of us have bloating and distension.
That's because anxiety and worry can upset the delicate balance of digestion. In some people, stress slows down digestion, causing bloating, pain and constipation, while in others it speeds it up, causing diarrhoea and frequent trips to the loo.
Certain nutrient deficiencies can contribute to digestive upset and bloating. The most common nutrient deficiencies that are linked to bloating are zinc, magnesium, molybdenum and thiamin.
A bloated stomach and stomach fullness are symptoms of having excessive gas in the stomach, causing discomfort, a feeling of fullness, a swollen stomach after a meal, nausea, excessive flatulence, and feeling better after belching or passing wind.
A hard stomach can happen for various reasons, including constipation, gastric cancer, and some chronic digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
A GI doctor can help identify the triggers that may be causing IBS bloating. Increasing fiber intake and drinking plenty of fluids, managing stress, and increasing intake of probiotics may be helpful in reducing symptoms. Medications such as antispasmodics or antidiarrheals can be used to relieve symptoms.
Depending on the severity, bloat can be fatal if not treated within an hour or two. The stomach is located in the upper abdomen and normally contains a small amount of gas, food, liquid, and mucus. When a dog eats, food enters the stomach from the esophagus, then is broken down by digestive enzymes.
While having too much estrogen can lead to bloating, having too little estrogen can also contribute to abdominal discomfort. That's because estrogen also has an effect on the production of bile – when estrogen levels are low, bile production decreases. Bile is fluid produced by the liver that aids in digestion.
IBS and Vitamin D deficiency
Symptoms include a combination of diarrhoea or constipation, bloating, urgency (the need to use a restroom in a hurry), white or yellow mucus in the stool and the sensation of incompletely passing stools.
So, can coffee really cause bloating? The short answer is yes, it can. Coffee is a natural laxative that stimulates the muscles in your digestive system, which can lead to an increase in bowel movements. This can cause the production of gas, leading to bloating and discomfort.
Back pain and bloating can sometimes occur together. Common causes include hormonal changes, stress, a urinary tract infection, a back injury, or gas. Although back pain and bloating are fairly common symptoms, it is a good idea to see a doctor if they last more than a few days.
GERD can produce a broad variety of symptoms, including: Asthma. Belching. Bloating.
Conditions such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome can all cause bloating. Acid reflux, and the medications to treat it, can cause bloating and a feeling of increased gas in the abdomen, leading to belching.
Eating too quickly can cause you to swallow air. So can drinking carbonated beverages. Consuming certain foods. Everyone's digestive system is different, but some people experience bloating if they consume salt, dairy, fructose, fat, or carbs called FODMAPS, found in some fruits, vegetables, dairy, and whole grains.
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 (FODMAP) diet can reduce the symptoms of gas and IBS.
Abdominal swelling, or distention, is more often caused by overeating than by a serious illness. This problem also can be caused by: Air swallowing (a nervous habit) Buildup of fluid in the abdomen (this can be a sign of a serious medical problem)