| Bloating | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Gastroenterology  |
| Symptoms | |
| Duration | A few hours to days |
| Causes |
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| Risk factors | |
| Prevention |
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| Treatment |
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| Frequency |
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Abdominal bloating (or simplybloating) is a short-term disease that affects thegastrointestinal tract.[1][2] Bloating is generally characterized by an excess buildup of gas, air or fluids in thestomach. A person may have feelings of tightness, pressure or fullness in the stomach; it may or may not be accompanied by a visiblydistended abdomen.[3] Bloating can affect anyone of any age range and is usually self-diagnosed. In most cases it does not require serious medical attention or treatment.[4][5] Although this term is usually used interchangeably with abdominal distension, these symptoms probably have different pathophysiological processes, which are not fully understood.[6]
The first step for management is to find a treatment for the underlying causes that produce it through a detailed medical history and a physical examination. The discomfort can be alleviated by the use of certain drugs and dietary modifications.[4]
Bloating can also be caused bychronic conditions and in rare cases can be a reoccurring life-threatening problem.[7]
The most common symptom associated with bloating is a sensation that the abdomen is full or distended. Rarely, bloating may be painful or cause shortness of breath.[citation needed]
Pains that are due to bloating will feel sharp and cause the stomach tocramp. These pains may occur anywhere in the body and can change locations quickly.[8] They are so painful that they are sometimes mistaken for heart pains when they develop on the upper left side of the chest. Pains on the right side are often confused with problems in theappendix or thegallbladder.
One symptom of gas that is not normally associated with it is thehiccup. Hiccups are harmless and will diminish on their own; they also help to release gas that is in thedigestive tract before it moves down to the intestines and causes bloating. Important but uncommon causes of abdominal bloating includeascites and tumors.[9]
There are many causes of bloating, including: diet,irritable bowel syndrome,lactose intolerance,reflux, andconstipation.[10][11][12][13] Specific medical conditions likeCrohn's disease or bowel obstruction can also contribute to the amount of stomach bloating experienced.
Common causes of abdominal bloating are:
Important but uncommon causes of abdominal bloating include:
In animals, causes of abdominal bloating include:
All the factors mentioned contribute to bloated stomach abdominal pain.
Every person produces gases in their body during the digestion of food, such as methane, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. And some of them are released outside the body, sometimes in small quantities that one does not notice and sometimes in larger quantities that may affect the normal course of life.
Most cases of stomach bloating are due to improperdiet.[medical citation needed] Gas occurs because of the bacteria in the colon and is a by-product of soluble fiber digestion. Inadequate or irregular intake of fiber and water will cause a person to experience bloating or constipation. The most common natural sources of fiber include fruits and vegetables as well as wheat or oat bran. These fibers are most likely to causeflatulence.[29] Fiber is made by plants and is not easily digested by thehuman gastrointestinal tract. There are two main types ofdietary fiber: soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber isprebiotic and readily fermented in the colon into gases, while insoluble fiber is metabolically inert and absorbs water as it moves through the digestive system, aiding in defecation. Most types of fiber (insoluble) are attached tobody water in theintestine and increase the volume of stools.[citation needed]
Gas in the gastrointestinal tract has only two sources. It is either swallowed air or is produced by bacteria that normally inhabit the intestines, primarily the colon.[30]
Belching or burping is a universal ability that works by removing gas from the stomach through the mouth. The stomach can become bloated when too much air is swallowed during eating and drinking too quickly. As the stomach swells, belching removes the gas and alleviates the pain associated with it. Burping can also be used as a form of relief from abdominal discomfort other than too much gas in the stomach.[citation needed]
Flatulence, or farting, provides relief of much the same kind as burping, but involves the passage of gas from the body via theanus, not the mouth. Bacteria present in the intestinal tract cause gas that is expelled from the anus. They produce the gas as food is digested and moved from thesmall intestine. This gas builds up and causes swelling or bloating in the abdominal area before it is released.
A common gastrointestinal problem isconstipation—infrequent bowel movements, hard stools, or strain during the movements—which causes serious cases of bloating. Since most cases of constipation are temporary, simple lifestyle changes, such as getting more exercise and increasing one's intake of fiber, can contribute to alleviating constipation.[31] Some cases of constipation will continue to worsen and require unconventional methods to release the feces and reduce the amount of stomach bloating. Blood in the stool, intense pain in the abdomen, rectal pain, unexplained weight loss, and continued bloating and constipation not relieved by the above lifestyle changes should be reported to a doctor. Bloating consistently accompanies constipation, and they will not develop without an underlying cause.[22]
Painful burning sensations in the chest that are caused by gastroesophageal reflux is known asheartburn. Reflux is the backflow ofgastric acid juices from the stomach into theoesophagus.[32] Heartburn has different triggers, including certain foods, medications,obesity, and stress. These triggers are different for each individual.Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD is a chronic condition that can lead to more serious complications likeesophageal cancer.[33] Treatment options are available to treat the symptoms and the condition, but there is no cure for the disease. Symptoms include burping, abdominal and stomach bloating, along with pain and discomfort. Heavy meals, lying down or bending over after eating should be avoided to help prevent reflux from occurring. The stomach bloating experienced with reflux is intense and will remain until the food is digested all the way.
Postmortem bloating occurs in cadavers, due to the formation of gases bybacterial action andputrefaction of the internal tissues of the abdomen and the inside of the intestines.[34]
Conditions that are related to bloating include constipation, lactose intolerance, andacid reflux disease.[32] All of these conditions share the same symptoms and can share the same causative agents. These causes include unhealthy diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, low amount of exercise, and overall health. Each of these conditions can be experienced as a symptom of the others and is also a cause for each of them. In most cases where one of the conditions is present, there is at least one if not two of the others. Treatment for each condition is performed using the same medications and recommended dietary changes like increased fiber intake and reduced fat intake. If the conditions develop into diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease or chronic constipation, additional medications will be required. Bloating and flatulence are sometimes related to constipation, and treating the underlying condition may be helpful.[35]
The efficacy of thelow-FODMAP diet in abdominal bloating has been studied in multiple trials in people withirritable bowel syndrome and compared with other diets.[36] Significant benefits have been demonstrated, particularly on bloating, distension and abdominal pain severity. The low-FODMAP diet has the best evidence for any diet intervention in IBS, especially improving bloating. This diet is most effective when led by a dietitian, with restriction, reintroduction and personalizaton phases.[37]
There are manyover-the-counter (OTC) medications that can be used to treat bloating.Foodenzymes can be found in some products that will help break down the sugars found in grains, vegetables anddairy products. They can be taken before food is consumed or added to the food that causes the gas and bloating.[38] The most common treatment isantacids. These medications have no effect on the gas that is present in the intestines but enable gas build-up to be belched away more easily, reducing the amount of bloating that develops. Another treatment issimethicone, an oral anti-foaming agent that helps the body to expel the gas more quickly.Combinations ofprokinetics, such asdomperidone +metoclopramide +diphenhydramine (the latter for the prevention ofextrapyramidal reactions, especially acutedystonic reactions) +proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), have dramatic effects on bloaters and belchers especially.[citation needed]