We’ve all felt bloating; that too-full feeling you get in your belly. But it’s not always from eating too much. Does your body hold on to too much water? Is it something you ate? Or could a health issue be behind it?

A variety of gastrointestinal complaints, such as belching, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, or flatulence, are commonly attributed by the patient to “excess gas,” even though this perception is usually incorrect. When excessive intestinal gas does occur, it may be due to excessive air swallowing, increased intraluminal production from malabsorbed nutrients, decreased gas absorption due to obstruction, or expansion of intraluminal gas due to changes in atmospheric pressure.

 

Most people who think they’re bloated because they have gas are just more sensitive to it. This is usually related to a health condition.

What can cause bloating and gassiness?

Overeating is probably the most common cause of bloating. Smaller portions should ease the pain.

 

 

Difficult-to-digest foods : FODMAPs are a collection of short chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols found in foods naturally or as food additives. They are readily fermented by bacteria in the large bowel, contributing to the production of gas.

These carbs are digested near the end of your intestine, where bacteria feed on them. For some people, this can cause gas and fluid buildup, belly pain, and bloating. FODMAPs are in some fruits, vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, prunes, apricots;  whole grains, and dairy — asparagus, garlic, pears, mangoes, peaches, wheat pasta, and rye bread are examples.

Sweeteners can also cause gas and bloating. Sorbitol, an artificial sweetener, can’t be digested. Fructose, a natural sugar added to many processed foods, is difficult for many people to digest. To avoid bloating, be aware of these sweeteners in the foods you eat and limit the amount you consume.

Fatty foods:  Your body needs it to make cell walls, nerve tissue (like your brain), and hormones which fat is responsible for that; But too much fat can make you bloated because your body takes longer to break it down than other types of food. That means it sticks around longer. It’s also high in calories and can make you gain weight if you’re not careful — and that can make you feel bloated, too.

Weight Gain: If you’ve gained 10 or more pounds in the past year, you may feel bloated because that weight often goes on around your belly. That takes up space and leaves less room for your stomach to stretch. Talk with your doctor about a plan to help you lose that weight and be more comfortable.

You Eat Too Fast: The faster you eat, the more air you swallow. And like with bubbly drinks, once that air passes to your intestine, it can make you feel bloated. It can take 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you’re full, so you can eat enough to make yourself bloated and uncomfortable before your brain gets the message.

Lactose intolerance:  Lactose intolerance occurs when your body has difficulty digesting lactose, the sugar found in most milk-based products. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and flatulence after consuming milk or milk-containing products. More detailed information about lactose intolerance is available separately.

Irritable bowel syndrome:  Many people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are sensitive to normal amounts of gas. Nerves that carry messages from the bowel may be overactive in people with IBS, so that normal amounts of gas or movement in the intestines feels painful or overactive. The primary symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits (such as diarrhea and/or constipation). Many people also complain of bloating.

When to Ask Your Doctor About Bloating

Your healthcare provider is the best source of information for questions and concerns related to your medical problem; Most of the time, you can manage bloating on your own. But if you also feel weak or lose your appetite, or have diarrhea, weight loss, fever, belly pain, or blood in your stool, talk to your doctor. To find out what’s going on, the doctor may take a stool sample or an X-ray of your small intestine, or test you for lactose intolerance or celiac disease.

 

By Dr. Fatemeh Aghanasiri, M.D. (MCC) – Medicentres, Al Furjan- Motorcity