Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsQuick ReliefWhy Does Bloating Hurt?SymptomsDiagnosisPrescription TreatmentsManagement
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Quick Relief
Why Does Bloating Hurt?
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Prescription Treatments
Management
Bloating in the digestive system can cause pain and discomfort. The abdomen may become distended (stick out) and cause symptoms such as a feeling of fullness, pressure, or tightness in the stomach. The symptoms of bloating can range from mild to severe. In some cases, it lasts a long time and disrupts daily life.
Quick Bloating Remedies for Relief
You can manage bloating in many different ways at home. If possible, it may help to know what is causing the bloating. Some over-the-counter (OTC) remedies, supplements, or exercises could help when bloating has started.
Some of these are:
Gas production is a normal part of digestion. It’s produced when bacteria in the gut help break down food. Too much gas or gas that causes bothersome bloating affects between 16% and 31% of the general population.
Swallowing air, acid reflux, or eating a large meal orhigh-fiber foodscould lead to bloating. Having amenstrual periodmay also causedigestive symptoms. These are usually reasons for temporary bloating.
Extra gas or stool trapped in the digestive system could lead to pain or discomfort. Constipation could also cause bloating, which could be either temporary orchronic(long-lasting). The discomfort may improve after a bowel movement or passing gas through the bottom.
Severe Bloating
About half of people with bloating also have distention, in which the stomach looks bigger, sticks out, and is uncomfortable.
Distentionis associated with several conditions, including common ones like IBS,inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and constipation. Inflammatory bowel disease are a group of diseases with inflammation in the digestive system, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. When the digestive system isn’t working as well as it should, you may experience bloating, distention, and pain in the abdomen.
Less common reasons for bloating include cancer, a blockage in the bowel, infection, or liver disease. These may cause symptoms of bloating and pain that become chronic.
Bloating Changes: How Symptoms Look
Bloating is common and often goes away without any special treatment when it is not related to an ongoing digestive condition. Common symptoms associated with bloating can include:
Seeing a Provider for Ongoing Stomach Bloat
In some cases, ongoing problems with bloating and distention are a reason to see a healthcare provider. Symptoms that should be evaluated include:
A physical exam and medical history are often the first steps in finding a reason for bloating. Sharing information about yourdiet, lifestyle, and medications with a healthcare provider is also important. Knowing how often bloating occurs is also helpful information.
Talking With Your Healthcare Provider
It may help to write down a list of symptoms or questions so that you remember to address them during an appointment.
Bringing a trusted family member or friend along may ease tension, and they can prompt you to bring up important information.
Some of the tests that might be used when bloating becomes a problem include:
Prescribed Bloating Treatments
The treatment for bloating will depend on the cause. For bloating not associated with an underlying condition, the following may help:
When a condition causes bloating, medications used may include.
How to Manage Chronic Bloating
Chronic bloating is a reason to seek care from a healthcare provider. Management might start with some dietary and lifestyle changes, including:
When making changes to diet and lifestyle doesn’t help prevent or control bloating and/or gas in the digestive system, seeking help from a healthcare provider is the next step.
Why Does Alcohol Make Me Bloated?
Summary
Many common conditions can cause bloating. Treatment will usually address the underlying cause.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Government of Alberta.Medicines or vitamins that can cause gas, bloating, or burping.Wilkinson JM, Cozine EW, Loftus CG.Gas, bloating, and belching: approach to evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99:301-309.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Facts about sugar and sugar substitutes.Rao SSC, Brenner DM.Efficacy and safety of over-the-counter therapies for chronic constipation: an updated systematic review.Am J Gastroenterol. 2021;116:1156-1181. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001222Chumpitazi BP, Kearns GL, Shulman RJ.Review article: the physiological effects and safety of peppermint oil and its efficacy in irritable bowel syndrome and other functional disorders.Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018;47:738-752. doi:10.1111/apt.14519Patel NV.“Let food be thy medicine”: Diet and supplements in irritable bowel syndrome.Clin Exp Gastroenterol.2021;14:377-384. doi:10.2147/CEG.S321054Lacy BE, Cangemi D, Vazquez-Roque M.Management of chronic abdominal distension and bloating.Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2021;19(2):219–231.e1. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2020.03.056National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Gas in the digestive tract.DailyMed.Label: Xifaxan-rifaximin tablet.Kamboj AK, Oxentenko AS.Workup and management of bloating.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;16:1030-1033. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2017.12.046
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Government of Alberta.Medicines or vitamins that can cause gas, bloating, or burping.Wilkinson JM, Cozine EW, Loftus CG.Gas, bloating, and belching: approach to evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99:301-309.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Facts about sugar and sugar substitutes.Rao SSC, Brenner DM.Efficacy and safety of over-the-counter therapies for chronic constipation: an updated systematic review.Am J Gastroenterol. 2021;116:1156-1181. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001222Chumpitazi BP, Kearns GL, Shulman RJ.Review article: the physiological effects and safety of peppermint oil and its efficacy in irritable bowel syndrome and other functional disorders.Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018;47:738-752. doi:10.1111/apt.14519Patel NV.“Let food be thy medicine”: Diet and supplements in irritable bowel syndrome.Clin Exp Gastroenterol.2021;14:377-384. doi:10.2147/CEG.S321054Lacy BE, Cangemi D, Vazquez-Roque M.Management of chronic abdominal distension and bloating.Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2021;19(2):219–231.e1. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2020.03.056National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Gas in the digestive tract.DailyMed.Label: Xifaxan-rifaximin tablet.Kamboj AK, Oxentenko AS.Workup and management of bloating.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;16:1030-1033. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2017.12.046
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Government of Alberta.Medicines or vitamins that can cause gas, bloating, or burping.Wilkinson JM, Cozine EW, Loftus CG.Gas, bloating, and belching: approach to evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99:301-309.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Facts about sugar and sugar substitutes.Rao SSC, Brenner DM.Efficacy and safety of over-the-counter therapies for chronic constipation: an updated systematic review.Am J Gastroenterol. 2021;116:1156-1181. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001222Chumpitazi BP, Kearns GL, Shulman RJ.Review article: the physiological effects and safety of peppermint oil and its efficacy in irritable bowel syndrome and other functional disorders.Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018;47:738-752. doi:10.1111/apt.14519Patel NV.“Let food be thy medicine”: Diet and supplements in irritable bowel syndrome.Clin Exp Gastroenterol.2021;14:377-384. doi:10.2147/CEG.S321054Lacy BE, Cangemi D, Vazquez-Roque M.Management of chronic abdominal distension and bloating.Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2021;19(2):219–231.e1. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2020.03.056National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Gas in the digestive tract.DailyMed.Label: Xifaxan-rifaximin tablet.Kamboj AK, Oxentenko AS.Workup and management of bloating.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;16:1030-1033. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2017.12.046
Government of Alberta.Medicines or vitamins that can cause gas, bloating, or burping.
Wilkinson JM, Cozine EW, Loftus CG.Gas, bloating, and belching: approach to evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99:301-309.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Facts about sugar and sugar substitutes.
Rao SSC, Brenner DM.Efficacy and safety of over-the-counter therapies for chronic constipation: an updated systematic review.Am J Gastroenterol. 2021;116:1156-1181. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001222
Chumpitazi BP, Kearns GL, Shulman RJ.Review article: the physiological effects and safety of peppermint oil and its efficacy in irritable bowel syndrome and other functional disorders.Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018;47:738-752. doi:10.1111/apt.14519
Patel NV.“Let food be thy medicine”: Diet and supplements in irritable bowel syndrome.Clin Exp Gastroenterol.2021;14:377-384. doi:10.2147/CEG.S321054
Lacy BE, Cangemi D, Vazquez-Roque M.Management of chronic abdominal distension and bloating.Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2021;19(2):219–231.e1. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2020.03.056
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Gas in the digestive tract.
DailyMed.Label: Xifaxan-rifaximin tablet.
Kamboj AK, Oxentenko AS.Workup and management of bloating.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;16:1030-1033. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2017.12.046
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