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Bloating is an uncomfortable feeling that makes your abdomen feel abnormally full. When you feel bloated, you often experience stomach discomfort, flatulence, nausea, and loss of appetite. In the general population, the prevalence of occasional bloating is between 11% and 30%. Even with its wide prevalence, we often do not mention it to our healthcare providers. However, this is not a serious medical condition to worry about and can be managed with an appropriate diet or simple measures. This blog post will discuss what causes bloating in the stomach and how to get rid of bloating using natural remedies.
What Is Bloating?
Bloating typically develops when air gets trapped in the colon or small bowel, leading to the sensation of fullness. You may feel tightness and pressure in your belly, or your abdomen might protrude. If you experience persistent bloating, it can interfere with your everyday life.
What Causes Bloating?
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Overeating: Indulging in excessive eating can stretch your stomach and make you feel full. Eating fast can also cause bloating as you tend to swallow extra air.
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Excessive Gas in the Digestive Tract: Gas produced from digesting specific foods or an imbalance in gut bacteria can lead to bloating. Additionally, gastrointestinal conditions like coeliac disease, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, and irritable bowel syndrome can lead to bloating.
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Food Intolerances: Individuals with lactose or gluten intolerance cannot break down those foods before they get to the colon. Once it reaches the colon, gas bubbles form, which reach the stomach.
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Certain Foods: Vegetables like cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli contain carbohydrates called raffinose, which may be harder for your digestive system to break down, releasing gas.
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Ageing: With age, the digestive system slows down, causing gas to build up in the GI tract and triggering bloating.
If you experience frequent bloating, stomach pain, unexplained weight loss, or bloody stools, it is important to consult an expert gastroenterologist to rule out serious conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer.
How to Stop Bloating?
Bloating can be prevented or reduced by following these strategies:
Lifestyle changes
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Eat slowly and consume small, frequent meals while chewing the food properly.
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Drink beverages at room temperature.
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Physical activity for 10 to 15 minutes a day promotes bowel movement and helps release excessive gas.
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Placing a heating pad near your belly can relax your gut muscles, relieving discomfort and swelling associated with bloating.
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Sit up or stroll after eating.
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Stay hydrated to prevent constipation.
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Avoid salty and fatty foods, as the digestive system cannot break down these foods, leading to gas formation.
Home remedies to reduce bloating
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Herbal Tea: Chamomile tea helps relax muscles in the gut; ginger tea prompts the stomach to empty faster; peppermint tea eases the symptoms of gas and bloating.
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Anise: The herb helps reduce bloating in individuals with IBS and dyspepsia.
More Reads: 10 Best Home Remedies for Indigestion
Bloating Treatment
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Pepto-Bismol: This OTC medication helps relieve gastrointestinal symptoms after eating, which may also improve bloating.
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Activated Charcoal: It helps reduce abdominal pain and bloating.
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Simethicone: It helps join the smaller gas bubbles into a larger one, which makes it easier for the intestine to push the gas out of the body.
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Lactase Enzyme: It is a digestive enzyme that assists lactose-intolerant people in breaking down and digesting lactose, reducing the generation of gas and bloating.
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Beano: An over-the-counter product that helps break down difficult-to-digest carbohydrates found in vegetables.
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Magnesium Supplements: They help balance stomach acids and relax intestinal muscles. Therefore, preventing constipation and relieving bloating.
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Antacids: Reduce inflammation within the digestive tract and allow the easy passage of gas.
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Laxatives: These medications help avoid constipation, which may potentially prevent bloating.
Probiotics
Imbalances in the gut microbiome can cause the gut's unfavourable bacteria to release excess gas. By taking probiotics, you can reset your microbiome by favouring good bacteria and easing bloating.
Dietary changes
Complex carbohydrates that are not completely digested are broken down by the gut bacteria, causing bloating. If you have constant bloating, you can opt for a low-FODMAP diet with fruits (kiwi, bananas, grapes, and citrus fruits), vegetables (lettuce, kale, celery, and potatoes), chickpeas, whole grains (rice, quinoa, and corn), nuts (almonds, walnuts, and peanuts), and protein sources (eggs, tofu, poultry, and seafood). Also, take adequate amounts of fibre to prevent constipation.
More Reads: Dietary Changes for Digestive Health: Foods to Include and Avoid
Prescription medications
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Antispasmodics: The medication helps stop muscle contraction, which could trigger bloating in some digestive conditions.
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Antibiotics: Rifamixin, an antibiotic, can significantly improve symptoms of bloating in individuals with inflammatory bowel syndrome.
Conclusion
Understanding what causes bloating is crucial, as the duration depends on the underlying cause, and identifying it is key to knowing how to reduce bloating instantly. Most of the time, bloating is caused by minor issues, and you can get rid of bloating with lifestyle changes, OTC treatment, or natural remedies. If you are chronically bloated, it could be a sign of an underlying issue. Seek care from our healthcare experts at the gastro department in Manipal Hospitals, Patiala, if you often feel bloated.
FAQ's
The foods that are more likely to cause bloating are:
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Carbohydrates
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Fibre
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Sugars
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Beans
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Fatty foods
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Carbonated drinks
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Inulin
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Lactose
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Fructose and sucrose
Antacids and anti-gas medications (containing simethicone) help relieve inflammation in the digestive tract and allow gas to easily pass through, providing instant bloating relief.
You may gain a pound of weight (0.4 kg) when bloated and not passing stools; however, the weight reduces when the bloating subsides.
Gas production is a normal part of digestion, which happens when the bacteria in the gut break down food. However, when bacteria release excessive gas due to consuming specific food, intolerances, or medical conditions, the gas or stool is trapped within the digestive system, leading to pain or discomfort.
You can schedule an appointment at Manipal Hospitals, Patiala, by contacting us or visiting our website.
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