What Is Bloating What Does Feeling Bloated Mean
Why am I so bloated? Abdominal bloating or “feeling bloated” is a very frequent and familiar symptom most people have experienced at some time in their lives. There are many reasons you may feel bloated. Most causes are simple, harmless, and easily treatable with over-the-counter or home remedies. Very rarely, abdominal bloating is caused by something more serious, leading to a rapid worsening of uncomfortable symptoms.
The definition of “bloated” is swelling or distension, and it usually refers to abdominal bloating, which is a distended belly. Bloating may be accompanied by burping , gas , abdominal discomfort, and a feeling of fullness. People sometimes refer to abdominal bloating as a “bloated stomach” or “bloated belly.”
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Do I need a test to diagnose lactose intolerance?
- Why do certain foods cause my bloating when they never used to?
- What can I do if I have diabetesand my medicine or artificial sweeteners cause bloating?
- Could my bloating be a sign of something more serious?
- What kind of tests will I need?
- What kind of over-the-counter medicine can I try?
Wheres Your Abdominal Bloating And Pain
Pain in different areas of the abdomen can mean different things.
Abdominal pain can be anywhere between the chest and the pelvis. People often call it a stomachache. The pain can also be:
- cramp-like
- dull
- sharp
Causes of abdominal bloating and pain can vary from mild to severe. Most of the time, abdominal bloating and pain occur due to:
- overeating
- stress
- indigestion
This kind of bloating or pain is usually normal and will go away within two hours.
In cases of the stomach flu, you may feel intense pain or bloating that comes and goes before each episode of vomiting or diarrhea. Stomach viruses usually go away with rest and home care.
This guide lists the organs associated with different locations of abdominal bloating or pain:
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Warning Signs And Symptoms
Weight loss is one of the main warning signs for serious bloating. If you find yourself losing more than a few pounds without changing your diet or starting a new exercise regimen, that should be cause for concern, especially if its 10 percent or more of your body weight. Weight loss can be caused by tumors that press on the intestines, making you feel full after just a small amount of food, or from substances secreted by tumors that suppress your appetite.
Ascites is an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen or pelvis. It can cause bloating, weight gain, and a rapidly expanding waistline. Ascites is usually caused by liver disease, but cancer is the culprit about 10 percent of the time. A large amount of fluid can make you look and feel like youre several months pregnant. The combination of bloating and jaundice, which turns the eyes and skin yellow, can be a sign of cancer thats spread to the liver, although it can also occur with more benign forms of liver disease like hepatitis.
Blood in your stool, vaginal bleeding in between periods, or postmenopausal vaginal bleeding can all be associated with serious bloating. Fortunately, the most common causes of these symptoms arent the most serious, but bleeding should always be evaluated because it can be a sign of cancer, particularly colon or uterine cancer.
Causes And Treatment Of Abdominal Bloating And Pain
Common abdominal bloating might not cause serious effects, but its alarming in the cases where it causes severe pain. Mainly, upper abdominal bloating is caused by simple processes like indigestion or the buildup of too much gas in the stomach or bowels.
Bloating will not be an issue of concern in the following cases:
- Stomach bloating after eating
- If it doesnt worsen with time
- If bloating settles in less than two days
You can diagnose bloating by checking for a swollen or misshapen belly or immense stomach pain. Most victims of bloating describe it as a tight or full abdomen. Its constantly accompanied by pain, flatulence, constant belching, and abdominal gurgles. Abdominal pain can affect your working ability and the ability to engage in social activities.
Abdominal bloating is common both in children and adults.
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Treating Abdominal Bloating And Lower Abdominal Pain
Your doctor will first try to determine the reason for your symptoms by asking questions. They may want to know when you noticed the pain, what makes it worse, and whether you have experienced it before. A complete list of treatment options for the conditions that may cause abdominal bloating and pelvic pain are beyond the scope of this article, but some examples of treatments for certain conditions include the following:
- Your doctor may be able to treat an intestinal blockage with intravenous fluids, bowel rest, and a nasogastric tube, but sometimes surgery is necessary.
- A ruptured appendix requires surgery as treatment.
- Your doctor can give you antibiotics to treat bacterial gastroenteritis, colitis, or PID.
- At-home and over-the-counter medications can reduce these symptoms if theyre due to painful menstruation.
How Is Ibs Diagnosed
See your doctor if you think you may have IBS. Your doctor will ask you questions about your health, ask about your symptoms, and examine you. He or she may even perform a rectal exam. There are no tests that can show for sure that you have IBS.
Your doctor may also perform medical tests to rule out other diseases if you have red flag symptoms such as:
- Rectal bleeding
- Family history of , , or
Medical tests include a colonoscopy . The doctor looks inside the large intestine by inserting a scope with a tiny camera to spot inflamed tissue, abnormal growths, and ulcers. People over age 50 with IBS symptoms should also have a colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer, even if they don’t have any “red flag” symptoms.
A doctor may also perform a blood test to check for celiac disease if you have certain types of IBS. These types are IBS-D or IBS-M . A doctor may also check for celiac disease if you have bloating or pass a lot of gas.
Lactose intolerance may also be a concern for some people, and can be checked with a breath test.
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When To See A Doctor
When a bloated stomach and abdominal pain happen due to a serious issue, you are likely to experience a number of other severe symptoms, including uncontrolled diarrhea, blood in your stool or vomit, uncontrolled vomiting, loss of consciousness, and no bowel movements for up to three days.
It is also a good idea to consult your doctor if you experience abdominal pain and bloating after nearly every meal you eat, or with nausea, painful bowel movements, painful sex, unexplained weight loss, a high fever, and worsening heartburn.
If your doctor performs a physical exam, they may suspect a medical condition is the cause of your abdominal pain or bloating. Your doctor may then run certain medical tests based on the exam results and your medical history.
Some of the most common tests for bloating and abdominal pain include a urine test to check for UTIs or other urinary tract disorders stool analysis to check for abnormalities that can indicate a digestive problem a complete blood count to detect blood loss or rule out infections and an imaging test like an MRI scan, ultrasound, CT scan, a plain film X-ray, or fluoroscopic imaging.
Extreme Bloating And Yeast Overgrowth Significantly Degrades Quality Of Life
I know, because I have been there, done that and it is not fun or pretty it is miserable!
Many conventional physicians still do not understand the extensive repercussions yeast overgrowth infection has on our health, or are not aware of the existence of Candida Yeast Overgrowth and are clueless about how to treat it, so they treat the symptoms of your complaint or ailment without realizing it is stemming from an overgrowth of Candida yeast.
Candida overgrowth causes a wide variety of seemingly unrelated Candida symptoms, including chronic tiredness, vaginal yeast infection, penis infection, skin conditions, rosacea, brain fog, joint pain, extreme bloating, flu like symptoms that will not go away, sugar cravings and this list goes on including cancer misdiagnosis.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Abdominal Bloating
Abdominal pain and bloating are considered two different symptoms. That being said, you are likely to feel both at the same time. These symptoms refer to the ache or distention felt under the gastral cavity and above your pubic bone, also called the lower and upper abdominal regions.
Its important to note that a bloated stomach is not related to gaining fat mass around the stomach or water retention. It is mainly caused by air being temporarily stuck around the abdomen.
You may experience the following signs and symptoms alongside the gassiness, fullness, and stomach pain of abdominal bloating:Signs of an allergic reaction
- A fever
- Swollen, painful lymph nodes in your throat, armpits, or groin
How Long Does A Bloated Stomach Last
If your bloating is due to something you ate or drank or to hormone fluctuations, it should begin to ease within a few hours to days. If you are constipated, it wont go down until you start pooping. Water, exercise and herbal teas can help encourage all of these things along. If it doesnt go away or gets worse, seek medical attention.
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Organs On The Left Side Of The Abdomen
On the left side of your abdomen you can find some of the most important internal organs in your body:
Left lung The lower part of your left lung is located behind your heart and both of your lungs play a vital function in the respiratory system.
Spleen, pancreas, and part of the liver Although your liver is located under the right rib cage, part of it is located on the left side just under your heart. Below your heart under the left part of your rib cage are your liver, spleen, and pancreas. These organs, along with your liver, are an important part of your digestive system and help to break down food to extract nutrients and filter out waste products.
Left kidney Your left kidney is located towards your back and, just like the liver, helps to filter blood and keep you healthy.
Part of the stomach, intestines, and colon Part of your stomach, intestines, and colon are also located on the left side of your abdomen. The last part of your colon is located in the lower left side of the abdomen. If you have any digestive problems, the digestive-related pain might be felt on the left side.
Womens reproductive system Women also have part of their reproductive system on the left side of their body: part of the womb, left fallopian tube and the left ovary.
Organs on the Left Side of the Abdomen
Things To Tell Your Doctor:
- Is the symptom located in the upper or lower abdomen?Is it in a concentrated area?
- Is your bloating or distension associated with burping?
- Do you experience nausea or vomiting?
- Is the symptom associated with pain in your abdomen?Upper or lower?
- Does the bloating or distension relate to passing gas or a change in your bowel habits ?
- Are your symptoms related to food? Which ones?
- Do they occur right after eating?
- Do your symptoms increase during the day or improve during night hours?
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As A Previous Candida Sufferer I Can Definitely Sympathize With What You Are Going Through
Life Becomes non existent due to the painful pressure causing uncomfortable and excessive bloating in your stomach and this alone causes depression.
None of your clothes fit and you just can not get comfortable no matter what!
I was completely aware of my painful and severely bloated belly 24/7, and this went on for over 4 years.
I could not understand what was going on or how I could fix or stop this awful stomach bloating problem, so I started my research into what could be causing my bloated belly to be so extreme and painful, just like you are doing now, and I discovered something I had never heard of before Candida Yeast Overgrowth.
Through that research, I discovered the reason for my ridiculous, awful and severe bloating and how to fix it.
This is a permanent cure not just temporary relief!
And, it’s a simple holistic program for curing bloated bellies and getting rid of a Candida yeast infections once and for all, and it is 100% all natural. It completely eliminated my digestive problems and the distention of my stomach.
It is not an overnight cure because that is just not possible, no matter what you have read out there on the internet. I did start getting some relief from bloating the very first day. Healing or fixing problems that stem from deep within the systemic level takes time, you can start getting some relief from your symptoms pretty quick, but not overnight.
Possible Reasons For Bloating And Distension Include:
- Too much gas in the intestine
- Abnormal levels of bacteria in the small intestine
- Imbalance of microorganisms that usually live in the bowel sometimes the result of taking antibiotics
- Food intolerance
- Increased perception and sensitivity to what is happening in the digestive tract
- Increased curvature of the lumbar region of the spine , which decreases the capacity of the abdomen to hold gas
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Causes Of Bloating And Abdominal Pain
In some cases, abdominal pain and bloating are not a cause for concern and can often be relieved with simple dietary and lifestyle changes. Other times, abdominal bloating can be a sign of something more serious, and therefore further action is needed to treat the root of the problem.
Bloating is often a problem with digestion, and many things can affect gut health and the bodys ability to properly metabolize food and eliminate waste.
Gas is thought to be the most common cause of bloating, especially after eating a meal or drinking too fast. Gas builds up in the GI tract when you swallow air or when undigested food gets broken down.
Excessive gas is due to inadequate protein digestion, imbalances in gut bacteria, and the inability to fully break down carbohydrates and sugar.
This section will detail 32 potential causes of abdominal bloating and pain, which are often related to digestive disorders, food sensitivities, parasitic infections, bowel obstruction, hormonal changes like pregnancy, and a number of cancers like stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, or non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Lets get started.
How Common Is Stomach Bloating
Between 10% and 25% of otherwise healthy people complain of occasional abdominal bloating. As many as 75% describe their symptoms as moderate to severe. About 10% say they experience it regularly. Among those diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome , it may be as much as 90%. Up to 75% of women experience bloating before and during their period. Only 50% of people who experience bloating also report a distended abdomen.
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How To Get Rid Of A Severely Bloated Belly
Extreme Bloating of your belly, are you fed up with it? How to get rid of a severely bloated abdomen. Stop painful stomach bloating and never have to deal with a swollen, distended or bloated belly again!
How to fix and get rid of an extremely bloated stomach at the root cause not just temporary relief. Find out what causes a severely bloated stomach even if you eat healthy.
Looking at my picture you would think that I’m pregnant, because I was so ridiculously bloated, but I was a far cry from being pregnant!
I dont know how many of you out there have had to deal with a severe bloated belly like this, but anyone who has knows that it is one of the most uncomfortable and depressing situation to be in.
Super Bloated, Not Pregnant!!
This extreme bloating is what I lived with for far too long!
Do you bloat up excessively and painfully no matter what you eat and even when you do not eat? And, your belly bloating up from what you drink!
Has your swollen belly become so severe that it is causing pain all around your torso including back pain and pain when you breathe?
That was me too, but not anymore! I do not have to deal with any stomach bloating, not slight bloating or severe bloating absolutely no bloating at all.
This Holistic Candida Cure Program Gave Me My Life Back In Shorter Time Than I Thought Possible
I started getting relief from the awful bloating pressure within the first day, and from then on it just kept getting better as my bloated belly reduced.
Candida overgrowth is a yeast infection in the gut and can move to other parts of the body, including the brain, hence brain fog. It can cause extreme bloating, difficulty breathing, acid reflux, back pain, joint pain, side aches, skin disorders, and a multitude of other symptoms that can be and are life changing for many people.
Your Excessively Bloated Stomach May Be Caused By
A Candida Yeast Overgrowth Infection, Just Like Mine Was.
You can find out if yeast overgrowth is the culprit causing your illness, pain, extreme bloating or skin conditions. At the end of this article there is a link to Candida overgrowth testing, it is simple, free and you do it yourself at home.
It just amazes me how candida overgrowth is everywhere causing a multitude of different symptoms, and most people are not even aware or never heard of Candida Yeast Overgrowth Infection.
The good news is, there is a cure and this holistic approach for curing a Candida yeast infection ishelping thousands of people get rid of their extreme bloating and many other poor health symptoms related to a yeast overgrowth. And theyre doing it without drugs, creams or lotions!
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