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.
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When To Seek Medical Help
Seek immediate medical help if an inability to pass gas and uncontrolled vomiting accompany your symptoms. These symptoms could indicate that a serious condition is causing your symptoms. You should also seek emergency treatment if you have any of the following symptoms associated with abdominal bloating or pelvic pain:
- passing dark maroon, or bloody stool
- abnormal vaginal discharge
- a sudden worsening of pain, especially if it improves by lying completely still
If you have milder symptoms, make an appointment to see your doctor if they dont resolve within one to two days or are affecting your daily life.
If you dont already have a gastroenterologist, the Healthline FindCare tool can help you find a physician in your area.
This information is a summary. Always seek medical attention if youre concerned that you may be experiencing a medical emergency.
Causes Of Gas And Bloating And Gas Pain
Gas and bloating are uncomfortable digestive symptoms that everyone experiences from time to time. A little bit of gas is healthy, and occasional bloating is not much to be concerned about. However, excessive gas or frequent bloating could be signs of more serious digestive issues. In this article, well talk about the significant causes of gas and bloating and how to prevent and treat these digestive issues.
Intestinal gas is a mix of odorless vapors, including:
Gas in the stomach is mainly caused by swallowing air when you eat or drink. Gas also forms in your large intestine when the bacteria ferment the carbohydrates that arent digested in your small intestine. Gas is a normal part of the digestive process. It is normal and natural to expel gas by either burping or passing gas. If gas is trapped in the digestive system, however, it could cause bloating or pain. Excess gas may also be due to a digestive issuesomething mild like eating a heavy meal or something more severe like a digestive disease.
Bloating is a side effect of gas in the digestive system. It occurs in the abdomen when the gastrointestinal tract is filled with air or gas. As a result, a bloated stomach feels tight, full, uncomfortable, and often even painful.
While bloating is usually caused by excess gas in the system, it can also be due to certain medical conditions.
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Treatment For Stomach Bloating And Lower Back Pain
How you treat your stomach bloating and lower back pain depends on the potential causes or underlying condition. Intense and/or persistent bloating and pain should be treated by a healthcare professional.
In addition to any condition-specific treatment recommended by your healthcare team, you may find relief through home remedies such as:
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Over the counter pain relievers
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Dietary changes
If your symptoms come on suddenly, or last for an extended period of time, and you cant identify the cause, see your doctor.
When To Seek Immediate Medical Help
Severe abdominal pain is a greater cause for concern. If it starts suddenly and unexpectedly, and persists, it should be regarded as a medical emergency, especially if the pain is concentrated in a particular area.
or go to your nearest hospital emergency department if this is the case.
If you feel pain in the area around your ribs, see the section on chest pain.
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Symptoms Of Acid Reflux
02-14-20 Esophageal Issues
Most people have experienced the symptoms of heartburn at one time or another. Perhaps you ate too much just before bed and awoke to a burning sensation in your chest. You may have even had some regurgitation of stomach acid into your throat and mouth. While unpleasant, these symptoms are easily treated with antacids or home remedies for most. Its only an occasional occurrence and is given little thought after the discomfort passes. However, for sufferers of acid reflux disease, these symptoms and others can become a regular occurrence.
When heartburn becomes more persistent, occurring two or more times a week, or if it is resistant to medications, its time to see a specialist. Additionally, there are several other symptoms that may suggest acid reflux disease, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease . While these symptoms may not be as disruptive as heartburn, they also point to this chronic digestive disorder and should be addressed.
What Is Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment And Prevention
Ovarian cancer refers to the out-of-control growth of cells in the ovaries, two glands that are essential for sexual reproduction and womens health. Ovarian cancer affects an estimated 1 in 78 women in the United States.
In the female anatomy, there is one ovary to the left side of the uterus and one to the right that produce eggs as well as the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone.
If a woman is fertile, her ovaries release eggs into the fallopian tubes, which serve as passageways to the uterus.
Recent research, including a study published in October 2017 in the journal Nature Communications, has suggested that for many women, ovarian cancer originates in the fallopian tubes. This important finding may point the way to new strategies for prevention, early detection, and treatment.
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Abdominal Bloating And Pain Treatments
Treatments for abdominal bloating and pain will address the underlying condition.
Examples may include antibiotics for infections. If an intestinal obstruction is the cause, your doctor may encourage bowel rest by decreasing oral intake.
If theres a deficiency moving contents within the GI tract, your doctor may prescribe medications to encourage intestinal movement. Surgery may be necessary in severe instances.
Stomach Cramps With Bloating
Stomach cramps with bloating are often caused by trapped wind, or constipation. This is a very common problem that can be embarrassing, but is easily dealt with. Your pharmacist will be able to recommend a product, which can be bought over the counter to treat the problem. If problems persist, you should see your GP.
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How Are Abdominal Bloating And Nausea Treated
Abdominal bloating and nausea related to foods you eat will typically resolve after your body has had time to digest whatever has upset your stomach. Common food intolerances include lactose and gluten. Avoid eating any foods that you determine are causing abdominal bloating and nausea.
Your doctor may prescribe medication if you have underlying conditions such as acid reflux or constipation. More serious disorders, such as congestive heart failure or dumping syndrome, may require prolonged treatments.
How To Get Rid Of Gas
Often, your gas is caused by what you eat. Food is digested primarily in your small intestine. What is left undigested is fermented in your colon with bacteria, fungi, and yeast, as part of digestion. This process produces methane and hydrogen, which are expelled as flatus.
For many people, changing dietary habits is enough to alleviate gas and its accompanying symptoms. One way to determine which foods are giving you gas is by keeping a food diary. Common culprits include:
- foods with high fat content
- fried or spicy food
- cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli
- prunes or prune juice
- foods containing lactose, such as milk, cheese, and other dairy products
- fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols molecules found in a wide range of foods, such as garlic and onion, that may be hard to digest
- over-the-counter fiber drinks and supplements
Once you figure out what food is causing the gas, you can modify your diet to avoid the culprit.
If changing your diet doesnt completely do the trick, you have several options to try.
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Middle Of The Abdomen
Upper middle:
The upper middle part of the abdomen contains the liver, the cardiac region of the stomach, part of the body of the stomach, the pyloric region of the stomach, and the pancreas.
The liver filters blood and creates bile, which is a substance that helps in the breakdown and absorption of fat in the foods you eat.
The cardiac region of the stomach is where food enters from the esophagus.
The pyloric region of the stomach is the last part of the stomach before food enters into the duodenum of the small intestine.
The pancreas is a large glandular organ that releases digestive enzymes and hormones.
Lower middle:
The urinary bladder is the organ that collects urine for excretion out of the body through the urethra.
Lime Or Lemon Juice Baking Soda And Water
Some studies suggest that mixing lime or lemon juice in water with a pinch of baking soda can help to relieve a variety of digestive complaints.
This mixture produces carbonic acid, which may help to reduce gas and indigestion. It may also improve liver secretion and intestinal mobility. The acidity and other nutrients in lime or lemon juice can help to digest and absorb fats and alcohol while neutralizing bile acids and reducing acidity in the stomach.
Most traditional recipes recommend mixing the following quantities:
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 8 oz of clean water
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Easy Ways To Live Well: Steph Mcgovern Discusses Bloating
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Stomach bloating may cause the belly to look puffy, swollen or even hard. A person may feel like they need to pass wind or go to the toilet more often than usual. Often, it can be related to eating certain foods, being under stressful times or occasionally it could signal cancer.
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How Can I Prevent Stomach Bloating
If your stomach bloating is caused by diet or alcohol, you can help prevent it by making some lifestyle changes. Some good general guidelines include:
If the cause of your bloated stomach is something more specific, such as specific food intolerance, perimenopause or a medical condition, you might need a little help with diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Some options include:
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What Is A Bloated Stomach
A bloated stomach is first and foremost a feeling of tightness, pressure or fullness in your belly. It may or may not be accompanied by a visibly distended abdomen. The feeling can range from mildly uncomfortable to intensely painful. It usually goes away after a while, but for some people, its a recurring problem. Digestive issues and hormone fluctuations can cause cyclical bloating. If your bloated stomach doesnt go away, you should seek medical care to determine the cause.
Medications And Other Therapies
Some medications and other treatments have been found to help ease the symptoms of bloating and distension. Your doctor may talk to you about some of these options, depending on your symptoms and other health related considerations.
Antispasmodics: These can relax the muscles of the bowel and provide relief. Examples include dicyclomine and hyoscyamine in the United States and otilonium bromide or pinaverium bromide available in Latin America and some countries in Europe and Asia and a combination of pinaverium bromide with simethicone in some Latin America countries.
Probiotics: These dietary supplements contain live bacteria that help balance out the existing bacteria of the intestines. Some that include a relatively low level of probiotic bacteria are available over the counter or in yogurt varieties. Other options include Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 for individuals with irritable bowel syndrome in general, and Bifidobacterium animalis DN-0173 10 for patients with IBS with constipation .
Rifaximin: This antibiotic is only slightly absorbed and can be used for short periods of time. Usually it is used to lessen bloating in people with IBS whose symptoms do not include constipation, or in those with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
Other options: Medications that increase fluid content in stools, lubiprostone or linaclotide for example, may also be used.
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You Feel A Really Sharp Pain In Your Ribs
Hiatal herniasa condition where your stomach bulges into your esophaguscan cause recurrent burping, says Kavanagh. On its own, a hiatal hernia isnt an emergency, but it can be very uncomfortable.
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Theres also risk the hernia will become strangulatedwhen the hernia cuts off blood supply to the rest of the abdomen, according to Harvard Health Publishing. A strangulated hiatal hernia requires emergency surgery, and can be fatal if left untreated.
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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Urgent Advice: Speak To Your Gp As Soon As Possible If:
- you have severe abdominal pain, especially if it’s concentrated in one area
- the pain starts suddenly or unexpectedly
If your GP is closed, phone 111.
Serious causes of sudden severe abdominal pain include:
- appendicitis the swelling of the appendix means your appendix will need to be removed
- a bleeding or perforated stomach ulcer
- acute cholecystitis inflammation of the gallbladder, which may need to be removed
- kidney stones small stones may be passed out in your urine, but larger stones may block the kidney tubes, and you’ll need to go to hospital to have them broken up
- diverticulitis inflammation of the small pouches in the bowel that sometimes requires treatment with antibiotics in hospital
If your GP suspects you have one of these conditions, they may refer you to hospital immediately.
Sudden and severe pain in your abdomen can also sometimes be caused by an infection of the stomach and bowel . It may also be caused by a pulled muscle in your abdomen or by an injury.
Diet Eating Habits And Food Intolerances
Overeating can cause you to feel bloated, and some foods are much more likely to do this than others. Eating too much can cause bloating or expansion of the stomach. Swallowing air from eating too quickly or from chewing gum can also cause bloating.
Several types of foods can cause some people to have excessive gas. Fatty foods and a variety of healthy foods such as cruciferous vegetables , beans, some fruits , dairy products, alcohol, and carbonated beverages.
Abdominal bloating is a hallmark symptom of gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, and celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder where gluten triggers an immune response that affects the small intestines.
For some people, gaining weight can lead to bloating and a sense that the stomach is always “full” or swollen. Often, weight gain causes previously comfortable clothes to feel tight on the abdomen. Being overweight or obese is also a risk factor for heartburn.
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What Causes Stomach Bloating And Lower Back Pain
Stomach bloating and lower back pain can make everyday life difficult. If you experience these two symptoms at the same time, you might feel concerned. For most people, stomach bloating and lower back pain often go away on their own. It just takes a little time and self-care.
However, there are some rare conditions with these symptoms that are serious and require medical attention. Learn more about what conditions cause stomach bloating and lower back pain, how to find relief, and when to see a doctor.
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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:
Causes of abdominal bloating and pain can vary from mild to severe. Most of the time, abdominal bloating and pain occur due to:
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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