Why Is My Stomach So Bloated I Look Pregnant
Bloating is a common early pregnancy sign . In some cases, bloating can occur even before the first missed period. During early pregnancy, the hormone progesterone increases to prepare the uterus. Progesterone also slows digestion, which can trap the gas in the intestines that may cause abdominal bloating.
What Foods Cause Bloating
It is reported that there are some foods which are known to produce more gas than others. Foods that can cause bloating are:
It is important to note that as individuals our reactions to foods and drinks we consume varies a great deal. An ingredient which may cause problems for one person could be completely acceptable for another. At yorktest, we like to refer to this as our personal food fingerprint.
Did you know that a food intolerance test can help to eliminate the guesswork on finding what foods you are reacting to in your current diet? Our simple home test analyses your reactions to the foods outlined above, as well as 203 other food and drink ingredients, such as cows milk, gluten, cauliflower and apples.
Stages Of Heart Failure
There are four classes of heart failure, depending on how severe symptoms are.
For class one, you dont have any symptoms during normal physical activity.
For class two, youre comfortable at rest, but normal physical activity triggers symptoms.
For class three, youre comfortable at rest, but minor physical activity triggers symptoms.
For class four, youre unable to carry out any physical activity without discomfort and may have symptoms even when resting.
If youre diagnosed with heart failure, treatment aims to help control symptoms.
This is because the condition cant be cured only the progression can be slowed down.
Most commonly, lifestyle changes are recommended by the NHS to encourage a healthy way of living.
This includes eating a healthy, varied diet, exercising regularly, and not smoking.
People are likely to be prescribed medications, and surgery could be an option for a heart transplant.
These lifelong measures and any new symptoms should be discussed with your GP.
Turning to your GP in times of need can help both of you to keep track of your health.
This is why its important to note down any symptoms you experience so that you can tell your GP about your experience.
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Does Drinking Water Help Bloating
While it may seem counterintuitive, drinking water may help to reduce bloat by ridding the body of excess sodium, Fullenweider says. Another tip: Be sure to drink plenty of water before your meal too. This step offers the same bloat-minimizing effect and can also prevent overeating, according to the Mayo Clinic.
What Exactly Does It Mean To Feel Bloated
A common misconception about bloating is that its always the result of eating too big a meal. To doctors, it usually means an excess of gas in the gastrointestinal region, causing abdominal discomfort and distension.
Causes can range from an imbalance of bacteria, to eating too much fiber, to not eating enough. When you take antibiotics, the bacteria responsible for breaking down complex carbohydrates may fail and produce gas. The most common causes of bloating, however, are swallowing too much air and eating too fast.
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Does Drinking Water Help With Bloating
While it may seem counterintuitive, drinking water may help to reduce bloat by ridding the body of excess sodium, Fullenweider says. Another tip: Be sure to drink plenty of water before your meal too. This step offers the same bloat-minimizing effect and can also prevent overeating, according to the Mayo Clinic.
How Is Bloating Treated
Bloating will usually go away by itself if you adjust your diet for a while. Cut down on salty foods, carbohydrates and fizzy drinks. For some people, it can help to avoid foods that contain onion or garlic, wheat, rye, lactose products or stone fruit.
Bloating caused by constipation can be treated by eating more high-fibre foods, increasing the amount of water that you drink, and exercising regularly. Some people may need laxatives to treat constipation.
If you have a medical condition such as coeliac disease, you will need to follow a strict diet to prevent bloating and other symptoms. If you have IBS, following a high-fibre diet and the low FODMAP diet may help. This involves cutting out some dairy products, wheat and other grains, and some fruits and vegetables. Talk to a health professional such as your doctor or a dietitian before starting this diet to make sure it is right for you.
If you have a food intolerance, you may need to try an elimination diet to find out which food or foods are causing your problems. Your doctor or dietitian will advise you.
Some people find that probiotics containing lactobacillus and bifidobacterium can help with bloating by reducing the production of gas in the gut.
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Why Does My Left Side Feel Bloated After Eating
Bloating occurs in the abdominal area. It happens when large amounts of air or gas build up in the gastrointestinal tract. Eating is a common cause of bloating because when the body digests food, it produces gas. People also swallow air when eating or drinking, which then enters the gastrointestinal tract.
Excess Gas Can Build Up
Gas is a normal part of digestion, but if it builds up in your intestines, it may cause bloating and pain. Gas happens when food that is not digested is broken down in your colon. This process produces methane and hydrogen, which you pass naturally as gas.
If you do experience bloating due to gas, modifying your food intake may help. Here are some common drinks and foods that can cause bloating:
- Foods high in fiber or fat
- Fried and spicy dishes
- Carbonated drinks, such as soda or beer
- Lactose found in milk, cheese and yogurts
Over-the-counter supplements can even trigger bloating.
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You Have A Gut Disorder
Functional gastrointestinal disorders happen when the GI tract doesnt appear to have anything wrong with it, but you’re still experiencing uncomfortable symptoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It’s a situation that’s actually very common in the United States, Dr. Eugenio says.
For example, 25 to 45 million people in the U.S. have IBS, which affects the colon, reports the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Diseases. And functional dyspepsia, which affects the stomach and is otherwise known as indigestion, affects nearly 32% of the population, according to a 2004 study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.
Bloating is common with both of these disorders, although youll usually experience other symptoms alongside it, Dr. Eugenio says. Upper stomach pain or feelings of fullness paired with bloating may be indicative of dyspepsia, for example, whereas lower abdomen cramping and a change in bowel habits could point to IBS. Both are worth speaking to your doctor about, and treatment can include diet changes, psychosocial therapies, and other lifestyle changes, reports the Cleveland Clinic. Of course, your doctor will want to rule out other potential causes first, like colon cancer, pancreas disorders, or liver disease, so it’s important to open up about any and all symptoms you’re experiencing.
What Is The Treatment For Ibs
There is no cure for IBS, but there are things you can do to feel better. Treatment may include:
- Changing your diet
Your doctor may give you medicine to help with symptoms:
- Fiber supplements such as psyllium to help control constipation.
- Anti-diarrheal medications, such as loperamide , to help control diarrhea.
- Antispasmodic agents such as peppermint oil or dicyclomine to slow contractions in the bowel, which may help with diarrhea and pain.
- Antidepressant medications such as a tricylcic antidepressant or a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor if symptoms include pain or depression.
- IBS medication. A medication known as Lubiprostone is approved by the FDA for women with severe IBS-C .
Take your medicine exactly as your doctor tells you to. All drugs have side effects and may affect people differently. Tell your doctor about any over-the-counter medicines you take.
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Other Causes Of Abdominal Bloating And Shortness Of Breath
Abdominal bloating has many causes. It is more common in people who experience functional gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome or gastroparesis. Bloating can be due to the buildup of gas, fluids, or food in the stomach.
Overeating or eating foods known to contribute to bloating and gas, such as cabbage, beans, and lentils, may cause bloating.
Abdominal bloating can affect the diaphragm, a muscular partition between the chest and abdomen. The diaphragm assists in breathing, which means bloating can lead to shortness of breath. This happens if the pressure in the abdomen is enough to restrict the movement of the diaphragm.
Being short of breath can cause you to take small, short breaths. This can lead to swallowing air, which is known as aerophagia. Difficulty breathing can be brought on by anxiety or panic attacks, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , pneumonia, and asthma attacks.
There are conditions that can result in both abdominal bloating and shortness of breath.
Any condition that leads to the buildup of air or foodstuffs could cause both bloating and shortness of breath. Also, stool inside the intestines, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, lactose intolerance, constipation, ileus, bowel obstruction, and gastroparesis could cause bloating and shortness of breath.
If bloating or shortness of breath is severe, seek immediate medical treatment.
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.
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Is It Normal To Feel Bloated And Gassy After Eating
Gas from our gut bugs is normal and a sign that we are giving them the foods they need to thrive. We are all different and have unique gut microbes and diets, so some people will produce more gas than others.
Episodes of gassiness and bloating are often due to specific foods or particularly large meals triggering lots of microbial activity and, in turn, lots of gas.
Some people can be more sensitive to the feeling of gas pushing against the walls of the gut , causing pain and discomfort, even if their microbes arenât producing an unusually large amount of gas.
Excess gas and bloating can sometimes be caused by food intolerances, including lactose intolerance and celiac disease, or certain conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or small intestine bacterial overgrowth .
Rarely, bloating and gut pain can be a symptom of something more serious, including some types of cancer.
If you experience persistent bloating or pains that cannot be explained by a change in your diet or circumstances , you should speak to your physician.
Food Sensitivity Intolerance And Allergy
Food sensitives occur when your body isn’t able to process certain substance. When you eat foods containing that substance, it triggers an immune reaction that produces symptoms but is not life-threatening .
Common substances that can trigger food sensitivities and intolerances are:
- Gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains, for reasons that are yet unknown
- Lactose, a sugar in dairy products, in people who lack the enzyme needed to digest it
Food allergies can range from mild to life-threatening. A substance in food you’re allergic to triggers an immune-system response that leads to symptoms, including bloating.
Common food allergies include:
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Always Bloated At Night Here’s What Your Body Is Trying To Tell You
Is there anything worse than making it to the end of a long day and, just as you’re ready to relax, you realize you feel uncomfortably bloated?
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There are plenty of reasons you might feel bloated. But first, it’s helpful to understand exactly what bloating is: trapped air in your gastrointestinal system.
“Your GI system is like a long muscular tube with many valves and sphincters along its tract that keep foods moving in the right direction ,” Roger E. Adams, PhD, personal trainer and doctor of nutrition, tells LIVESTRONG.com. “Sometimes, if we swallow air â like gulping foods or liquids quickly, or drinking carbonated beverages â it can get trapped between these valves and sphincters and cause bloating, which can manifest as abdominal distention, pain, pressure and even heartburn.”
Sometimes bloating isn’t caused by air we take in, but rather from gases produced by the stomach during the digestive process, says Scott David Lippe, MD, chief of gastroenterology at Bergen Regional Medical Center in Paramus, New Jersey and assistant clinical professor of medicine at Rutgers Medical School.
“Some people have an imbalance of bacteria in their bodies, which can result in some food and sugars feeding the bacteria and creating even more gassiness,” he says.
The good news is that there are numerous lifestyle changes you can make to reduce nighttime bloating â and even prevent it from happening in the first place.
Having A Food Intolerance
Typically, if someone is feels bloated, it is because of their food or water intake, but even if you havent eaten too much, you may have eaten the wrong thing. Certain food intolerances or sensitives to spicy or acidic foods can cause the gastrointestinal tract to have a more difficult time than usual.
An undiagnosed intolerance to foods can cause a lot of bloating, Hoffman said. The body is trying to break down the foods for the body to use, and a lot of gas can be the result of that work.
If you experience a lot of bloating, try keeping a food journal to track what you eat, when you notice bloating and the amount of discomfort you experience.
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How Do You Fix A Distended Abdomen
If your distended abdomen has an organic cause, the treatment will be very specific to that cause. It might mean managing a disease, infection, growth, obstruction, or injury. An acute case will resolve when the underlying cause has been treated. A chronic case may be treated supplementally with diuretics , laxatives or activated charcoal capsules .
If you have functional abdominal distension and the cause is unknown, it might take some trial and error to manage it. Your healthcare provider may recommend a hydrogen breath test to help determine the cause of excess intestinal gas. They might also recommend you try dietary changes, probiotics or enzymes to improve digestive processes. If they suspect muscle weakness as a cause, they might suggest abdominal or pelvic floor exercises.
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When To See A Doctor
Medical attention may be necessary if bloating persists. Certain signs can help diagnose the need for a doctor. These include:
- Worsening symptoms of heartburn
- Unexplained weight loss
If any one or more of the above symptoms are present, seek medical attention immediately. With proper medications, the symptoms can be alleviated, even if some causes of bloated stomachs may be incurable.
How To Relieve Bloating After Eating
The best way to relieve bloating is to prevent its occurrence. As dietary triggers are often the cause of bloating, knowing which triggers you are most sensitive to is vital to avoid bloating. Keeping an eye on your intake of fiber, salt, and carbonated beverages can also play a big part in preventing stomach bloating. Also, make sure you are not consuming a high-fat diet, as fatty foods are a major culprit in stomach bloating after eating. There also may be a difference between trans fats, saturated fats, and unsaturated fats for your digestion as well, so try and keep track of which ones make you feel the worst.
Although it is a dairy product, eating yogurt can help to fill your stomach with healthy bacteria in the form of probiotics, which boost digestion and gut health. When eating, try not to drink too many liquids. Beverages dilute stomach acids and cause the digestion process to become prolonged. Wait until after eating to finish your drink. Finally, take your time and eat slowly while sitting up straight. Allowing your digestive tract time to begin the digestive process will help to decrease the risk of bloating after eating.
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When To Make An Appointment To See Your Doctor
Schedule an appointment to see your doctor if:
- Your stomach pain doesnt go away within a couple of days.
- The pain comes back after going away.
- Symptoms like diarrhea dont go away within a couple of days.
- Youre urinating more or less often, and/or its painful.
- You have unintended weight loss.
Know your body, Dr. Kingsley says. If you start having pain that you have not had before and does not go away, you should contact your doctor to be evaluated further.
Bottom line: Trust your gut! Contact your doctor if youre concerned about lingering or unusual stomach pain.
National Health Service, Stomach Ache
National Health Service Inform, Stomach Ache and Abdominal Pain
U.S. National Library of Medicine, Abdominal Pain