What to Know About Bloating
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Medically reviewed by Soma Mandal, MD
Bloating is a feeling of fullness and discomfort in the abdomen. This part of the body can also become “distended,” which means it’s swollen. A wide range of factors can cause bloating, including overeating, eating certain foods, constipation, swallowing air, or health conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Bloating is estimated to affect between 16 to 31% of people and usually isn’t a sign of anything serious. However, if the issue becomes chronic, it can significantly impact your quality of life. Additionally, bloating accompanied by some other symptoms may indicate the need for medical attention. Luckily, there are several ways you can manage bloating.
Symptoms
Bloating is more of a symptom than a health condition or disease in itself. The primary signs of bloating are subjective, meaning they’re experienced but can’t be measured by your healthcare provider. In most cases, the symptoms are temporary and resolve on their own.
Typical signs of bloating include:
A feeling of fullness or tightness in the abdomen
Discomfort in the upper abdomen, just below the rib-cage
Belching or flatulence (farting)
Distention, or swelling or expansion of the abdomen
If your bloating is chronic, it can also seriously impact your quality of life. Discomfort caused by bloating can inhibit you from completing your daily tasks.
Causes
Bloating can be caused by a variety of behaviors and conditions. It is generally agreed that bloating occurs when your intestines struggle to handle the gas produced during digestion, although more research is needed. Bloating can be triggered by your diet, food intolerances or allergies, and certain health conditions.
Dietary Factors
Many cases of bloating are directly associated with what you eat and drink. Common causes of bloating include:
Consuming foods or medications high in lactulose or sorbitol, which are sugar substitutes
Swallowing air, especially while eating
Eating too much in one sitting
Eating high-fiber foods
Drinking alcohol
Allergies and Food Intolerances
Bloating can occur due to food sensitivities, intolerances, or allergies:
Having a food intolerance means that your body is unable to properly digest a certain food or type of food. Common food intolerances include lactose (found in milk), fructose (natural sugars that occur in foods like fruit), carbohydrates, and gluten (found in wheat and grains, among other foods).
Food allergies can be life-threatening. They occur when your body has an overactive immune response, often causing difficulty breathing and low blood pressure. Common food allergies include peanuts, tea nuts shellfish, milk, and eggs, among others.
Food sensitivities occur when your body has a negative response to a food that cannot be contributed to intolerance or allergy. Many people experience food sensitivities, which can trigger a range of symptoms such as rashes, stomach pain, fatigue, and bloating.
Related: Best and Worst Foods for Bloating
Health Conditions
In addition, a great deal of medical and health conditions can cause bloating, including:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which causes chronic heartburn
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is also characterized by abdominal cramping and pain
Small bowel bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), in which excessive bacteria grow in the small intestine
Ascites, or a buildup of fluid in the abdomen
Abdominal tumor
Dumping syndrome, a condition that causes nausea, diarrhea, and light-headedness after eating
Ovarian cancer, or cancer in the ovaries
Pelvic floor dysfunction, which is characterized by problems with the muscles in the pelvis, which control bowel movements
Gastroparesis, a muscular disorder that slows the movement of food from your stomach to your intestines
Pancreatic insufficiency, in which the pancreas doesn’t produce enough digestive enzymes
The side effect of Precose (acarbose), a diabetes drug
Celiac disease, which is an inability to digest gluten
Constipation, in which stool builds up and hardens in your intestines, making it difficult for you to expel them during a bowel movement
What Should You Do When You Feel Bloated?
Bloating can cause a significant amount of discomfort, but it generally doesn’t require medical treatment. If you’re feeling symptoms, there are several ways to ease them as well as medications you can take:
Light activity: Going for a walk or taking part in light physical activity can promote digestion and ease bloating.
Abdominal self-massage: To help with symptoms of bloating or constipation, lay on the ground and rub your abdomen in a clockwise, circular motion.
Antacids: These are over-the-counter (OTC) medicines that help neutralize the acid in your stomach. Antacid brands include Alka Seltzer, Mylanta Gas, and Maalox Anti Gas, among others.
Pepto-Bismol: If your bloating is related to an upset stomach, Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) may help; this is also available OTC.
Lactaid: If lactose intolerance is causing your bloating, the OTC medication Lactaid (lactase) contains enzymes that can help ease symptoms.
Long-Term Treatment for Bloating
If you have chronic bloating or it comes back often, there are several options for managing and preventing it. Management focuses on changing your dietary and lifestyle habits, avoiding triggering foods, and addressing underlying causes.
Dietary and Lifestyle Changes
Most cases of bloating are associated with what you eat. Therefore, modifying what and how you eat and drink can go a long way in managing bloating. These approaches include:
Avoiding overeating: Have four to seven smaller meals a day (rather than the standard three) and steer clear of high-fat foods and foods with simple carbohydrates (sugars) when you eat.
Eat slowly: If you eat too quickly, you’re more likely to overeat and inhale air while eating, which can trigger bloating; slowing down and chewing food fully can be a preventive measure.
Steer clear of carbonated beverages: The bubbles from carbonated sodas or other beverages can trigger bloating.
Don’t chew gum: When you chew gum, you tend to swallow air, which can cause bloating; sucking on candies can also have the same effect.
Avoid drinking while eating: Drinking any beverage while eating or immediately after eating can promote flatulence; wait an hour after eating before doing so.
Avoid food triggers: Keep a food diary and figure out what your trigger foods are. Once you identify them you'll be able to avoid them.
Try a low FODMAP diet: Avoid foods high in carbohydrates or other sugars that cause bloating, known as FODMAPs.
Get active: Boosting your level of physical activity has been shown to promote healthier digestion.
Avoid artificial sugars: Steer clear of foods containing sorbitol or other kinds of artificial sugar.
Don't smoke: Smoking or using tobacco products can also impact digestion, among other negative health effects.
Reduce alcohol: Since alcohol can also cause bloating, limit or cut out your consumption.
Add herbs: Some evidence suggests that adding certain herbs and spices to your diet can help with flatulence; these include cumin, ginger, dill, parsley, and others.
Treating Underlying Causes
If your bloating has been linked to a medical condition, treating the condition should also help ease your bloating. Seek out medical care and keep up with prescribed treatments; make sure to carefully follow your healthcare provider’s instructions.
If your bloating is associated with small intestine bacterial overgrowth, you may be prescribed antibiotics to manage the condition. If constipation is the issue, lifestyle interventions, medications, and gradually increasing fiber in your diet and water intake may help.
When Should You Be Worried About Bloating?
Unless it becomes chronic or recurrent, bloating usually isn’t serious. If you’re finding the issue disruptive or if it doesn’t go away, it’s worth seeking medical attention.
In addition, certain symptoms alongside this issue may be signs of a more significant health issue. Call your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following:
Pain in the abdomen
Blood in your stool, or stool that has a dark, tarry appearance
Worsening heartburn (stomach acid that backs up into your esophagus)
Nausea or vomiting
Weight loss
A Quick Review
Bloating is a feeling of fullness in the abdomen, sometimes accompanied by expansion of the belly as well as gas and belching. This can be caused by many factors, including eating too quickly, consuming triggering foods, and health conditions like food allergy or intolerance, constipation, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), among others. Changing your diet to avoid triggers and taking over-the-counter medications can help ease bloating.
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