Digestive System Your Family's Guide to Understanding The Digestive System

Abdominal Bloating

One of the most common symptoms of IBS is abdominal bloating. Generally, abdominal bloating is one of the most frustrating symptoms of IBS and one of the most difficult to treat. Abdominal bloating is often characterized as a feeling of fullness or a sense of an enlarged abdomen and is due to the accumulation of intestinal gas inside the GI tract. Excess gas causes abdominal distention as well as flatulence and burping. In severe cases the bloating may be accompanied by pain and may only be relieved by passing gas or stool.

Doctors use a two-step program in managing abdominal bloating that is associated with IBS. This includes identifying and treating possible contributing conditions like bacterial overgrowth, malabsorption, lactose and carbohydrate intolerance and other GI disorders.

Patients are often advised to make dietary and lifestyle changes like avoidance of certain foods that may increase bloating (legumes, some vegetables and fruits, fiber supplements, etc).

Exercise and weight loss for obese patients may also be helpful in reducing the symptoms of IBS such as bloating. Some over-the-counter products like simethicone and activated charcoal as well as agents that can help digest complex carbohydrates have also been shown to be helpful in reducing the severity of abdominal bloating.

Prokinetic agents like tegaserod has been shown to decrease bloating in women with IBS. Fennel, a natural herb, may also be helpful for bloating and has no reported side effects. Fennel is prepared like tea and can be taken several times per day.

Patients are also advised to avoid carbonated drinks, chewing gum since this can predispose one to swallow air and foods which are difficult to digest or those that can increase the amount of gas. They also need to know which type of fiber is not fit to consume.

Although IBS patients need to have their daily requirement of fiber, some fiber sources like psyllium can actually make bloating worse and should be avoided.

Irritable bowel syndrome is not the only condition where abdominal bloating can be found. Other conditions like food intolerance, constipation, partial bowel obstruction and overeating can also result to abdominal bloating.

By: Daniel77

Abdominal Bloating Recommended Resources:

University of Maryland Medical Center

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

John Greene 14.04.09 at 00:47am

Abdominal bloating are sometimes mistaken to be just full stomach because of the food in-take, soon, it becomes permanent. To make sure, consult your doctor on how to deal with such a bloated stomach.

Ricco Rodriguez 06.05.09 at 07:04am

I need more inf.

Betty Bouchard 25.05.09 at 13:21pm

Have no
Copier, Can't get it to work. Money Back Guarantee want off you Pay Pal account-- None of your E-Mail address work why is that????

BettyBouchard 25.05.09 at 13:30pm

So How do I get the money back gaurantee???

Will Salters 19.08.09 at 10:17am

I take Nexium in the morning and a generic version of Zantac at night before bedtime. I have a discomfort in my upper abdomin (just below my ribcage) and sometimes in my upper back. I seem to have a need to belch often. Just wondering if this a GERD issue or is their another issue that I may need to be concerned about.

Marlene 29.08.09 at 18:18pm

I have Barretts esophagus. I have been through stomach wrap. Worked great for 2 years. I take Nexium 2 x daily. I have horrble gas and bloating in my stomach. What foods should I avoid including what fruits and vegies and meat?

Dr Mohamed Maayteh 11.01.10 at 02:58am

Abdominal bloating : I have bloatin and it worse me ,somtimes the bloating go up to my diaphragm and I have constipation to

Ruby H 04.05.10 at 22:20pm

Hello, I am a vivasious 53 year old woman, small boned, blonde, 5'-2" hard working. All my life I've been very healthy and ambitious. Recently, a few years ago I found out I was alergic to dairy foods. And all my life have been alergic to MSG. So I quit all those things but each year I have also noticed I have gas way more often than I should. And with my life so busy with 3 jobs and being around lots of people all the time - this is NOT OK!!! Can you please give me some ideas on what I can do to stop this aggrevating problem. It can be a very painful thing to have to deal with in the midst of everything else going on. I just don't know what to do anymore It Must Be DEALT WITH As I'm about ready to be in leadership positions in my fields and simply CANNOT BE LIKE THIS. I wish I could get a whole new stomach system.

anna 17.05.10 at 23:52pm

i have excessive amonts of bowel gas all day and night how can i help this?

nigneeftore 07.06.10 at 06:47am

inderal adhd , dosage inderal

LellortotaLew 07.06.10 at 20:43pm

inderal k , diflucan inderal
inderal la 60mg information , inderal for neonates
proponol inderal for preformance stress , medicine inderal

liliana 10.08.10 at 06:54am

hi im liliana a.
i have a question i been bleeding more than a month like period and is really heavy i would like to know if its normal . thank you

margarita 17.08.10 at 04:32am

after 23 years that i've had histerectomy and ovarectomy dexter, i've pain in my left colon and lower abdomen, bowel abdomen and unusual vaginal secrets.my PH is low. In my mouth i ofen have little cuts, wounds or sore, that wiped out by itself. now i have some days that eventhought maked it with somacuran, it doesn't disapear.
I'm scared that this is sign of my left ovar, that degenerates in ovar cancer.
plese, may you tell me what to do?
thanks

Trena 01.09.10 at 10:24am

I have terrible gas pains after I go to the bathroom. I empty out and all that is left if air and it is very painful. What can I do?

Sign-up for our Newsletter