Contents
What is bloating?
Bloating (flatulence) – accumulation of gases in the intestines due to indigestion. This process is most often accompanied by swelling, an increase in the volume of the abdomen and an unpleasant feeling of fullness from the inside.
Without a doubt, we have all experienced it ourselves to one degree or another, and we know perfectly well what inconvenience this ailment can cause. Gas-filled intestines create a feeling of a full stomach, and the resulting colic brings a lot of trouble, making us feel uncomfortable.
Flatulence also occurs in healthy people, but most often it serves as a manifestation of other, more serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Gases in the intestines can accumulate in pathologies such as:
chronic pancreatitis – the body lacks the enzymes produced by the pancreas and as a result, bloating appears after eating any type of food.
irritable bowel syndrome – there is a violation of the motor function of the intestine, bloating in this case is accompanied by pain,
dysbacteriosis – the balance of microflora is disturbed, and harmful microorganisms begin to produce gases (methane, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia),
lactose intolerance – in the body of adults often there are no enzymes that promote the absorption of lactose (milk sugar),
intestinal obstruction – passing gases can be difficult due to the development of a tumor or polyps.
It is really possible to get rid of bloating at home for a while, but it is better to find the root cause of the disease together with your doctor. Remember that traditional medicine is not a substitute for basic therapy, but just an addition to it.
Causes of bloating
Nutrition as the main cause of bloating
Very often, excessive consumption of various kinds of carbonated drinks leads to excessive accumulation of gases in the esophagus. Usually, such bloating passes without causing any particular inconvenience, since gases in a healthy person are quickly absorbed by the intestinal walls or are excreted physiologically.
It is also possible for air to enter the stomach in large portions during meals. Therefore, one should not rush when eating food.
Remember that some foods, eaten in large quantities, cause a fermentation reaction and, as a result, gas formation. To avoid undesirable consequences, you should moderate the consumption of sweets and muffins, black bread, beans, potatoes and other foods containing a large amount of easily digestible carbohydrates, fiber or starch.
Another reason for the accumulation of gases is the mixing of food that needs to be eaten separately from each other. This is especially true for fruits, which should be eaten either an hour before the main meal, or no earlier than 2 hours after a meal.
Sometimes the cause of bloating can be an attempt to get rid of heartburn by drinking soda, as it neutralizes the acidic environment of gastric juice and provokes increased gas formation.
Celiac disease
Bloating is also the main symptom of such a rare disease as celiac disease. According to statistics, in Russia 1 person out of 1000 suffers from celiac disease. With celiac disease, gluten is not completely broken down, forming toxic substances that damage the inner surface of the intestine. It is treated exclusively with a gluten-free diet, or with the constant intake of enzymatic preparations that will help break down gluten.
More: What is celiac disease?
Symptoms of bloating
Most often, bloating is not an independent disease, but only a symptom of other, more serious diseases of the digestive system.
Excessive gas formation in the intestines is possible with chronic pancreatitis, a disease in which the body lacks enzymes produced by the pancreas. In this case, bloating usually occurs after eating, regardless of its composition.
Flatulence can also be caused by irritable bowel syndrome. In this case, the motor function of an anatomically healthy intestine is disturbed, and bloating is accompanied by pain in the abdomen, and in some cases also diarrhea or constipation.
The cause of bloating may be intestinal obstruction caused by a tumor or polyps. In this case, the passage of gases from the intestine is difficult and leads to flatulence.
Excessive gas formation can be a consequence of intestinal dysbacteriosis. Due to the decrease in the protective properties of the body in the large intestine, a violation of the microflora occurs. Harmful microbes that get there produce gases in large quantities (mainly ammonia, methane and hydrogen sulfide). This process leads to swelling, accompanied by a fetid odor.
Also, flatulence often accompanies individual lactose intolerance – a condition in which the body lacks the enzymes that allow a person to absorb dairy products.
Bloating and pain in the abdomen. Pain is usually short-lived but painful. Unpleasant sensations pass when the gas passes through the intestines. Pain can occur at various points in the abdominal cavity and, passing through the intestines, change location. If you feel prolonged and intense pain for a long time, then this may be a signal that the cause is not bloating, but some more serious illness.
Bloating after eating
In most cases, flatulence is associated with malnutrition. In a healthy person, bloating can be caused by accidentally swallowing a large portion of air with food, or by drinking highly carbonated drinks. Also, discomfort can occur if one or another food is poorly absorbed by the body. Therefore, instead of being digested, it begins to form gases.
Another cause of bloating can be dairy foods. For the digestion of this kind of food, the enzyme lactose is needed. If it is not enough, milk and similar products can cause discomfort. The cause may also be products from coarse fiber or starch, for example, seeds, cabbage, potatoes, nuts, oats. With the frequent occurrence of flatulence, such products should be excluded. And, in the case of their use, it should be remembered that such products must be chewed very carefully, otherwise discomfort may occur.
What to do with bloating?
One day after bloating, the intestines should be allowed to rest. Only boiled rice should be consumed and washed down with herbal teas. Subsequently, you should reconsider your diet. From meat, preference should be given to chicken, turkey and veal, from cereals – rice. Milk should be replaced with fermented milk products (cheese, yogurt). You need to drink teas from mint, St. John’s wort and chamomile. It is good to add spices and herbs to dishes that reduce gas formation: ginger, cumin, cardamom, parsley, dill, fennel.
To understand which specific foods cause bloating, you should focus on your feelings. Follow the sensations that you experience while taking a particular product, and draw conclusions. Medical intervention, in most cases, is limited to taking enzyme preparations. And if you suspect an infection or bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, antibiotics are prescribed.
Treatment for bloating
Treatment should begin with conventional enterosorbents, which quickly absorb excess gases in the intestines and remove them. The most common way to combat bloating is the use of activated charcoal (1 g three times a day). However, enterosorbents also remove useful substances from the body, so it is not recommended to use them for a long time.
Other enterosorbents include:
Polyphepane
Enterosgel
Polysorb
White coal
Lactofiltrum
Defoamers. Defoamers do not remove gases, but accelerate their removal in a natural way. The drugs are not toxic and they are prescribed even to small children. The most popular remedy is Espumizan (Simetikon, Simikol), Pepsan-R.
Enzymes In case digestion is disturbed due to a weak pancreas, enzyme preparations are prescribed: Mezim forte, Creon, Pancreatin, Micrasim.
Probiotics. Probiotics are products that contain a large amount of beneficial microflora for our intestines. Increasing their number, improving immunity, putrefactive microflora and gas formation are suppressed. The most popular probiotics: Linex, Bifidumbacterin, Bifiform, Hilak forte, Normoflorin B, Yogulakt, Bifilis, Primadophilus.
Herbal remedies. The most popular remedy is dill fruit or dill water, which is often prescribed for newborns.
Additional measures. You should also exclude foods that promote fermentation from the diet. Such provocateurs can be muffins, sweets, milk, fresh vegetables, peas and beans.
Physical exercises aimed at normalizing bowel function can also improve overall well-being and relieve discomfort. To do this, you should do morning exercises every day, including squats and raising your legs. Swimming, walking or jogging will also be useful.
If bloating is not caused by malnutrition, but is a consequence of any disease, then the very cause of flatulence should be treated by consulting a doctor.
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