You should see a doctor if you have gas and bloating along with any of these symptoms: Blood or mucus in your stool. Changing your eating habits didn't help. Chronic or frequent diarrhea, constipation, or vomiting.
As long as your symptoms eventually go away, they probably aren't serious. But if your bloated stomach doesn't go away or gets worse, or if you have other symptoms of serious illness, such as fever or vomiting, you should seek medical attention to rule out other medical causes.
See a GP if:
you've been feeling bloated for 3 weeks or more. you feel bloated regularly (more than 12 times a month) you've tried changing your diet but keep feeling bloated.
To receive specialized care, especially if you are frequently bloated, make an appointment with a gastroenterologist. This is a specialist who can treat complex gastrointestinal conditions that may be the underlying cause of your bloating.
You probably don't need to see a doctor for occasional bloating or gas. But some conditions that cause bloating, gas, and abdominal pain can be very serious — even life-threatening. That's why it's so important to consult with your doctor if: OTC remedies or changes in eating habits don't help.
Bloating is a feeling that your stomach feels uncomfortably full. Some people describe bloating as a feeling that they have a balloon in their belly. Often times, bloating will go away on its own.
Simethicone is used to treat the symptoms of gas such as uncomfortable or painful pressure, fullness, and bloating.
Liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, heart failure, kidney problems, and some types of cancer can cause bloating. Bloating that continues for days or weeks may indicate a health issue that needs medical attention. It is advisable to speak to a doctor about ongoing bloating that does not go away over time.
Ongoing bloating is not normal and may have many causes, so you should call your doctor if you feel bloating every day. Bloating is a chronic and bothersome condition for a large minority of the population. Anywhere from an estimated 16% to 31% of us have bloating and distension.
The list of organic disorders that can cause bloating and distension also includes celiac disease, pancreatic insufficiency, prior gastroesophageal surgery (such as fundoplication or bariatric procedures), gastric outlet obstruction, gastroparesis, ascites, gastrointestinal or gynecologic malignancy, hypothyroidism, ...
Many people who experience endo belly say they “look pregnant,” even though they're not. Endo belly is just one symptom of endometriosis. Those who experience endo belly often have other gastrointestinal symptoms, such as: gas pain.
Although a bloated stomach is a common symptom that is not harmless, it can actually be a sign of something serious. A bloated stomach that lasts longer than 2 weeks after taking medications, weight loss, pale skin, loss of appetite and yellowing of the skin can be warning signs of cancer.
Maintaining a healthy diet and weight, promoting good bowel habits, and getting regular exercise may help reduce symptoms. If bloating is caused by specific foods in your diet, avoiding or eliminating these foods can help.
Using lactulose breath testing, your breath sample is analyzed to see if there are gases being produced by an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. Based on our experience, this is one of the top causes of abdominal bloating and IBS symptoms (see our post all about SIBO here).
7 F's of distension – fat, fluid, fetus, flatus, faeces, 'filthy' big tumor, 'phantom' pregnancy.
Your body needs water – a lot of it. Dehydration leads to constipation, which leads to bloating. And while it may seem counterintuitive to drink more water, when your body gets the hydration it finally needs, it lets go of the liquid it doesn't. Be sure to drink at least eight, eight-ounce glasses a day.
These can be caused by bacteria such as Escherichia coli or Helicobacter pylori — or a viral infection such as norovirus or rotavirus. Stomach infections usually go away on their own after a few days. However, some people may become severely dehydrated or continue to get worse over several days.
Stress belly is the extra abdominal fat that accumulates as the result of chronic or prolonged stress. Although stress belly is not a medical diagnosis, it is a term used to describe the way that stress and stress hormones impact your midsection.
The most common causes are trapped gas or eating too much in a short time. The sensation of bloating can cause abdominal distention, which is a visible swelling or extension of your belly.
Sometimes, excess fat around the belly is due to hormones. Hormones help regulate many bodily functions, including metabolism, stress, hunger, and sex drive. If a person has a deficiency in certain hormones, it may result in weight gain around the abdomen, which is known as a hormonal belly.
“I feel pregnant,” or even “I look pregnant,” are frequent complaints by patients suffering from abdominal distention or bloating. Bloating is a common symptom in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), particularly in women, although mostly it is a nuisance rather than the most severe aspect of the disease.
Bloating Is Tight While Belly Fat Is Spongy
Tightness in the stomach is a sign of bloating. Stomach fat will feel spongy and malleable and can be grasped physically in your hand—something you can't do with bloating.
When excess insulin and cortisol are released together, they create lipoprotein lipase (LPL) which is a fat storing enzyme. The more of this enzyme you have, the more belly fat is stored. Those extreme levels of cortisol also cause damage to cells, lowering their insulin sensitivity.