What is Stomach Bloating?
Bloating in the stomach can be a common occurrence – most of us will experience
a bloated stomach at some stage of our lives. The feeling of ‘pressure’ and
‘fullness’ in the stomach, that can make it feel as though we are stretched to
capacity or weighted down.
What Causes Stomach Bloating?
Bloating is most often caused by trapped gas in the small intestine. This can cause
flatulence (passing of excessive gas/wind) painful stomach ache and an
uncomfortable feeling when wearing tight clothes. There are a variety of
things that can cause this bloated feeling, including digestion problems such as:
● Indigestion
● Intestinal Gas
● Trapped wind
● Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
● Dysmotility (a slow digestive system)
Other conditions that may result in a bloated stomach include:
● Candidiasis
● Coeliac Disease
● Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Bloating can also occur as a result of food intolerance, insufficient Hydrochloric
acid in your stomach, insufficient digestive enzymes in your stomach or lack of
good intestinal flora (good bacteria normally present in the gut). Whatever the
cause, the fact remains that for some reason digestion is hampered and
undigested foods are reaching your gut where fermentation takes place causing the
bloating.
As a bloated stomach can indicate more serious conditions, if bloating persists or
worsens, it is advised that you seek medical advice.
