Bloated Stomach Remedies: Long-Term Relief Tips for Americans

Bloated stomach remedies need to be determined by the cause.

Intestinal bloating is a digestive disorder caused by the accumulation of intestinal gas. Sometimes these gases can build up and be painful if not eliminated.

As a whole, a distended stomach results from too much gas absorption or overproduction of gas in the intestines. Happily, medical or natural treatment can reduce the pain and the unsightly swelling. Simple dietary and lifestyle changes, such as reducing stress, can help too.

But how does a bloated stomach appear? Are these gases painful? And how to treat or prevent them? Read on for more details.

Bloated stomach remedies: Introduction

Following an accumulation of gas in the intestine, bloating is created, and as a result, our belly appears swollen.

Many causes (such as water retention, infection, constipation, or chronic illnesses) can explain this intestinal discomfort. But the good news is that treatment and/or a simple dietary change can reduce the pain.

Painful and mostly uncomfortable, bloating is rarely a severe symptom.

In this article, find out everything you need to know about the origin of bloating, its causes, and bloated stomach remedies.

Bloating: What is it?

This digestive disorder is characterized by a swollen and painful abdomen.

Indeed, bloating is caused by an accumulation of gas in the intestine. As a result, the belly appears swollen. There are many causes for this intestinal discomfort.

There are two forms of bloating:

• It is either a simple transient disorder that everyone experiences or has experienced in their lives. When the belly is distended, it is usually the colon that is at fault due to the gas production by the bacteria that have colonized it. This is sometimes referred to as aerocolia.
• Or, if the disorder is recurrent and accompanied by transit problems, it may be a case of functional colopathy or irritable bowel syndrome, both of which are part of functional bowel disorders.

It seems that bloating is more frequent in women than in men. They are digestive disorders, just like nausea or heartburn.

Sometimes called “farts” in colloquial language, but also flatulence or aerophagia, bloating is an accumulation of gas in the small intestine.

Consequently, this accumulation will cause tension in the intestine and thus swelling the abdomen.

Bloated people often have a “bloated belly” feeling.

The frequency of bloating and functional bowel disorders

This is one of the most common functional digestive symptoms. Indeed, anyone can experience bloating since it depends mainly on the food ingested.

For example, starchy foods and cruciferous vegetables are at risk.

Concerning functional intestinal disorders, most people declare to be regularly subject to gas emissions.

These disorders do not spare anyone, and women are twice as affected as men.

However, the latter are more often victims of aerogastria, a stomach distension.

What triggers bloating?

It is interesting to note that bloating is a symptom and not a disease.

Generally, the belly starts to swell and becomes painful to the point of having to unbutton tight pants or skirts.

They can be related to several triggers, such as:

• Wearing clothes that are too tight in the abdominal area.
• An episode of constipation or diarrhea is possible. The difficulty is to find the reason why the belly started to swell.
• Functional bowel disorders when abdominal pain is associated with transit disorders and bloating. Moreover, stress plays a preponderant triggering or aggravating role in functional intestinal disorders.
• A viral or even bacterial infection if the bloating is accompanied by other infectious signs. Sometimes, we can discover a parasitosis, an infestation of the digestive tract by a parasite.
• Gastroenteritis. There are other signs to consider in the latter case, such as nausea, fever, and diarrhea.
• A simple transitory episode linked to a “risky” meal that was too large.

Other causes of bloating

There are many causes of bloating, but they are all directly linked to lifestyle.

Aerophagia

Aerophagia (meaning swallowing too much air) makes the stomach work “empty” and causes intestinal problems.

This phenomenon appears when we eat or drink too fast, or with a straw, or consume too much chewing gum.

Anxiety and stress

Anxiety and stress also promote bloating because they cause the intestines to contract and aerophagy.

Lifestyle

Practicing an endurance sport can also be a source of digestive problems during the effort.

Indeed, the effort of sport dries the gastric mucosa and causes bloating.

But, it is interesting to know that low physical activity can also cause bloating because it makes the contractions of the colon too weak.

Because of the nicotine it contains, tobacco also increases the acidity of the stomach contents and can cause intestinal gas.

The intense use of laxatives will irritate the colonic mucosa and lead to bloating.

The role of food

A poor diet consisting of fatty, sweet, spicy foods, soft drinks, alcohol, coffee, etc., will irritate the digestive system and cause bloating.

Eating foods that are too high in carbohydrates, such as starchy foods or apples, will lead to fermentation (which is the transformation of sugar in the absence of oxygen), leading to flatulence.

Lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance would also promote fermentation and, therefore the appearance of bloating.

Pregnancy and menopause

During pregnancy, the uterus presses on the intestine and can cause flatulence.

During menopause, estrogens, known to fight bloating, decrease and consequently cause intestinal gas.

Aging is also conducive to bloating due to losing muscle tone and intestinal lubrication.

Additional causes

Bloating can also be caused by:

• A stomach ulcer that can cause pain and cramping
• A gastrointestinal infection
• Constipation
• An appendicitis attack
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease, which means heartburn
• Food poisoning
• Functional dyspepsia is characterized by a stomach that does not expand well after meals and feels overly full.
• Fragile teeth could favor inflammations, making the intestine walls weak and leading to bloating.

Risk factors

There are several risk factors for bloating:

Female sex

Women are more affected than men.

This may be due to the female hormones that affect bowel movements.

Age

It seems that children also complain of stomach aches associated with gas emissions.

It is not necessarily localized in the digestive tract if it is an infection. It is pretty common for a sore throat to start with a stomach ache.

Menstruation

If stomach aches appear systematically before menstruation, they are also accompanied by tension in the breasts and mood disorders.

All these symptoms are called premenstrual syndrome.

Pregnancy

During this period, weight gain and hormonal impregnation favor a slowing down of the transit.

The uterus will also compress the colon more and more from the second trimester onward.

When to call for a diagnosis?

Anyone can notice that sometimes their belly is swollen.

However, it is essential to understand why and to be able to distinguish between a simple dietary error, irritable bowel syndrome, or another more annoying digestive pathology.

Who to consult?

If you suffer from bloating, don’t hesitate to talk to your family doctor, even if your belly is no longer bloated when you go for your visit.

To help your doctor make a diagnosis, it is helpful to keep a diary:

• What you eat (what foods and at what time of day)
• From what we drink
• The frequency and intensity of the attacks: time of onset, duration, how relief was obtained, and how long it took.

Ideally, this book should be kept for three weeks to a month.

You can also note the times when you were stressed or when the stomachache started.

The physician can then ask the gastroenterologist for advice in case of doubt who will decide on bloated stomach remedies

What does the assessment consist of?

When the attacks are not typical or when abdominal pain and transit disorders appear for the first time after the age of 50, another digestive pathology must be sought, such as the presence of polyps or even a cancerous tumor.

You need to have a thorough examination to find out more, namely a colonoscopy. This is done in the following manner:

• Before the test, the patient must drink a particular solution to “clean” the colon.
• After short general anesthesia, a long flexible tube equipped with optical fibers is introduced through the natural channels on the day of the procedure.
• This tube makes it possible to see all or part of the colon’s inside and thus make the difference between an irritable colon and a digestive disorder.

Possible complications

It is essential to know that functional bowel disorders are never serious.

The risk lies in blaming another bloating attack on this condition when it is something more serious!

So beware when an attack is unlike any other when the bloating and pain are unusually intense or accompanied by a fever.

Also, be aware if the attack cannot be relieved in the usual way.

In this case, a medical opinion is necessary on the same day, which will allow the search for another digestive or abdominal pathology.

How to treat bloating?

It is primarily common-sense advice and a healthy lifestyle:

At the time of a painful crisis

Here are bloated stomach remedies in case of a crisis:

• Lie down for a few minutes with your legs slightly bent.
• Unbutton a tight garment.
• Breathe deeply; this can help reduce the intensity of the pain.
• Also, take vegetable charcoal or an antispasmodic medication which can be taken on an ad hoc basis (in case of crisis) or as a cure for several weeks in times of stress.

Outside of crises

To avoid bloating, adopt a customized diet according to what we tolerate or not and better management of our stress.

Similarly, irritable bowel syndrome is not easy to cure, but learning to live with it is possible.

Treatment with natural medicines

Natural medicines can be interesting to relieve at the time of a crisis and also to learn to better manage stress:

• In phytotherapy, chamomile tea is antispasmodic. Warning, this plant is not recommended without medical advice. In the form of a condiment, Fennel or mint limit the gases produced by the fermentation of food by bacteria.
• In homeopathy, Sulfur is recommended for those who have a painful and bloated stomach.
• Manage stress by relaxing through yoga, massage, or meditation. All of this can help reduce the frequency and intensity of seizures.
• In reflexology, each foot has approximately 7,000 nerve endings. With a few drops of sweet almond oil, it is easier to “glide” on the skin. In case of stomach ache, massage the sole of the right foot, on the arch, just in front of the heel.

Preventive measures to relieve bloating

There are many tips to prevent and/or relieve bloating:

Manage stress

Given the triggering role of stress, it is essential to practice physical activity such as walking or swimming.

It is also possible to manage stress through gentle relaxation such as yoga or meditation, which are good ways to evacuate your emotions.

Avoid carbonated beverages and stimulants

Carbonated beverages are not recommended, especially if they are iced, nor are stimulants such as tobacco, alcohol, and coffee.

However, it is all a question of individual susceptibility. For example, a “colopath” may see attacks triggered as soon as he eats too many raw vegetables. At the same time, another will accept salads very well but not coffee.

Each person must adapt their diet according to what they can or cannot tolerate while considering their intestinal transit.

Avoid overuse of laxatives

It’s best not to overuse laxatives, which can irritate the colon even more. They should be taken only occasionally.

Fiber and mucilage laxatives are recommended only as the first line of treatment, namely because laxatives such as kerosene oil can interfere with the absorption of certain medications and critical fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin D.

Laxative teas are also irritating to the mucosa.

Avoid fermented foods

Since food can be a problem, it is best to focus on what is well accepted.

Fermented foods such as fish, smoked meats, cheeses, fried foods, dried and starchy vegetables, crucifers, raw vegetables and pome fruits (such as grapes and melons) should be avoided.

If a person has an accelerated transit, it is better to replace milk, green vegetables and raw fruits with firm cheeses, carrots, rice, pasta, semolina and compotes.

However, if diarrhea does not improve quickly, medical advice should be sought because it may have another origin, such as an infection.

Adopt a diet richer in green vegetables, fresh fruit, and prunes in all their forms (juice, compotes, or dried fruit).

Take charcoal or clay

Taking charcoal or clay would also help absorb gas and thus reduce the feeling of bloating.

Talk to your physician about this.

Drink plain water

If you have a tendency to have a transit that works more slowly, it is advisable to drink a lot of still water during the day.

Bloated stomach remedies: Conclusion

Bloating is a common digestive disorder that affects children and adults alike, both women and men.

Bloated stomach remedies consist mainly of adopting a healthy lifestyle.

This can be done by adapting our diet, limiting the consumption of foods that can ferment, avoiding carbonated beverages, and eating slowly.

It is also essential to better manage stress, one of the leading causes that can make our belly swell.

And finally, be aware that bloating is not a sign of illness, but it is essential to watch out if it occurs more frequently and intensely.

In this case, consult your doctor to diagnose a possible disease such as lactose intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome, which may also be responsible for bloating.