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Inflated Belly - Causes and Treatment
Bloating stomach due to increased gas accumulation
In a bloated abdomen, the sufferers suffer from bloating and a flat stomach, possibly in conjunction with pressure pains and increasing outgoing winds. The symptoms mentioned are not the only problem that plagues patients. Fear of not being able to control the bloating in the public or at work often creates an additional burden. A bloated stomach is not only unpleasant, but sometimes embarrassing as well.
contents
- Bloating stomach due to increased gas accumulation
- How a bloated belly arises
- How much flatulence is normal?
- Common cause: bloating foods
- Unfavorable sequence of foods
- Sugar substitutes as a cause
- Bloated abdomen due to incompatibilities
- Cause histamine intolerance
- Gluten allergy / celiac disease
- Bloated abdomen due to chronic bowel disease
- Dysbiosis in the intestine
- Causal medication
- Inflated belly in pregnancy
- hormonal changes
- Mental factors
- Possible therapies
- First aid with inflated stomach: soothing herbal tea
- Home remedies for bloated abdomen
How a bloated belly arises
A bloated abdomen is usually harmless. However, in the case of frequent occurrence and prolonged duration, this can severely limit the quality of life. The distended belly is caused by too much gas in the intestine. These are formed, for example, by the consumption of bulking foods such as onions, legumes, cabbage, raw vegetables and whole grains.
A bloated stomach is often associated with the consumption of certain foods. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com) If carbonated drinks are added, the bloating is often inevitable. Alcohol, nicotine, coffee additionally support the formation of intestinal gases. Chewing gum, in which more air is swallowed, can also lead to it.
The trigger may be dysbiosis in the intestine, where there is an imbalance between the "good" and "bad" intestinal bacteria. Other possible causes of a bloated stomach include a vegetarian diet, lack of exercise and underlying diseases.
How much flatulence is normal?
Outgoing winds are completely normal to a certain extent. When an inflated abdomen falls outside the norm is not clearly defined. The information about the gas content in the intestine are different. Thus, an amount of 100 to 150 milliliters is considered normal. The normal number of wind outlets per day is given as around 15. Even in persons with a healthy bowel, a transient bloated stomach, for example after a meal with plenty of bloating vegetables and / or legumes, is a very common phenomenon.
Common cause: bloating foods
Certain nutritional components can cause a bloated stomach. These include, in particular, fiber, which humans can not use as an energy source. Whole grains contain these in insoluble form, while vegetables, fruits and legumes contain soluble fiber.
The soluble ones, such as the pectins in apples, ensure a softer stool and a healthy intestinal flora. On the other hand, the insoluble ones, for example cellulose, increase the volume of the stool and thus stimulate intestinal peristalsis.
Generally, fiber is important and healthy. They have a positive effect on the intestinal flora, lower the cholesterol level and counteract the development of diverticulitis. On the other hand, the soluble fibers contribute to an increased formation of intestinal gases.
Unfavorable sequence of foods
For sensitive people, the "wrong" order of foods can lead to a bloated stomach. Therefore, always eat the things that are digested the quickest. In the first place are fruits, followed by salad, rice, cheese and meat.
It is advisable to eat the fruit with the largest amount of water first. A melon should therefore not come as a dessert, but rather as an appetizer on the table. Starchy foods come in the order of the proteinaceous ones.
Drinking during the meal is not a healthy habit. Because even this can cause a digestive disorder and possibly an unpleasant belly swelling.
In some people, certain combinations of foods, such as Bread and jam to a bloated belly. (Image: stu12 / fotolia.com) Different food combinations can quickly lead to increased gas accumulation with increased sensitivity. Examples are sweets and coffee, bread and marmalade, cereals and fruits or cereals in conjunction with dairy products. Hasty food and insufficient chewing also favor the development of flatulence.
Sugar substitutes as a cause
Sugar substitutes such as sorbitol, mannitol or xylitol are sweet-tasting compounds that can be used instead of sugar. The substances are obtained among other things from fruits and vegetables, but are not as harmless, as can be assumed. Because they may cause a curved stomach and lead to diarrhea.
For example, sorbitol is found in diet and light products, sugar-free chewing gum, gummy bears and sweets. But it also occurs in many fruits and especially in stone fruit. A particularly high proportion is found, for example, in in pears, prunes, apples and apricots. The substance is decomposed by the intestinal bacteria and sometimes causes discomfort, such as a bloated stomach, nausea, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea.
The sugar substitute mannitol is often used for sugar-reduced foods. In nature, it occurs, for example, in figs, algae, mushrooms and olives. The consumption of mannitol-containing foods can lead to bloating and other symptoms such as headache, heartburn, epigastric pain, nausea and vomiting.
Bloated abdomen due to incompatibilities
Incompatibilities such as fructose and lactose intolerance are relatively common. Such a food allergy can cause a bloated stomach and a number of other discomforts.
In lactose intolerance (lactose intolerance) there is a deficiency of the enzyme lactase. This has the task to split the milk sugar. The causes of intolerance are usually innate. In many people, however, the amount of this enzyme decreases over the course of life.
This results in a bloated abdomen, digestive problems such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, either directly or some time after eating milk and dairy-containing foods.
Fructose intolerance is now one of the most common food intolerances. This may be innate or acquired in the course of life and is characterized by the fact that sufferers fructose tolerated only limited or not at all.
As a result, it often comes shortly after the consumption of food containing fructose to a bulge of the stomach, flatulence, bloating, diarrhea and nausea. Other possible complaints include abdominal pain, constant regurgitation, heartburn and frequent urination and increased urgency.
Apples contain comparatively much fructose. Therefore, they are often poorly tolerated in fructose intolerance. (Image: Brent Hofacker / fotolia.com) Fructose occurs naturally in fruits and many vegetables, for example in apples and cherries. Bananas, apricots and berries, however, are among the fruits with less fructose and are therefore well tolerated by many people with intolerance.
Danger: Fructose is also found in many processed foods such as honey, dried fruit, soft drinks, apple and many "light" products. Normal table sugar consists of half of fructose, so all sweetened foods and sweets can cause discomfort.
Cause histamine intolerance
Possible is a so-called "histamine intolerance", which is an intolerance to the natural substance histamine. This may be due, for example, to a deficiency of the histamine-degrading enzyme diamine oxidase.
Certain foods contain a lot of histamine, which can lead to heavy accumulation of gas in the gut, headaches or even palpitations. The most histamine-rich foods include red wine, aged cheese, smoked meat and tomatoes or tomato products. Furthermore, fermented foods such as sauerkraut often cause severe discomfort in case of histamine intolerance.
Gluten allergy / celiac disease
Various disorders can lead to a bloated stomach. These include, for example, the gluten allergy, which is also known as "celiac disease" or "native sprue". Here, the body develops an intolerance to the gluten (Gluten) of various cereals, such as rye, wheat, oats and barley. Sprue is one of the autoimmune diseases, as the immune system produces antibodies against gluten as well as against the body's own tissue.
Symptoms of celiac disease include bulky stools, bloating, nausea, bloating, vitamin deficiencies, and weight loss. Frequently affected suffer from abdominal pain, loss of appetite and persistent diarrhea, which may occur due to the impaired fat digestion in the form of steatorrhea. The physical complaints are often accompanied by an increased irritability, depression and depressive moods.
Bloated abdomen due to chronic bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, may be associated with a bloated stomach. Crohn's disease is a relapsing inflammation of the intestine that can spread to the entire digestive tract from the oral cavity to the anus. In addition to flatulence, sufferers suffer from spasmodic abdominal pain, fatigue, diarrhea, weight loss, nausea and vomiting.
In colitis ulcerosa, the main difference to Crohn's disease is that the disease usually affects only the colon and rectum. The symptoms mentioned above typically include blood in the stool and slimy diarrhea, in worst cases up to thirty times a day.
Other possible causes include diseases such as irritable bowel or rheumatism, surgery or narrowing in the small or large intestine.
Dysbiosis in the intestine
In a gut dysbiosis there is an imbalance of the bacteria occurring there, in favor of the "bad" intestinal germs. This can be due to improper diets containing sugars, dietary toxins, toxins, stress, and taking antibiotics.
Some sufferers do not notice the imbalance. Often, however, symptoms such as general malaise, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, constipation, headache and a bloated stomach occur. With a suitable colon cleansing, which tries to eliminate the "bad" intestinal germs and to settle and feed the "good ones", the mentioned symptoms can disappear. Often, such a rehabilitation is prescribed for allergies and immunodeficiency with recurring infections.
Certain medications, such as Antibiotics can have side effects like flatulence, bloating and indigestion. (Image: grafikplusfoto / fotolia.com) Causal medication
The symptoms may be associated with taking some medications. These include antidiabetics, antibiotics, lactulose and diclofenac. Some medicines are mixed with the additive mannitol. This too can lead to flatulence.
Inflated belly in pregnancy
In the first few months of pregnancy, it is mainly the hormone progesterone that causes the woman to become bloated. This hormone promotes pregnancy and relaxes the muscles. It slows down digestion, so that the child can be optimally supplied with nutrients. As a result, feeling of fullness and a bloated stomach occur. In the last few months of pregnancy, flatulence usually results from the pressure of the baby on the digestive organs, causing them to work slower and thereby accumulate more gas.
hormonal changes
Puberty and menopause are times of hormonal changes in the body. The changes in hormone balance can cause digestive problems and bloating. A change in diet can often serve you well here.
Mental factors
Mental factors such as stress, anxiety and mental stress in life can lead to discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract. Physical reactions to the stressful circumstances can be bloating, nausea, constipation, diarrhea and bloated abdomen.
Drastic experiences "beat" or "are heavy in the stomach", phrases like "I can not digest that" show how difficult the processing of difficult situations or conflicts can be. If the psyche is unable to cope with something, this is reflected in physical ailments, such as accumulating gases and resulting in bloating.
Possible therapies
Of course, the treatment of the underlying disease is in the foreground in the treatment. Depending on the symptoms, various examinations such as ultrasound, stool diagnostics, blood count, stomach and colonoscopy, CT or MRI are necessary to get to the root of the problem.
With the help of a detailed stool diagnosis, the intestinal environment is examined with regard to quality and quantity of the local intestinal bacteria. Pathogenic germs, fungi and possibly occurring parasites can also be detected. If there is something wrong there, gut repair is usually the method of choice. Because an imbalance in the intestine is often the reason for a belly swelling.
"A lot of air in the abdomen", that is a frequent "diagnosis" of the doctors. (Image: snyggg.de/fotolia.com) For treatment there are a variety of preparations and therapeutic approaches. Frequently, the intestine is first freed of the pathogenic germs by suitable means, in order then to be able to rebuild the intestinal flora. In the course of this, the diet should definitely be highlighted. White flour and sweets should be avoided as much as possible in case of disturbed intestinal flora, especially if fungus colonization is involved.
First aid with inflated stomach: soothing herbal tea
A tea blend with various medicinal plants can serve well in a bloated abdomen. The infusion not only tastes delicious, but experience shows that in most patients, its effect quickly.
Recipe for tea blend:
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Home remedies for bloated abdomen
For acute ailments, heat usually helps, as it has a relaxing effect on the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and thus relieves pain. Easy to use is the classic hot water bottle or a grain pillow. Soothing first aid offers moist hot wraps, which are placed on the stomach for about 30 minutes.
An effective home remedy for flatulence and bloating are Schüssler salts. If the person already suffers from convulsive pain in the course of bloating, the application of the so-called "hot seven" is especially recommended. The salt No. 7, Magnesium Phosphoricum used for this purpose, can quickly provide relief through its antispasmodic and pain-relieving action.
Instructions for the Hot Seven:
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A comprehensive overview of natural treatments and home remedies for gastrointestinal discomfort such as a bloated abdomen can be found in the healing practice Guide for the stomach and intestines. Here you can buy the guide. A proven homeopathic remedy for a bloated abdomen is "Nux Vomica" (Brechnuss). This has a low dose of diuretic and digestive and is primarily used when the gas accumulates after heavy eating and drinking alcohol. Often, in this case, nausea, feeling of fullness and stomach ache occur in parallel. (sw, nr, last updated on 7.10.2016)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor) 