Bloated Stomach Symptoms

Stomach bloating refers to the feeling of fullness and tightness even without consuming food. The bloated sensation is not only present in the stomach, but it can also be felt in the intestinal portion. It is a common health condition that many people fail to identify correctly. Nearly 30 - 40 percent people experience bloating. And the leading bloated stomach cause is indigestion, particularly after eating unhealthy foods. Of course, it is caused due to other eating disorders.

Signs and Symptoms of Bloated Stomach

Foods rich in oils and fats are difficult to digest and irregular digestion causes an excess generation of gases (more than the normal amounts) leading to various symptoms of bloated stomach. People who have flabby stomach often have bloating problems without even realizing this condition. The symptoms of bloated stomach are often confused with other digestive problems. Following are some of the noticeable symptoms of bloated stomach.

Excessive Gas Production
Abnormal production of gas is one of the manifested bloated stomach symptoms. As the food is not digested properly, it produces many other types of gases apart from the normally secreted ones like methane, sulfur, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide.

Distended Stomach
Production of excess gas due to incomplete digestion results in an expanded and hard stomach. The secreted gases are accumulated in the stomach and intestinal portion, which then cause expansion of the walls. This overall process leads to uncomfortable distension of the stomach.

Flatulence
Another notable sign of bloated stomach is frequent passing of gas or flatulence. Unlike the normal odorless flatulence, the gas passed out due to bloated stomach condition has an unpleasant smell.

General Discomfort
General body discomfort, particularly after consuming food, is another symptom of a bloated stomach. Bodily discomfort is often accompanied with the feeling of restlessness and difficulty in breathing.

Abdominal Pain
Symptoms of bloated stomach also include abdominal pain, which can be mild to serious, depending upon the severity of the bloating condition. It is also observed that pain in the abdominal portion occurs mostly after having large meals.

Changing Gut Size
Change of the gut size (to some extent), especially before and after eating is normal. However, if the size of the lower abdominal portion changes significantly during the day, then it signifies bloated stomach condition.

If the above bloating stomach symptoms are persistent for more than 3 - 4 days, then it is advisable to seek medical attention. Also, symptoms accompanied with severe abdominal pain may be an indication of a serious health condition. Hence, it is always better to diagnose correctly at the right time, so as to avoid any medical complications. There are also certain effective home remedies for combating a bloated stomach.

Remedies for Bloated Stomach

Since stomach bloating is caused due to diet and/or food intake, home remedies for bloated stomach are focused on changing the diet plan. In order to get rid of bloating, one should focus on adopting fiber rich diet, including fresh fruits and vegetables. Stimulants, oily foods, fatty foods, and also refined foods with artificial sweeteners should be strictly avoided. Consuming very hot or very cold food also leads to a bloated stomach. Hence, abstaining from this eating habit will help in combating bloating problems.

It is best to maintain a diary and pen down the foods that cause or worsen the bloated stomach condition. Majority of the people are in the wrong concept that stomach swelling is entirely due to belly fats. It is a fact that bulging of the stomach can be caused due to bloating and accumulation of belly fats. Hence, focusing only on abdominal exercises for getting rid of flabby stomach is not the solution. On a general note, examine the causes of the stomach problem in order to address it effectively.