Abdominal Bloating Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments - What to Do

“Ugh, I am so bloated.” It’s a common refrain — one we’ve all probably said (out loud or to ourselves) at some point in our lives. That feeling of our bellies being inflated with gas is all too familiar, and none too pleasant. But what exactly is it, and why does it keep happening? Interestingly enough, bloating doesn’t necessarily mean your stomach (or gastrointestinal tract) is actually filled with gas; it just means it, at the least, feels that way. “Bloating is the sensation of the abdomen feeling full and tight,” Ariana Greenwood, a Colorado-based gastroenterologist, tells Allure. “You may or may not actually be full of gas or air.” Ahead, what you should know about bloating's causes, remedies, and when it might signal something more serious.

What are the most common causes of bloating?

A common cause of bloating has to do with your diet and the way your body digests certain foods. “When the body doesn’t digest something properly, waste gases are produced,” Greenwood says.

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Lisa Ganjhu, a gastroenterologist and clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health, tells Allure that doctors can point to foods that are most likely to cause feelings of bloat. “Certain foods like cruciferous veggies ([like] broccoli) or beans...will produce gas as a byproduct of digestion,” she says.

Foods containing lactose (in dairy products), fructose (in non-diet soda, fruits, and fruit juices), eggs, and wheat and gluten (in bread, pasta, and cereal) tend to be common culprits. Sugar-free candy can also be a cause, Ganjhu says, because it contains sorbitol, which is poorly digested.

Swallowing too much air can also lead to that full-belly feeling. That can happen when you’re stressed, but also when you eat or drink certain things and in certain ways. “If you swallow too much air with the straw, or if you swallow air with your food because you are eating fast or talking, the air eventually will be burped out or passed through the gut ([which causes a] bloated sensation), or eventually [as flatulence],” Ganjhu says. Drinking carbonated beverages can also play a role, as well as chewing gum.

Outside of diet, Ganjhu says slow gastrointestinal motility — when the digestive process from mouth to colon moves slowly, leading to gas getting trapped — can also cause bloat.

And Greenwood says another common cause is small intestine bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO. “We all have good and bad bacteria in our gut, and as you’d expect, problems arise when the bad bacteria overtake the good and start migrating,” she says. “The small intestine can’t accommodate bad bacteria, so when it takes root, you feel it.”

What steps can be taken to prevent bloating?

This can largely be controlled by making changes in your diet and lifestyle to avoid the common triggers. Greenwood says foods that are high in carbohydrates, multiple courses of antibiotics, and high stress levels can contribute to bloat. She suggests you start by writing down what you eat and which foods make you feel bloated. “Really understanding what foods aren’t reacting well with your body is the best way to avoid the feeling of bloat,” she says. “And keeping a good food diary will really help you keep track.”

As a general rule of thumb, try avoiding the aforementioned common food triggers and try out a diet low in what’s known as FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols). Greenwood cites apples, mangos, watermelon, milk and soft cheeses, artichokes and asparagus, baked beans, chickpeas and lentils, cauliflower, mushrooms, and sweet corn as common FODMAP foods. According to Ganjhu, these are poorly absorbed in the small intestine, which means you’re left with gas following the digestive process.

And taking a regular probiotic could also help — particularly, Greenwood notes, if SIBO is the culprit.

How can you minimize bloat once it occurs?

If you want to avoid the drugstore, Ganjhu says that some physical activity (like walking) after you eat could help reduce your bloating. But if you’re looking for more immediate relief (or if the exercise doesn’t help), she says that over-the-counter ingredients like peppermint oil or the medication simethicone — according to the Mayo Clinic, common brand names for simethicone are Gas-X, Alka-Seltzer Anti-Gas, and Mylanta Gas, among others — could do the trick. Simethicone “basically dissolves the bubbles that form in your stomach through digestion,” she says.

Is bloating ever a sign of something more serious?

It can be. Some of the serious conditions that chronic bloating may signal, Ganjhu notes, are colon cancer, stomach cancer, liver disease, and ovarian cancer.

When should a doctor be consulted about bloating?

If the bloating doesn't seem to be going away, Ganjhu says you can start by examining your diet and see how that affects your symptoms. But if you experience certain more serious symptoms in conjunction with bloating — such as significant pain, “constipation, weight loss, decreased appetite, [or] blood in your stool” — you should get to a doctor.

But it doesn’t necessarily have to get that serious before an appointment becomes a good idea. Ganjhu also recommends seeing a professional if the feelings last for several weeks or months at a time without improving.

Greenwood says the same goes for if the bloating is getting worse; if you feel new pain, tiredness, or changes in your bowel habits; or if you can’t pinpoint a cause related to food or a new medication. Once you’re at the doctor, they can take steps like reviewing your food diary, performing a physical exam, or ordering tests to try to get to the bottom of it.

Ultimately, if you’re uncertain or nervous, it doesn’t hurt to get that professional evaluation. “Go with your instincts,” Greenwood says. “If it doesn’t feel like a typical food reaction, ask your doctor.”

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