Often the human body malfunctions. In this case, a variety of phenomena can occur, which are inconvenience to its owner. In this article, I want to consider the causes of bloating and gas formation.
Terminology
At the very beginning, you need to understand the terms that will be actively used in this article. So bloating. In medical practice, this phenomenon is most often called "flatulence" or "flatulence." The people just say - "gas production". This is a special condition of the body when, due to a number of reasons, many gases accumulate in the intestine. They can cause not just discomfort, but also pain.
Symptomatology
What symptoms can a person with bloating see? Flatulence can be accompanied by the following conditions:
- The feeling of "bloating" the abdomen.
- Heaviness in the stomach.
- Outflow of gases. Often with unpleasant sounds.
- Burping.
- Bad taste in the mouth.
- Decreased or complete lack of appetite.
- Irritability, weakness, general malaise.
About the reasons
So, what are the most basic causes of bloating and flatulence? First of all, I want to say that gases in the intestine are formed due to bacteria that actively ferment carbohydrates in the large intestine (previously not processed in the small intestine). Therefore, we can draw a simple conclusion that the main cause of gas formation is precisely the intake of certain foods.
Reason 1. Food
So, we consider the main causes of bloating and gas formation. As mentioned above, the first of them is nutrition. After all, some food can be a provocateur of such an unpleasant state. This is especially true of foods that are rich in fiber. But it is completely impossible to refuse them, because along with the fact that they can cause active gas formation in the intestines, they also play the most important role in the process of digesting food and the work of the gastrointestinal tract. What are these products?
- Legumes
- Fresh vegetables.
- Fresh fruits.
- Whole grains.
Various dietary supplements, which include fiber (including flea plantain), can also lead to increased gas formation. This will be especially noticeable if such drugs are introduced into the diet too rapidly. In addition, bloating and gas formation can be "obtained" if you eat food, which is called "fast food".
Reason 2. Power Mode
The causes of bloating after eating are hidden in a variety of errors in the diet of a person. What, then, must be known and remembered?
- Legumes can increase gas formation in the intestine up to 10 times.
- If you want to avoid flatulence and bloating, it is better to abandon excessive and too frequent consumption of foods such as cabbage, sorrel, grapes, spinach, raspberries, gooseberries, sweet apples, dates, raisins, beer, kvass, brown bread.
- Raw vegetables should be eaten in small quantities. It is best to boil them or steam.
- In the same way, meat and poultry must also be cooked. Too fatty and fried foods can also contribute to overly active gas and bloating.
- You need to eat only in a calm state of the body. This must be done while sitting. Chew food carefully, slowly. Also, doctors do not recommend drinking water with water.
Reason 3. Water
We further consider the causes of bloating and flatulence. Water consumption can also lead to such an unpleasant state.
- If you drink carbonated water too often.
- If you drastically change the usual water for the body (this happens when a person moves for a certain time to a new region of residence - to visit, to rest, etc.).
- If a person likes to drink food with water.
Reason 4. Ingestion of air
What are the causes of frequent bloating? So, it can be a habit to swallow too much and often swallow air. It is worth saying that every person swallows a certain amount daily. This happens at the time of eating, drinking, talking. This is normal. But in some cases, you can capture too much air, which will lead to its large accumulation in the intestine. Part of it will come out along with belching, part of it will have to leave the body in a different natural way. When can a person swallow too much excess air (which leads to bloating and excessive gas formation)?
- Often this happens in those people who like to chew gum.
- Increased gas generation threatens those who like to talk with food.
- Excess air also enters the body if a person drinks water through a tube.
- Doctors say that you do not need to drink food with water. It also leads to gas formation.
- Those people who like to eat “on the go” also suffer from this problem.
Reason 5. Stress and the wrong way of life
What else are the reasons for frequent bloating? So, this can be the most common stress. In this case, the body fails. It can be almost anything. Including increased gas formation. An incorrect lifestyle also leads to a similar phenomenon. What does this mean?
- Lack of exercise. Those. when a person leads an inactive, sedentary lifestyle. Scientists say that in this case intestinal motility slows down most often , constipation may occur, which is accompanied by fermentation and rotting in its lower parts (which leads to active gas formation).
- With the wrong way of life, a person is often diagnosed with a lazy intestine, which is also accompanied by increased gas formation.
- It must also be said that for the proper functioning of the body, a person must have sufficient time to rest. In this case, a full sleep is very important. Only in this way can the intestines “rest” and get ready for work.
Reason 6. Age
What other causes of severe bloating are? So, a similar phenomenon is often observed in elderly people. This occurs due to age-related changes in the body. Over time, the muscles of the intestines weaken, which causes flatulence. In medical practice, this condition is called "age-related atony."
Reason 7. Profession
It is also worth mentioning that the causes of bloating in men (as well as in women) can be associated with professional activities. So, experts say that climbers often suffer from increased gas formation. This phenomenon is called "high altitude mountaineering." Everything happens due to a change in pressure during a rise to a certain height.
Reason 8. Taking medication
What are the causes of bloating in the upper abdomen? So, the reception of certain medications can lead to a similar phenomenon.
- Antibiotics. During their administration, intestinal microflora is often destroyed, which causes increased flatulence.
- Laxatives If a person abuses their intake, this can lead to increased gas formation, bloating. A similar phenomenon affects women who want to lose weight by cleansing their body with the help of such medical devices.
Reason 9. Diseases
Some diseases are also the main causes of bloating and nausea. If the diet and the intake of certain foods should not cause a similar condition, you need to check with a gastroenterologist. After all, certain diseases may turn out to be the culprits. So, flatulence, bloating can indicate that a person has diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, colon cancer, Crohn's disease, or another disease.
Reason 10. Constipation
There are still causes of bloating after eating. So, this may be the most common constipation. In this case, a person has an accumulation of feces, which prevents the normal periodic discharge of gases. They accumulate in the body, which causes bloating, discomfort and other unpleasant sensations.
Reason 11. Food Intolerance
What other causes of bloating of the upper abdomen are? So, if a person observes a similar state after consuming certain foods, one should seek medical help. After all, it may be that the body simply cannot or cannot process the carbohydrates contained in this food product. For example, it can be a celiac disease, when a person cannot eat cereal crops. With their consumption, excessive gas formation, bloating occurs.
Women
Separately, I would like to consider the causes of bloating in a woman. Indeed, often among the fair sex a similar phenomenon can occur independently of all of the above reasons.
- Menopause. Bloating often disturbs women during this period in life (age from 45 to 60 years). In this case, the blame is on hormones that affect the functioning of the whole organism, including the intestines.
- Premenstrual period. Often, bloating is observed in women in the period before menstruation. Again, in this case, everything happens due to a change in the hormonal background.
- Pregnancy. Also during pregnancy, a woman has excessive bloating. If this happens in the first trimester, the hormonal background is again to blame. If in recent months, this may be due to the fact that an enlarged uterus presses on the intestines, which impedes its normal functioning.
From all of the above reasons, we can draw a simple conclusion that any hormonal changes in a woman's body can cause a wide variety of problems and unforeseen situations, including bloating.
Children
What are the causes of bloating in a child? If we talk about newborns, then the fault is the setup of the baby’s gastrointestinal tract. The organs of the crumbs still do not work as in an adult, they only develop, are tuned. In addition, they are still too weak to fully digest even the food that enters the body - mother's milk or a mixture. Often this leads to colic, which affects almost all children under the age of three months. Most often, after this period, the gastrointestinal tract is set to work, it is already getting used to new conditions, and such a phenomenon disappears by itself. The causes of bloating in the lower abdomen in an older child most often lie in an improper diet or in the consumption of those products that contribute to increased gas formation. If parents exclude this, you should seek the help of a doctor. After all, such a phenomenon may be a symptom of some disease.
What to do?
Having considered all the possible causes of bloating in a woman, man and child, I want to say a few words about how to deal with this problem. First of all, we need to determine the reason why this happens. And only then begin to act. The following medications can be used:
- The drug "Motilium." It is made by the Belgian company. This is a remedy for increased gas formation. Available in three types: tablets (including lingual), as well as in suspension. An important point: the medicine does not need to be drunk, it quickly dissolves in the tongue, immediately starting its work in the intestine.
- The drug "Bobotik." These are drops of the Polish manufacturer, which are mainly prescribed for children (including newborns). However, the drug can also be used by adults. Often, doctors prescribe it to women during pregnancy and lactation.
- The drug "Motilak." Russian product, where the synthesized domperidone is the active active ingredient. The drug is designed to improve intestinal motility, “relieve” bloating, relieve feelings of overeating, belching and heartburn.
- The drug "Unienzyme." Indian origin. This is an enzymatic digestive agent containing components that reduce flatulence.
- The drug "Enterosgel." This is a new generation adsorbent drug. Its main component - polymethylsiloxane polyhydrate - resembles a silicon sponge, which absorbs substances harmful to the body. Available as a paste or suspension. It has no side effects and can be taken safely with other medicines.