Bloating: Causes and Treatment in Adults, Prevention

Gas formation in the intestine is a natural process that occurs in the body of a healthy person. Normally, a person does not feel any discomfort at the same time, but for a number of reasons, gases can form too actively and the state of health worsens. Increased gas production can be considered in cases where the release of gases occurs more than 25 times a day at a rate of about 10-14. What are the reasons for this phenomenon and how to get rid of the problem?

Causes and symptoms of increased gas formation

The gases produced in the intestines are methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen. They provide normal peristalsis, help food move through the intestines and are excreted by belching or through the rectum, and a small amount is absorbed into the bloodstream.

With excessive gas formation, a phenomenon occurs, which is usually called bloating - it becomes hard, increases in size, and a person has an eructation, discharge of gases with an unpleasant odor, rumbling and the discomfort. Sometimes bloating is accompanied by nausea, painful cramps, general weakness and heaviness in the abdomen, but usually all unpleasant symptoms disappear after a bowel movement. The causes of excessive gas formation can be non-pathological, that is, those that are not associated with diseases of the internal organs, or pathological. The first category includes the following factors:

• violation of the diet (a person has a snack on the go, chews food poorly, eats too quickly, overeats);
• the use of harmful foods or those that cause the formation of gases - cabbage, legumes, rich foods, fatty foods;
• elimination of heartburn with soda;
• frequent consumption of carbonated drinks;
  

  Diseases that contribute to increased gas production

• the habit of chewing gum, sucking lollipops or gnawing seeds;
• smoking and alcohol abuse;
• excessive physical activity;
• long-term use of certain medications (anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, laxatives);
• stressful situations - during stress in some people, the normal intestinal motility is disrupted;
• menstruation or pregnancy.

In the above cases, gas formation and flatulence do not require medical attention - it is enough to adjust the lifestyle and diet. With the development of diseases and pathologies of the digestive system, which are often the causes of bloating abdomen, you cannot do without a medical consultation, otherwise malfunctions in the body can cause unpleasant effects. Most often, gas formation caused by pathological reasons is accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms and manifestations.

Table. The causes of bloating, symptoms.

The reason for the bloating	Additional symptoms
Dysbacteriosis (imbalance between beneficial and pathogenic intestinal microflora)	Mild abdominal discomfort, yellowish or greenish stool, vomiting, fever, and severe cramps are absent
Ulcerative lesions of the stomach and duodenum	Heartburn, pain, impaired bowel movements
Cholecystitis	Bitter taste in the mouth, heartburn (with increased acid production or stones), fever
Inflammatory bowel processes, dynamic obstruction	Passage of gas, constipation, nausea and vomiting
Pancreatitis	Intense abdominal pain, nausea, loose stools, aversion to fatty foods
Intestinal infections (bacterial infection, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis)	Soreness in the abdomen, frequent loose stools, nausea and vomiting, fever (often to high numbers)
Mechanical obstruction (adhesions, tumors, stenosis)	Pale skin, paroxysmal pain, confusion, fainting, abdominal distention
Helminthic invasion	Diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, itching and burning in the anus
Vascular obstruction	Unpleasant sensations in the abdomen, diarrhea with blood in the feces

Why is bloating dangerous?

Bloating itself cannot be called a disease, so it does not pose a direct threat to life or health. But diseases and pathologies that are accompanied by this phenomenon can cause serious complications - for example, intestinal obstruction is a dangerous pathology that requires immediate surgical interference.

In addition, constant gas formation can cause disruptions in the digestive system, impairment of absorption of nutrients, decreased intestinal tone and the development of putrefactive processes in the intestines. Troubles with digestion have a negative impact on performance, appearance and psycho-emotional background. person: the patient becomes irritable, gets tired faster, the skin becomes earthy and dirty, the hair becomes dull and brittle.

What to do with bloating symptoms?

If bloating is rare and has precise causes (for example, occurs after heavy meals, the use of certain foods, etc.), the patient should not have serious fears. In cases where this condition accompanies a person for a long time, it is recommended to consult a doctor as soon as possible. To establish the cause of gas formation, the patient will need to undergo a series of tests, including blood tests, feces, ultrasound and abdominal x-rays, gastroscopy of the stomach. Comprehensive diagnostics will help to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.

Treating bloating: general guidelines

To eliminate bloating and gas formation, first of all, you should normalize the diet. Food should be taken at the same time, and the meals should be complete (first, second), chew it thoroughly, without talking or being distracted by extraneous activities. Food should not be washed down with water, this can also provoke increased gas formation. It is better to exclude whole milk from the diet, replacing it with fermented milk products, fatty meat, offal, baked goods, peas, buckwheat, carbonated drinks, chocolate and coffee.

In addition, you need to limit the consumption of raw vegetables and fruits - despite the fact that they contain vitamins and minerals, such foods cause fermentation in the intestines. It is preferable to use them in a thermally processed form - boil, bake, steam.

In order to normalize the digestive processes, it is necessary, if possible, to abandon heavy physical exertion, especially after eating, lead an active lifestyle and exclude bad habits.

Treatment of bloating with medications

To eliminate bloating, several groups of medications are used that relieve unpleasant symptoms and improve the patient's well-being.

1. Defoamers. The mechanism of action of drugs is based on the deposition of mucous foam, which contains air bubbles that cause discomfort. After taking the drug, air is removed from the intestines through the mucous membrane. Defoamers are non-addictive, non-toxic, and can be used even in childhood. The most effective drugs include Espumisan, Redugaz, Simethicone.
   

   "Redugaz"

2. Probiotics. This category includes agents that populate the microflora with beneficial microorganisms and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. Usually used to eliminate dysbiosis and the consequences of taking antibiotics. The most famous probiotic preparations are Hilak Forte, Linex, Yogulakt, Bifidumbacterin.
   

   "Linex"

3. Enterosorbents. Medicines that absorb excess gases in the intestines along with toxins and harmful substances. The disadvantage of drugs is that, together with gases, they remove useful elements, so it is not recommended to take enterocents for a long time. This group of drugs includes white and black coal, Enterosgel, Polysorb, Smecta.
   

   "Polysorb"

4. Enzymatic preparations. They are used in case of insufficient production of pancreatic enzymes, eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of overeating. The list of such medications includes "Creon", "Festal", "Pancreatin".
   

   "Pancreatin"

5. Dopamine antagonists. Drugs that block the activity of special receptors and improve intestinal motility. Effectively eliminate nausea, belching and abdominal pain, provide normal bowel movements and gas. The most common drugs in this category are Domperidone, Motilium.

Before taking any of the above drugs, you should consult your doctor and carefully read the list of contraindications and side effects. Do not forget that all medications used for bloating eliminate only the symptoms, but not the cause of the discomfort. In case of serious diseases and pathologies, they can blur the clinical picture of the disease and complicate the diagnosis.

Treatment of bloating with folk remedies

In addition to drugs, increased gas production and flatulence can be treated with folk recipes that work no less effectively than pharmaceutical drugs.

1. Dill decoction. A remedy that is used to eliminate abdominal colic in babies can also be used in adults. Pour a tablespoon of plant seeds with half a liter of water, boil, leave for 3 hours, take 170 ml after meals. You can use fennel instead of regular dill.
   

   Dill decoction

2. Potato juice. Raw potato juice is good for eliminating gas and flatulence. Grate peeled and washed root vegetables, squeeze a glass of juice and drink a few tablespoons daily. After taking the drug, you need to lie down for 10-15 minutes, the course of treatment is no more than 10 days.
3. Dandelion root infusion. Take 2 tablespoons of crushed raw materials per liter of boiling water, leave for several days, then filter and drink before each meal.
   

   Dandelion roots

4. Carrot seeds. Carrots and their seeds can help normalize digestion and help relieve unpleasant symptoms of bloating. Grind the seeds of the plant in a coffee grinder, take 1/3 tablespoon daily 2-3 times a day, or use as a seasoning for dishes.
5. Herbal collection. The most effective for flatulence is a herbal collection consisting of valerian, fennel and mint in proportions 1: 1: 2. The components must be mixed, take two tablespoons of the collection, steam with a glass of boiling water and leave for three hours. Take half a glass twice a day.

Instead of tea and coffee for bloating, it is recommended to drink decoctions of chamomile, mint, valerian root, St. John's wort, and add spices and spices to dishes that reduce gas formation - these include parsley, cumin, ginger, cardamom.

Since regular bloating can indicate serious diseases of the digestive system and internal organs, self-medication can aggravate the patient's condition, therefore, if characteristic symptoms appear, one should consult with a doctor.

Video - Bloating. Causes and features