Stomach bloating is a common problem that most people have experienced at least once in their lives. Most of the time, it is not something to be overly concerned about, but prolonged stomach bloating can be a sign of a larger problem.
Treating the underlying cause might help reduce or eliminate your stomach bloat. Here are seven possible causes and some tips for how to combat them or when you should seek medical advice.
1. Food allergies
Although food allergies are not as common as people think, they can definitely cause a lot of stomach bloating and other symptoms of discomfort, such as intestinal pain and acid reflux. The reason behind this is that an allergic reaction to food can irritate the intestines and cause them to release histamines and other chemicals into the bloodstream in defense. Histamines are responsible for many allergy symptoms, including swelling and inflammation. In addition to causing your stomach to bloat, they also make it easier for digestive enzymes to reach your bloodstream and enter your body’s circulatory system.
2. Dietary triggers
Eating foods such as beans, bananas or cereal can cause gas and bloating that usually gets better shortly after eating them. Lactose intolerance is another common cause of gas and bloating. You’re lactose intolerant when your small intestine doesn’t produce enough lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose (the sugar found in dairy products).
3. Hormonal imbalance
When your body doesn’t produce enough stomach acid or has too much of it, you can suffer from heartburn and excess gas as a result of this imbalance. These symptoms can make you feel bloated nearly all the time and it’s very uncomfortable and painful.
4. Eating too much high fat food Eating too much high-fat food can cause the body to retain gas because the body cannot break down such foods easily. This leads to a build-up of gas because the bacteria in your intestines ferment whatever is left over and cannot pass through your intestines effectively.
