Bloated Stomach: How Does It Develop and What Helps Against It?
A thick bloated stomach is unpleasant – but also avoidable. How the annoying complaints arise and what helps against it, we reveal here.
Help, Bloated Stomach!
Who does not know it: Just a moment ago we had a tasty meal in the restaurant, now our stomach is rumbling, which feels thick and hard. Such an inflated belly (meteorism) is very unpleasant – especially when we are on the road and cannot cuddle up on the sofa with a hot water bottle. If this unpleasant feeling of fullness is accompanied by flatulence (flatulence), we want to hide from any company until our intestinal flora is back in balance.
How is an distended stomach created?
An bloated stomach can have various causes, but often it is rather harmless and can be attributed to the diet. A simple example: You are sitting in your lunch break and hastily devour a roll because it is actually already time for the next meeting. Because of the hurry, you unfortunately swallow a lot of air as well as food. The most common consequence: a feeling of fullness and embarrassing burping. A small part of the swallowed air, however, also moves further into the digestive tract and may even make you fart.
Typical causes of bloated stomach
The digestion itself
Most of the intestinal gases develop during digestion itself. If stomach and fatty acids are neutralised in the intestine, carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced, for example. One part of the CO2 is exhaled, the second part mixes with other components such as water, nitrogen, methane, ammonia, sulphur and other fermentation components.
It is this mixture that is responsible for the unpleasant smell when farting.
Sometimes the intestines react sluggishly and blockages occur. Here a gentle defecation can help: Either with appropriate remedies from the pharmacy or with gentle alternatives, for example a glass of sauerkraut juice.
Flatulent and fatty foods
Flatulent or fatty foods can also lead to meteorism. A bloated stomach is favoured by onions, cabbage and pulses, for example. After eating them, they cause increased air to be produced in the intestines. In addition, various food intolerances, such as fructose intolerance, can drive our digestive tract crazy and cause an inflated stomach. Anyone who is sensitive to such foods should therefore eat them in moderation for their own intestinal health – and not necessarily before an important meeting.
Irritable bowel syndrome as the culprit
If doctors cannot find an organic cause for common digestive problems such as flatulence and bloating, they usually speak of irritable bowel syndrome, or irritable bowel for short. This is a permanent functional disorder that lasts for more than three months according to medical guidelines. In fact, those affected usually have to struggle with irritable bowel symptoms for many years – sometimes for the rest of their lives.
In many cases, however, irritable bowel syndrome can be brought under control with a little time, an adjustment in diet and possibly medication. For example, people with irritable bowel syndrome often feel better if they eat five to seven small meals instead of three large ones and drink at least 2.5 litres of water a day. Luxury foods such as coffee or alcohol should only be consumed in moderation. The best thing to do is to keep a dietary diary to record what you have eaten and drunk and whether or which symptoms this has caused. In this way, you can gradually determine which foods are better not to eat.
Paralyzed intestine
In a so-called intestinal paralysis, the muscles of the intestinal wall are paralyzed. Normally, food is transported by rhythmic movements of the intestinal wall – this process no longer functions. The phenomenon is usually caused by inflammation in the abdominal cavity, for example in appendicitis. Typical symptoms are an bloated stomach, nausea and vomiting.
Bowel paralysis can usually be remedied without surgery. The intestinal contents are suctioned out and liquids, salts in the form of electrolytes and antibiotics are added.
Yeast fungi
Another, but rather rare reason for a bloated stomach is a too high proportion of Candida yeast fungi (for example Candida albicans) in the intestine. If these begin to grow, for example due to a weakened immune system, flatulence and constipation, but also diarrhoea, can occur. We feel tired and gain weight continuously. In addition, Candida loves sugar – a high consumption of sweet food therefore ensures that the yeast fungus spreads and increasingly coats the inner walls of the intestines. Candida can be treated with a medicinal anti-fungal cure. But also a low-sugar diet with lots of vegetables and proteins deprives the yeast fungus of its basis for growth.
What flatulence sufferers can learn from irritable bowel patients
Often even small changes in lifestyle help to get meteorism under control. The tips that help against irritable bowel syndrome are also usually helpful for those affected by general digestive problems:
- Eat five to seven small meals a day
- Avoidance of flatulent and fatty foods
- Few stimulants such as coffee or alcohol
- Little sugar and fructose
Home remedy against bloated stomach
A bloated stomach can be treated particularly gently with spices: Cumin or grated ginger not only prevent flatulence, they also give pulses like beans a pleasant aroma. Aniseed, fennel or dill seeds on the bread topping also work.
If your stomach presses and hurts, it is best to try a stomach massage to relieve the discomfort: To do this, simply stroke the abdominal wall with gentle pressure with your fingertips in circular movements clockwise.
Insider tip: Rosemary tea
Three to four cups of tea with rosemary a day help with acute complaints and support intestinal health. For this you need:
- One teaspoon rosemary leaves, chopped
- 150 millilitres of water
Simply pour the water over the leaves, cover and let the tea steep for ten minutes.