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Suffering From Bloated Stomach. Cure?
Question: My stomach feels bloated like it's 1/2 full of air and 1/2 full of jello that keeps rolling around. Doesn't matter if I have eaten or not. Bothers me during all waking hours.
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
It seems that you are suffering from severe indigestion and gas which is more of a lifestyle disease.
Feeling bloated may be due to food, eating habits, or disorders in the stomach, small intestine or gallbladder.
The main causes include -
1. Fast eating or drinking
2. Mouth breathing
3. Nasal blockage
4. Hyperventilation related to anxiety
5. Regular gum chewing
Treatment is by removing the cause.
This in mild cases can be managed with dietary and lifestyle changes. Take the following steps to help manage your symptoms:
1. Increase the amount of fluid you drink, especially water. Avoid carbonated drinks and alcoholic beverages.
2. Avoid foods that cause gas, such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, and XXXXXXX The amount of gas that different foods cause varies from person to person.
3. Avoid swallowing air. Swallowing air may increase your symptoms.
4. Eat slowly. Avoid gulping food or beverages. When you rush through meals or eat on the run, you are more likely to swallow air.
5. Chew your food thoroughly before you swallow.
6. Avoid drinking through a straw.
7. Avoid chewing gum or eating hard candy.
8. Do not smoke or use other tobacco products.
9. Avoid too hot and spicy food items.
10. Keep calm. Tension and anxiety can cause you to swallow air.
Some foods to be avoided include certain fermentable short-chained carbohydrates that are degradable by intestinal bacteria yielding large amount of gases, like hydrogen or carbon dioxide, thus causing belching and bloating. Such food include
1. White bread, pasta, pastries, cookies, onions, and asparagus, leeks, garlic, chicory roots and chicory based coffee substitutes.
2. Legumes (soy, beans, chickpeas, lentils), cabbage and brussel sprouts.
3. Honey, dried fruits like prunes, figs, dates, or raisins, apples, pears, sweet cherries, peaches, agave syrup, watermelon, papaya.
The treatment in severe cases, where belching is lasting more than 2 days would be with prescription medications (Haloperidol, Reglan, chlor ) which can be provided by your primary care provider.
In the mean time, Use of OTC medications mentioned below can be used to have some relief.
1. Activated charcoal (Charcocaps) , will absorb the excess gas produced.
2. Antacids, such as Di-Gel, Maalox Anti-Gas, and Mylanta Gas, allow gas to be belched away more easily.
3. Food enzymes, such as Beano, which help break down the sugars found in vegetables and grains, can be added to foods that cause you to have gas.
I hope the suggestions given are helpful.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
Thanks for posting your query.
It seems that you are suffering from severe indigestion and gas which is more of a lifestyle disease.
Feeling bloated may be due to food, eating habits, or disorders in the stomach, small intestine or gallbladder.
The main causes include -
1. Fast eating or drinking
2. Mouth breathing
3. Nasal blockage
4. Hyperventilation related to anxiety
5. Regular gum chewing
Treatment is by removing the cause.
This in mild cases can be managed with dietary and lifestyle changes. Take the following steps to help manage your symptoms:
1. Increase the amount of fluid you drink, especially water. Avoid carbonated drinks and alcoholic beverages.
2. Avoid foods that cause gas, such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, and XXXXXXX The amount of gas that different foods cause varies from person to person.
3. Avoid swallowing air. Swallowing air may increase your symptoms.
4. Eat slowly. Avoid gulping food or beverages. When you rush through meals or eat on the run, you are more likely to swallow air.
5. Chew your food thoroughly before you swallow.
6. Avoid drinking through a straw.
7. Avoid chewing gum or eating hard candy.
8. Do not smoke or use other tobacco products.
9. Avoid too hot and spicy food items.
10. Keep calm. Tension and anxiety can cause you to swallow air.
Some foods to be avoided include certain fermentable short-chained carbohydrates that are degradable by intestinal bacteria yielding large amount of gases, like hydrogen or carbon dioxide, thus causing belching and bloating. Such food include
1. White bread, pasta, pastries, cookies, onions, and asparagus, leeks, garlic, chicory roots and chicory based coffee substitutes.
2. Legumes (soy, beans, chickpeas, lentils), cabbage and brussel sprouts.
3. Honey, dried fruits like prunes, figs, dates, or raisins, apples, pears, sweet cherries, peaches, agave syrup, watermelon, papaya.
The treatment in severe cases, where belching is lasting more than 2 days would be with prescription medications (Haloperidol, Reglan, chlor ) which can be provided by your primary care provider.
In the mean time, Use of OTC medications mentioned below can be used to have some relief.
1. Activated charcoal (Charcocaps) , will absorb the excess gas produced.
2. Antacids, such as Di-Gel, Maalox Anti-Gas, and Mylanta Gas, allow gas to be belched away more easily.
3. Food enzymes, such as Beano, which help break down the sugars found in vegetables and grains, can be added to foods that cause you to have gas.
I hope the suggestions given are helpful.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
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