How Does Bloating Occur?

Identification

Bloating is a feeling that one gets where he feels that his stomach his bigger than normal. Bloating can make clothes feel tighter and make the sufferer feel uncomfortable. At times, the abdomen will also clearly appear larger than normal. There are three things that can cause bloating; they are increases in either abdominal tissue, fluid or air. In addition, there are two types of bloating: That which occurs on a regular basis, and that which occurs every now and then. If a person is suffering from regular bloating, he should go to the doctor and rule out a tumor, or enlargement of organs that are considered intra-abdominal. However, obesity is also a factor in constant bloating. Those that suffer from occasional bloating usually can attribute it to fluid or gas that can sometimes accumulate in the colon, stomach or small intestine.

Causes

There are a number of factors that can contribute to the occasional case of intestinal gas. This type of gas comes from two sources: Intestinal bacteria and swallowing too much air. However, though both of these examples can cause bloating, it's not common for a person to become bloated on a regular basis because of swallowing too much air. Intestinal bacteria is produced by foods that the person digests, such as those which contain cellulose, sugars or starches. Typically when bloating occurs because of this it's because the sugars do not get properly digested, which in turn causes gas to occur and ultimately results in bloating. The bacteria sits in the intestine and once food hits it, gas is formed. The amount of gas that is produced is determined by how much food reaches the bacteria. If a lot of food reaches the bacteria, then the person will experience a lot of gas. If only a little food reaches the bacteria, then the person will experience a smaller amount of gas and not so much bloating. When an excess amount of gas is produced because of bacteria, the sufferer can typically expect to experience a lot of flatulence. Physical obstructions can also cause bloating. Anything that is not considered partial or temporary can not only cause bloating, but can have severe consequences for the sufferer, which will usually result in hospitalization and surgery to remove the obstruction.

Treatments

There are a number of ways in which to treat bloating caused by an accumulation of gas. If you know that you are going to eat foods that may cause flatulence, such as beans or broccoli, you can take a charcoal in the pill form. This pill is supposed to help reduce the amount of gas caused by certain foods. On the other hand, if you eat a lot of fatty foods, you may consider a change in diet. Exercise can also help you rid yourself of that "too full" feeling.