Bloating Treatment in Brisbane

If you’re bloated, you may:

• Notice that your tummy is rumbling or making noises
• Pass wind more often than usual
• Have a sore or painful tummy
• Find that your belly feels bigger than usual.

As mentioned above, the most common cause of bloating is having extra gas in your gut. That can happen for a few reasons.

Sometimes it’s what (or how) you eat. Many foods produce intestinal gas, including beans, lentils, broccoli, cabbage, starchy foods, natural sugars found in milk and fruit, artificial sweeteners and fibre-rich foods. Fizzy drinks can have the same effect. Sometimes, eating too quickly creates gas too – you gulp down a lot of air along with your food when you do that.

Some digestive problems are associated with increased gas in your stomach, including:

• Constipation
• Coeliac disease
• Food intolerances
• Irritable bowel syndrome.

Bloating can also happen around the time of your period.

Easing bloating depends a little on the most likely cause of it. To relieve your symptoms, you could try:

• Exercising, which will help improve your digestion
• Massaging your stomach to release wind
• Chewing with your mouth closed to avoid swallowing air
• Drinking plenty of water
• Easing constipation
• Eating smaller, more frequent meals instead of large ones
• Avoiding foods you can’t tolerate (e.g. foods containing lactose) or gas-producing foods like cabbage
• Talking to a pharmacist about over-the-counter medications that can ease bloating

Most bloating is uncomfortable but not cause for serious concern. However, sometimes it can be a sign of something more serious such as an infection, tumour or underlying condition.

See your doctor if your bloating:

• Has lasted 3 weeks or more
• Is happening every 3-4 days or more frequently
• Hasn’t gone away despite changes to your diet
• Is accompanied by:
  • A swelling or lump in your stomach
  • Sickness, diarrhoea, constipation, weight loss or blood in your stool
• Makes it hard for you to move or complete your daily activities.

To learn more about your experience of bloating, your doctor will probably ask detailed questions about:

• Your diet – and whether the bloating links to certain foods you eat
• Your medical history
• How long the bloating lasts for
• Whether it is linked to your menstrual cycle
• Current medications
• Any other symptoms

If your doctor thinks you’d benefit from further investigations, you might be referred for imaging scans or a colonoscopy.