Causes of Abdominal Pain and Bloating: Quick Symptom Treatment

Description of the disease

It should be noted that the formation of gases in itself is normal. During the day, up to 20 liters of them circulate through the body of a healthy person.

Gas formation in an adult without signs of pathology is caused by physiological processes. Continuous circulation of acceptable volumes does not cause discomfort and proceeds unnoticed.

A healthy intestine constantly contains up to 200 ml of gases, and the source of their appearance is as follows:

1. Gases synthesized during the breakdown of food (hydrogen, methane, nitrogen, sulfur) – 75%.
2. A reaction product of stomach acid and pancreatic juice.
3. The result of air entering during the respiratory function, when swallowing.

Gases formed by physiological processes leave the body naturally:

• through the rectum - a passage of flatulence or “farting”;
• when belching;
• during the process of exhaling air.

A certain proportion of gases in the intestine is absorbed by the walls and distributed into the bloodstream. In which direction the accumulated substance will move towards the exit is determined by the muscle tone of the diaphragm, the peritoneal wall, and the activity and mobility of the intestine. It is worth noting that constipation, excessive compaction of feces, and disruption of metabolic processes lead to inadequate distribution of gases in the blood, which provokes the onset of their excessive accumulation.

The intensity of gas release is individual for each person, but it should be emphasized that during the day, through the rectum, it is released from 13 to 21 times a day, which is not considered flatulence. The passage of flatulence is a natural physiological process.

Other reasons

Such problems with intestinal bloating can be caused not only by illness, but also by neglect of diet and certain rules and norms of food intake. Bloating can occur as a result of:

• uncontrolled consumption of drinks with a high concentration of gases: lemonade, kvass, soda, etc. Despite the fact that with one-time consumption there will be no negative consequences for the body of a healthy person, since the intestinal walls quickly absorb gases, abuse of carbonated drinks leads to their excessive accumulation;
• large amounts of air entering the stomach while eating. This happens when a person is in too much of a hurry and neglects to chew food thoroughly;
• consuming large quantities of foods, the processing of which in the stomach causes a fermentation process, which ultimately leads to the formation of gases. These products include all those that have a high content of fast carbohydrates, as well as starch and fiber, for example, various kinds of sweets, baked goods, potatoes, etc.;
• mixing products, the simultaneous use of which is undesirable. For example, it is recommended to eat fruits an hour before and one and a half to two hours after the main meal;
• using a soda-salt solution as a means of combating heartburn. Soda, when consumed in increased quantities, tends to reduce the acid concentration in the stomach, which inevitably leads to gas formation;

Reasons for appearance

The causes of bloating in adults are not limited to physiological processes. There are many of them, they are different and the symptoms expand significantly. Before prescribing adequate therapeutic regimens, it is important to identify and eliminate the negative factor that provoked the pathology.

Possible causes of flatulence:

1. Dysfunction of the enzyme system leads to insufficient production of enzymes. The food processing process is disrupted. From the upper parts of the digestive system, large volumes of unprocessed food fragments enter the intestines. They undergo putrefactive processes and fermentation, which leads to intense gas formation. The cause of excess accumulation of gases, most often in this case, is a violation of the diet.
2. Dysbacteriosis occupies a leading position among the negative influence factors. In a healthy body, most of the gases are consumed by microflora. If an imbalance of beneficial and harmful bacteria is detected in the terminal sections, the gases that are absorbed by microorganisms for normal functioning remain in excess and consistently lead to flatulence.
3. After operations on organs located in the peritoneum, stretching of the intestinal walls occurs. Motor activity and motility of the thermal areas decreases. As a result, food does not move through the intestines fully, and the processes of rotting and fermentation begin. Flatulence can also be caused by the formation of postoperative adhesions.
4. The quality of food consumed, volumes and diet may well be the cause of signs of pathological bloating. Some products provoke fermentation processes, while others promote rotting. In case of lactose intolerance, milk is a stimulator of unpleasant processes.
5. Psycho-emotional shocks do not pass without leaving a trace. The digestive system is the first to respond to stress. Spasm of the intestinal muscles inhibits the function of the organ.
6. With age, many hidden forms of diseases make themselves felt. Atrophy of the muscular layer of the intestine leads to flatulence in patients 65+.

Whatever causes bloating or cramps, it is absolutely necessary to treat flatulence in adults to prevent the development of complications.

Important! Without determining the exact cause of the symptoms, all therapeutic actions can only be aimed at eliminating the symptom, which brings temporary relief.

Diseases

Most often, people suffering from diseases that affect the intestines and disrupt its normal functioning have to deal with such symptoms. Such diseases may be:

• intestinal obstruction - a violation of its motor function, which creates an obstacle to the timely movement of food consumed by humans through the digestive tract;
• lactose intolerance – lack of enzymes responsible for the body’s absorption of milk sugar;
• dysbiosis (dysbacteriosis) is an imbalance of the microbial balance inside the intestine, as a result of which microorganisms that destabilize its functioning produce various types of gases: ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane, etc. ;
• irritable bowel syndrome or IBS is a disease accompanied by the periodic occurrence of acute pressing and cutting pain in the abdominal area, intestinal obstruction, even in the absence of organic causes;
• pancreatitis is a disease that affects the pancreas, as a result of which the so-called “self-digestion” process occurs in the body - enzymes secreted by the gland destroy its structure;
• tympany - accumulation of gases in the scar part and an increase in the size of the organ;
• Celiac disease is a disease that results in damage to the intestinal surface due to the release of toxins. A very rare disease, the probability of occurrence of which in each individual person is approximately 1/1000.

All of these diseases can occur in different ways, depending on the characteristics of a particular person’s body, in particular, the state of the immune system, but their common symptom is the release of gases in the gastrointestinal tract and subsequent bloating.

What diseases cause bloating?

Gas formation in the intestines.
Mostly, a symptom accompanied by bloating and abdominal pain makes itself felt in the presence of the following pathologies:

• gastritis, leads to disruption of the processes of protein breakdown, which, once in the intestines, provoke fermentation due to changes in the acidity of gastric juice;
• enteritis – provokes the manifestation of signs of flatulence with dysfunction of digestion and absorption due to pathological transformations of the mucous tissue;
• cirrhosis - causes disruption of the liver, which leads to insufficient synthesis of secretions that contribute to the complete processing of fats;
• intestinal obstruction – does not allow food to move normally;
• atony - causes flatulence because feces accumulate gases due to a decrease in the speed of movement;
• cholecystitis is a pathology, during the development of which, the inflamed gallbladder disrupts the outflow of secretions, which leads to dysfunction of the duodenum;
• pancreatitis – accompanied by flatulence due to defective enzymatic function of the pancreas;
• colitis – characterized by foci of inflammation and dystrophy of the large intestine, which leads to an imbalance of microflora and digestive disorders;
• intestinal infections - when ingested with food, lead to disruption of peristalsis and food absorption;
• diverticula of various etiologies.

Gas formation may occur for one of the reasons listed above. Since an adult can be a carrier of a whole “bouquet” of pathologies, negative influence factors are layered, complicating the course of the disease.

Why does bloating appear?

Severe bloating and abdominal pain are often the result of eating foods that are rich in fiber. It is fiber, which is found in large quantities in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, that provokes increased gas formation, as a result of which a person has a stomach ache, and bloating can bother him for a long time. Sometimes bloating causes lower back pain and other symptoms. The same problems occur due to frequent consumption of carbonated drinks containing carbon dioxide.

There are other causes of bloating in women and men. For example, the causes of bloating after eating can be determined by swallowing air during eating. A person swallows especially a lot of air, eating food hastily, talking while eating.

Sometimes severe bloating is the body's reaction to a stressful situation. Due to emotional overload, intestinal smooth muscles spasm peristalsis .

Constant bloating often begins to occur as a person ages. The reason for this phenomenon is age-related weakness of the intestinal muscles. Symptoms of bloating can occur in women who are menstruating.

However, it is worth remembering that belching and bloating may indicate the development of a chronic disease. Bloating, nausea, abdominal pain and other symptoms can occur with colon cancer , diverticulum , ulcerative colitis , etc.

Sometimes the causes of flatulence lie in taking certain medications. For example, antibiotics destroy intestinal microflora and provoke dysbacteriosis . If a person abuses laxatives, over time this leads to problems with the formation of gases.

Persistent bloating and gas are common in people who suffer from constipation . Feces that are retained in the intestines make it difficult to pass gases. As a result, constipation leads to the fact that a person experiences periodic abdominal pain and frequent bloating.

Most often, those people who do not pay attention to the rules of a healthy diet complain about bloating and gas formation. Therefore, doctors strongly recommend that if increased gas formation occurs, you must seriously adjust your diet. If gas formation is observed after a person has eaten a specific food, then food intolerance can be suspected. Some people suffer from lactose , which can manifest itself both from the first years of life and later, at school age. With celiac disease, the body does not accept cereal proteins

Severe bloating during pregnancy is a very common occurrence in women who are carrying a baby. Abdominal bloating in the early stages begins to bother a woman due to the fact that the pancreas does not produce enough enzymes during pregnancy. As a result, food is not digested as intensively. During pregnancy, the uterus gradually enlarges and puts pressure on the intestines. Because of this, intestinal motor functions are disrupted, and the woman has a constant feeling of heaviness and bloating in the abdomen. We should not forget that during pregnancy a woman’s hormonal levels , so the first signs of pregnancy are often expressed by bloating. Bloating as a sign of pregnancy can appear already in the first weeks. Despite the fact that bloating during pregnancy, as a rule, is not a pathology, if you constantly experience flatulence and bloating, you should tell your doctor about these symptoms. After all, a pregnant woman can develop pancreatitis , colitis and other gastrointestinal diseases.

Heaviness and bloating in women can manifest themselves in different ways in the period before the onset of menstruation. As a rule, a woman gradually begins to feel that her bloating is increasing. Pain and bloating affect the entire lower abdomen, but sometimes the pain is localized to the lower left or lower right.

Newborn babies often suffer from bloating. This phenomenon is commonly called intestinal colic. The causes of bloating in newborns are physiological in nature: the child’s gastrointestinal tract has a special structure. Gradually, over time, the digestive system matures and the colic stops. However, severe bloating after eating in a baby may also indicate gastrointestinal diseases. Therefore, consult a doctor if bloating and abdominal pain constantly bother your baby.

Despite the fact that there are many reasons leading to bloating, sometimes increased gas formation is mistaken by a person for other ailments. In some cases, a person confuses bloating of the stomach and abdomen with a heart attack , appendicitis , or gallstone disease . Only consultation with a doctor and examination will allow you to establish the correct diagnosis. You should definitely consult a specialist if abdominal pain continues for a very long time and is accompanied by vomiting, weight loss, fever, and the appearance of blood in the stool.

Flatulence during pregnancy

Abdominal bloating during pregnancy is not considered normal, since measures not taken can lead to: hypertonicity of the uterus, sleep disturbances, and loss of strength. Abdominal bloating in early pregnancy can cause miscarriage. In women during pregnancy, the causes of flatulence may be:

• enzyme deficiency;
• pathologies of the digestive system;
• poor nutrition, non-compliance with the diet;
• insufficient amount of water consumed;
• dysbacteriosis;
• the action of progesterone;
• compression of the loops of the colon.

Since the treatment of pregnant women differs from the treatment of other patients, to alleviate symptoms, food habits should be reviewed in detail. Proper, balanced food intake and exclusion of foods that cause bloating from the diet will significantly improve the situation.

Symptoms of the disease

The clinical picture of flatulence is pronounced; it is not difficult to determine excess gas formation in adults. Additional symptoms:

• increased release of gases through the anus;
• distension and increase in abdominal volume;
• frequent belching;
• pain and discomfort in the peritoneum.

The pain with this symptom is predominantly dull or aching, without a specific location. During auscultation, the patient hears loud rumbling sounds. Acute pain in the form of attacks is possible in cases where the accumulation of gases causes colic. Flatulence provokes symptoms that negatively affect the quality of life:

• attacks of nausea, vomiting;
• bad breath;
• bowel dysfunction (constipation, diarrhea);
• refusal to eat.

Sometimes, in order to relieve symptoms, it is enough to release gases in an adult - the passage of flatulence in this case is an emergency aid.

Diagnostics

The therapist begins examining the patient. Listening to complaints, examination and the results of general research help determine which direction to move next. Since there are many reasons for the formation of gases, therapeutic regimens will most likely be drawn up by a gastroenterologist, after the patient has undergone:

• radiography;
• colonoscopy;
• CT – computed tomography of the peritoneum;
• laboratory methods for studying feces, urine, blood.

Only by collecting medical history data, studying the patient’s diet, and receiving the results of instrumental and laboratory studies can a diagnosis be established. Having a clear idea of ​​what pathology is to be dealt with, the doctor prescribes adequate treatment.

Drug treatment

The choice of remedies for flatulence in adults is quite varied. What exactly the gastroenterologist will choose in a particular case will depend on the clinical picture.

The doctor prescribes medications that simultaneously eliminate the symptom and have a detrimental effect on the pathology. First of all, complex treatment includes carminative medications for bloating and antifoams. "Espumizan" destroys accumulations of foam located along the colon, thus releasing gases.

The use of enterosorbents is advisable, although they have no effect on gases. Their direct action is aimed at absorbing carbohydrates and bacteria that cause fermentation. The most commonly used sorbents in the home medicine cabinet are:

• activated carbon - commonly used tablets for bloating;
• "Polysorb";
• "Enterosgel";
• "Smecta".

If the cause of the disease is dysbacteriosis, it is worth replenishing the concentration of missing lactobacilli with probiotics (Bifidumbacterin, Linex).

If there is a lack of enzymes produced by bile, digestion can be improved with Mezim and Pancreatin.

If discomfort is accompanied by aching pain and colic, No-shpu and Papaverine are prescribed. They are more effective in cases of intense gas formation.

Photo comparison: fat or bloating

To understand what exactly is happening to your tummy is simple: press your finger on your stomach. Is it soft and stretchy? This means that fat deposits give extra volume to the waist. If it is hard and tense, then the problem is really bloating.

It is impossible to “retract” fat