Bloating is stomachdistentiondue to pressure inside the organ.

This uncomfortable feeling of fullness or tightness can make your stomach appear larger and clothes to feel tighter.

How you relieve bloating depends on what’s causing it.

What Causes Bloating?

But there are other potential causes as well.

Abdominal bloating will continue until the food in anoverfull stomachis digested or accumulated gas is released.

This can take hours or days.

What You Eat or Drink

What you eat or drink can also lead to bloating.

Common food allergies include:

Health Conditions

Several medical conditions can cause bloating and other digestive symptoms.

Common ones are:

Bloating can also be because of the hormonal fluctuations that occur during menstruation.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Bloating is rarely a sign of a serious medical problem.

If you notice that you become bloated after eating certain foods, bring it up to your healthcare provider.

You may have a food sensitivity or intolerance.

It may be due to certain conditions that need to be diagnosed and treated.

Besides those conditions already mentioned, this includeskidneyorheart failureboth of which can cause fluid to accumulate in the abdomen.

You and your healthcare provider may then be able to see a pattern.

Be sure to note any other symptoms, as well.

However, it is rarely something to worry about.

Many OTC medications may help relieve bloating.

If you continue to have frequent bloating, make an appointment with your healthcare provider.

Eating slowly may also help.

Drinking with a straw increases the likelihood of swallowing air, which can lead to gas and bloating.

The same goes for fizzy drinks, like soda, which contain lots of bubbles.

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