Nigh people experience abdominal swelling or bloating at some point, due to diverse causes. It feels as though the breadbasket has expanded and stretched, which can exist uncomfortable.

Having too much to eat or consuming food that causes gas can crusade temporary swelling in the stomach. Even so, if the swelling is frequent, it may point a dietary issue or be a sign of a more than serious underlying condition.

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Some common causes of a swollen breadbasket include IBS and lactose intolerance.

Below are some of the possible causes of a swollen tummy, along with their treatment options:

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder that causes symptoms such every bit:

  • bloating
  • stomach pain or discomfort
  • constipation or diarrhea

According to the American Higher of Gastroenterology (ACG), the cause of IBS is unknown. However, the ACG note that people with IBS tend to take higher levels of sensitivity in the intestines than those who do not accept the condition.

Treatment

There is no cure for IBS. However, the post-obit dwelling house treatments may help alleviate the symptoms:

  • fugitive or limiting gas-producing foods, such as:
    • fructose, a fruit sugar
    • lactose, a milk sugar
    • beans
    • onions
    • cabbage
    • broccoli
    • carbonated drinks
    • sugar substitutes, such as sorbitol and mannitol
  • eating foods more slowly
  • avoiding overeating
  • introducing more than fiber into the diet, just doing then gradually to avoid aggravating bloating

Some medical treatment options include:

  • antidiarrheal drugs to reduce the frequency of bowel movements, in people with diarrhea
  • laxatives to promote bowel movements, in people with constipation
  • medications to save hurting

Lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance is a digestive disorder in which a person is unable to digest the sugar lactose, which is present in milk.

A person with lactose intolerance will develop uncomfortable or painful symptoms within a few hours of consuming milk or dairy products. These symptoms may include:

  • breadbasket bloating
  • stomach cramps and pains
  • tum rumbling
  • gas
  • flatulence
  • nausea

The severity of the symptoms varies depending on how much lactose a person has consumed.

Treatment

The best way to forbid the symptoms of lactose intolerance is to avoid foods and beverages that comprise lactose.

Alternatively, people can attempt taking lactase pills or capsules before eating a meal that contains lactose. The enzyme lactase helps the body assimilate this sugar.

Some of the causes of stomach bloating are more serious. They include those beneath:

Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is a condition in which functioning liver cells become replaced with nonfunctioning scar tissue. Liver scarring tin can cause increased claret pressure in the claret vessels surrounding the liver. This, in turn, can cause fluid to accumulate in the abdomen.

The causes of liver affliction range from underlying medical conditions to the long-term overconsumption of alcohol.

Treatment

The treatment approach for cirrhosis depends on its underlying cause. In most cases, information technology is non possible to cure cirrhosis. Nevertheless, the following lifestyle changes can help a person manage their symptoms while preventing the disease from progressing:

  • avoiding alcohol
  • quitting smoking
  • losing weight, if necessary
  • performing regular do to maintain muscle mass
  • practicing good hygiene to reduce the risk of infections
  • talking to a md almost whatever necessary vaccinations

People can reduce stomach swelling by cutting table salt out of their nutrition. They can also accept a diuretic to aid fluid bleed from the body.

Autoimmune diseases

In people with autoimmune diseases, the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy cells in the trunk.

Autoimmune atrophic gastritis (AAG) is an autoimmune disease in which the allowed system destroys parietal cells in the stomach. These cells make stomach acid, which the body requires to absorb vitamin B12. In AAG, the gradual loss of parietal cells can pb to iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency.

The possible symptoms of AAG include:

  • a feeling of fullness in the upper abdomen afterwards eating
  • stomach pain
  • nausea
  • airsickness

The cause of AAG is unclear, but people may exist at higher run a risk if they have:

  • autoimmune thyroiditis
  • type I diabetes
  • Addison's disease — an endocrine disorder
  • vitiligo, which is a lack of melanin in areas of the skin

Scientists also believe that the condition might have a genetic factor, equally it seems to be heritable.

Treatment

The treatment for AAG involves addressing whatever nutrient deficiencies. People with iron deficiency may crave intravenous iron infusions, while those with vitamin B12 deficiency may crave vitamin B12 injections.

Congestive heart failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a affliction that reduces the center'due south ability to pump claret effectually the body. This impairment causes blood to build upwards in the chest. The fluid may then seep downwardly into the abdomen, causing stomach swelling.

Other possible symptoms of CHF include:

  • persistent cough or wheezing
  • shortness of jiff
  • increased eye charge per unit
  • tiredness
  • fatigue
  • nausea
  • lack of appetite
  • confusion
  • impaired thinking

Congestive heart failure generally develops as a result of other atmospheric condition, such as high blood pressure and coronary avenue illness.

Treatment

The treatment for CHF may involve one or more of the following:

  • lifestyle changes, such as:
    • quitting smoking, if relevant
    • avoiding or limiting alcohol and caffeine
    • being physically active
    • eating a heart-healthy diet
    • managing stress
  • medications, such every bit:
    • angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
    • beta-blockers
    • diuretics
  • surgery

There are many other possible reasons why a person's tum might groovy. According to the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders, these reasons include:

  • high table salt intake
  • hypersensitivity to the digestive procedure
  • imbalance of gut microbiota
  • pocket-sized intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
  • gallstones
  • a blockage in the intestine
  • an increased curvature at the bottom of the spine, which reduces the space for gas in the abdomen
  • edema due to some types of cancer or cancer treatment

If a person experiences severe or persistent stomach swelling, their doctor may run i or more than of the post-obit tests to identify the cause:

  • fecal analysis
  • blood tests
  • intestinal X-rays
  • barium swallow test, which uses X-rays to paradigm the esophagus (nutrient piping) while a person swallows food
  • barium enema, which uses Ten-rays to paradigm the lower intestinal tract
  • gastric emptying browse, which is a test to make up one's mind how quickly nutrient exits the stomach
  • endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which involves the use of a flexible scope to epitome the upper GI tract

The constructive treatment of stomach swelling usually requires the identification and treatment or management of the underlying cause. However, people may also do good from some full general strategies to assistance ease the swelling.

If a person believes that their stomach swelling is related to their nutrition, they may wish to endeavour the low FODMAP nutrition. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. Foods that are high in FODMAPS usually cause gas or abdominal force per unit area. By removing loftier FODMAP foods from their diet, a person may reduce the frequency or severity of breadbasket bloating.

Some medical treatments that may help reduce stomach swelling include:

  • antispasmodics to reduce muscle spasms
  • probiotics to help redress the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut
  • prokinetics to control acid reflux
  • rifaximin (Xifaxan) to restrict the growth of diarrhea-causing bacteria

A person should see their doctor if they experience severe, persistent, or recurrent stomach swelling, particularly if other symptoms back-trail the swelling.

The outlook for a person with a swollen stomach depends entirely on the cause. People can talk to a physician for information on their individual treatment options and outlook.

If the stomach regularly swells later a meal, a person should consider eliminating gas-producing foods from their diet. Foods that cause gas include:

  • food that contains starch, such equally potatoes
  • beans, particularly pinto or baked beans
  • cabbage
  • Brussels sprouts
  • asparagus
  • broccoli
  • artichokes
  • onions
  • apples
  • prunes
  • carbonated drinks

There are many potential causes of breadbasket swelling. Some are relatively benign and transient and may be related to a person's diet. Others may bespeak an underlying health status that requires treatment.

A person should come across their doctor if they experience astringent, persistent, or recurrent stomach swelling. A doctor will work to diagnose the cause and provide appropriate treatments.