A large number of people know about such a problem as bloating observed after eating. Most often, a similar symptom is observed in pregnant women or in someone who has already crossed the 30-year threshold. Why does the stomach swell after eating? As a rule, this happens after festive feasts or the use of incompatible products. But sometimes this phenomenon is a symptom of a disease.
Let's try to figure out why the stomach swells after eating, and how to get rid of this unpleasant phenomenon.
Main symptoms
A very unpleasant, but at the same time common phenomenon in which the stomach swells after eating, in scientific language it is called "flatulence". It is understood as the accumulation and retention of gases in the intestinal area. A similar process is the cause of a feeling of distension of the abdomen that appears in a person with a simultaneous increase in its size. At the same time, it is often possibleobserve rumbling accompanied by passages of flutulence - pathological release of digestive gases formed. Sometimes a person begins to complain of aching dull pains, the localization of which is quite difficult to determine. Sometimes such uncomfortable sensations have a cramping character, subsiding after the act of defecation or the process of passing gases.
An unpleasant increase in the size of the abdomen occurs with severe flatulence. In such cases, there is a violation of the separation of gases. There is an alternation of delays and gas release, which is accompanied by an unpleasant odor due to the presence of impurities indole, skatole and hydrogen sulfide.
In cases where the cause of the bloating that has occurred is a violation of the digestive tract, a person complains of nausea and belching of air, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, diarrhea or constipation, as well as a decrease in appetite. There are also disturbances from the nervous system. A person suffers from insomnia, becomes irritable and overwhelmed, loses his ability to work. Extraintestinal symptoms may also occur. This is a burning sensation in the esophagus, tachycardia, as well as pain in the heart with disturbances in its rhythm.
Often, bloating occurs in newborns, as well as in children under one year old. Its manifestation is intestinal colic. During feeding, the baby is nervous, and after a short period of time after it, he starts screaming and pulling his legs to his stomach.
Development mechanism
Gases in the intestines are always present. And this for the human body is physiologic althe norm. The formation of gases is facilitated by air that enters the digestive tract at the same time as food. A certain amount of gases is released during the digestion of products. They are also formed when natural bicarbonates act on gastric and pancreatic juice in order to neutralize the latter. A small percentage of gases enter the blood from the intestines.
However, a deviation from the norm is also possible. In this case, the gas begins to accumulate in the stomach or intestines. Outwardly, it becomes like foam from bubbles covered with a thin layer of rather viscous mucus. Due to the fact that the walls of the intestines are abundantly covered with such foam, it is difficult to break down food, digest it, and absorb nutrients into the blood.
Let's consider the main causes of such a condition in which the stomach swells after eating.
Irrational nutrition
Why does the stomach swell after eating? In many cases, malnutrition contributes to the onset of this symptom. It is possible that a person has eaten too much food or included certain foods in their diet that caused flatulence. If the stomach swells after eating, what should I do? If you want to eat a lot, it is worth switching to a fractional meal. This will fix the problem that has arisen. In addition, you will have to eliminate foods that increase gas formation from the diet. Their list includes those whose composition is distinguished by an abundance of fiber. Because of this, gases are formed in the body. Carbohydrates, once in the digestive system, are very easily absorbed by it. However, in the bodythe fermentation process starts. It causes an increase in the volume of the abdomen and heaviness in the stomach. That is why you should eat less legumes and apples, eggs and black bread, kvass, and cabbage.
Because of what does the stomach swell after eating? The causes of such a symptom of an exogenous nature make up a rather impressive list, and listing all of them is quite difficult. Consider only the most common of them:
- Inclusion in the menu of products that do not go well with each other. When they enter the digestive system, they begin to negatively affect the activity of intestinal bacteria. The result of this is the occurrence of bloating.
- Soda drinks. When they are used, an artificial increase in the volume of carbon dioxide occurs. The number of bubbles at the same time contributes to an increase in its concentration, which exceeds the normal values by several times. As a result, a person who has consumed such a drink begins to swell in the stomach.
- The use of soda as a remedy for heartburn. When sodium bicarbonate interacts with the acid contained in the stomach, a chemical reaction occurs. It leads to the formation of a large amount of carbon dioxide, which contributes to the formation of a bloated abdomen.
- Eating before bed. At night, the human body rests, and the process of digestion slows down. A large meal before going to bed leads to the appearance of large pieces of it in the intestines. This is what causes yeast or putrefaction.fermentation. As a result of such processes, flatulence develops and the stomach swells.
- Presence in the diet of fatty foods in large quantities. Addiction to such dishes negatively affects the body. They slow down the process of digestion of food, and also increase the load on organs such as the pancreas and liver. Why does the stomach swell after eating? It is not the gases when eating fatty foods that cause such a symptom, but the difficulty in the digestion process.
- Diet. Complaints that the stomach is very swollen after eating can also be heard from the person who has drastically changed his diet. This happens, as a rule, when switching to plant products. The change in diet is especially strong for digestion when only raw food is included in the menu.
- Talking while eating. Talking while eating causes you to swallow too much air.
- Violation of diet. The body does not digest food well if it is taken at different times. An increase in the size of the abdomen at the same time causes insufficient release of hydrochloric acid, as well as digestive enzymes necessary for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Pathological causes
And if the stomach constantly swells after eating, regardless of the food consumed? In this case, the cause of this is not food at all, but the presence of some kind of disease. Consider the most common of them.
IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome
The presence of this problem often causes a person toinflates the belly. Based on the most rough estimates of specialists, almost 15% of the population of European countries suffer from TFR, and in total for about three months during the year. This ailment is observed mainly in people aged 25 to 40 years who experience significant emotional stress and are often stressed. If the stomach swells after eating, the causes may be exacerbations of IBS, provoked by an irregular and erratic diet, which is dominated by spicy and fatty foods, as well as foods that promote gas formation.
Also, this syndrome sometimes indicates the presence of serious pathologies in the body. Among them:
- benign and malignant tumors;
- ulcerative colitis;
- hormonal disruptions;
- diabetes mellitus;
- intestinal infections resulting in dysbacteriosis.
In the presence of TFR, the patient complains of indigestion and nausea, dyspepsia and abdominal pain, bloating and belching with air. This condition is complicated by diarrhea or constipation. You can fix it with proper nutrition.
Constipation
Why does the stomach constantly swell after eating? The causes of this condition are often constipation. They are caused by atony, sciatica, colitis, inflammation in the sciatic nerve, enterocolitis, pathologies of the pancreas and liver, malnutrition and emotional overload.
In this state, it becomes very difficult to emptyintestines. It retains a lot of feces, which for a long time continue to be processed by the body. This leads to the formation of an excess volume of gas, which contributes to the fact that the stomach swells after eating. Methods for treating such a condition in such cases are to eliminate constipation. If the intestines begin to empty in a timely manner, the person will not be disturbed by bloating.
Lactose intolerance
Why does the stomach swell after eating? One reason for this condition is the body's inability to digest the lactose (sugar) found in dairy products. This happens due to the lack of a certain enzyme - lactase, which serves to digest this carbohydrate.
In addition to bloating, a person has cramps, nausea and diarrhea. If for this reason the stomach swells after eating, then the treatment will consist in the use of a limited amount of dairy products. Discomfort conditions will not arise in this case.
Pancreatitis
In this disease, a weak inflammatory process occurs, gradually destroying the pancreas. This disease occurs as a result of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, including enteritis, cholecystitis and gastritis, as well as against the background of congenital anomalies of the biliary tract.
Relapse of chronic pancreatitis is accompanied by acute pain in the area of the right hypochondrium. In addition, colic occurs in the abdomen above the navel, which spread to the neck, shoulder blade, right shoulder and back. Symptoms of pancreatitis are also dyspeptic disorders, which are expressed in the form of bloating, rumbling, belching and nausea. Often, with this disease, the patient complains of loose stools, which provokes a lack of digestive enzymes produced by the body to digest carbohydrates, proteins and fats. That is why an exacerbation of pancreatitis is observed after eating fatty and fried foods, as well as smoked foods in combination with alcoholic beverages.
Stress can also be the cause of increased gas formation as a result of an exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis. The occurrence of uncomfortable conditions is the inclusion of unwanted products in the menu. They are considered as such if they have a pronounced bitter or sour taste. By this criterion, this list can include some varieties of apples, cherries, radishes, onions, garlic, spices, etc.
What can be done if for these reasons the stomach swells after eating? Both the treatment and the intake of specific drugs should be advised by a specialist. But in order to minimize the likelihood of an exacerbation of the disease, you will need to follow a diet that provides for the inclusion in the diet of foods with a high content of easily digestible protein, minerals and vitamins, as well as limiting the intake of fats. In addition, the patient will need to reconsider his diet. He needs to eat food often and in small volumes, adhering to the same time.
There is a list of such products,which are prohibited in pancreatitis. Among them:
- Alcohol. Alcohol-containing drinks contribute to spasm of the excretory ducts of the pancreas, which causes malfunctions in its functioning.
- Sour foods. Their use increases the secretion of digestive enzymes from the pancreas.
A patient with pancreatitis is prohibited from carbonated drinks, as well as liquids with caffeine. Products containing coarse vegetable fiber (turnips, radishes, white cabbage) are also not recommended. At the time of exacerbation of pancreatitis, the patient will have to refrain from drinking milk and s alt, pure sugar, jam and honey. And those who do not want to get sick should stop smoking, which increases the risk of developing pancreatic pathology by 2-3 times.
Gastritis
Violation of the digestive processes is often observed in case of inflammation of the gastric mucosa. The fact is that it is quite difficult for a diseased organ to completely digest the food entering it. As a result, unprocessed food passes into the intestines. This contributes to the development of decomposition and fermentation processes. They are the pathological causes.
Inflates the stomach after eating and gases do not go away - these are the complaints that can be heard from patients suffering from gastritis. To prevent this condition, they are advised to eat fractionally and use in their diet only those foods that are easily absorbed by the body and do not contribute to irritation of the gastric mucosa. Whole foodshould be boiled and well crushed. It is impossible for the dishes served to the table to be cold or hot. If these rules are followed, gastritis will pass faster.
Gallstones
When small in size, these formations are not capable of causing any discomfort. However, gallstones that are large enough block the ducts, causing fever, jaundice, abdominal pain, and bloating. What to do in such a situation? If it is for this reason that the stomach swells after eating, there are not so many ways to eliminate the pathology. You will need surgery to remove the gallbladder. During the rehabilitation period, the body must be given the opportunity to adapt to new conditions. To do this, the patient should go on a diet, excluding spicy and fatty foods from the diet.
Kidney stones
The presence of stones in the urinary tract contributes to the appearance of severe pain in the lower back and side. The nature of discomfort in this case is undulating. Urine in the presence of kidney stones becomes cloudy, brown or pink. She has an unpleasant odor. Other symptoms include nausea and vomiting, chills, fever, and bloating.
It should be borne in mind that the presence of kidney stones causes a constant threat of the development of inflammatory processes, because sand, passing through the ureters, scratches them.
What to do if, for these reasons, and swells the stomach after eating? Treatment of this case should be prescribed by a doctor. Medical therapy includesdrugs that dissolve stones. At the same time, the patient is prescribed agents that have emollient, reparative, and enveloping properties, which will prevent the development of the inflammatory process. You will also need to comply with the drinking regime, which provides for the use of water in a volume of at least two liters throughout the day.
Infestation
The presence of worms in the gastrointestinal tract has a negative effect on the digestive process. Worms in the intestines form a large lump. It makes it difficult to empty it. The result of the accumulation of a large amount of feces is bloating.
Additional symptoms of the presence of parasites in the gastrointestinal tract are:
- nausea;
- periodic vomiting;
- uneven increase in the size of the abdomen;
- irritability;
- lack or increased appetite;
- constipation, and with severe intoxication - diarrhea.
Removal of the cause of this pathological condition requires the use of antiparasitics.
Pregnancy
During this period, many transformations take place in the body of the expectant mother. One of them is an increase in the abdomen. In the early stages, it is not caused by weight gain, but by hormonal changes. Moreover, this process, if it proceeds normally, is not accompanied by discomfort.
During pregnancy, the body produces an increased production of the hormone progesterone. It is necessary to prepare the mammary glands for feeding and growth of the embryo. During the first trimester, this hormonerelaxing effect on the smooth muscles of the intestine. Digestion slows down somewhat. Because of this, the stomach swells after eating during pregnancy. After all, food remains in the digestive tract longer than it should, which increases gas formation.
Psychic factors also have an indirect influence on the development of flatulence. For example, excessive stress. It helps speed up the meal. In this case, the risk of swallowing a large volume of air increases significantly. Sometimes in stressful situations, people stop adhering to a diet and drinking regimen. How to eliminate excessive gas formation after eating? This will help regular meals, as well as the rejection of existing bad habits.
One of the causes of flatulence in pregnant women is constipation. Its appearance is facilitated by an increase in the time of digestion of food, which is caused by a large amount of progesterone. Nature has provided for such changes in order to give the fetus the opportunity to fully eat. In addition, the child also needs water. He also takes it from his mother. All this leads to dry stools and an increase in gas.
Another cause of flatulence during pregnancy is a decrease in a woman's activity. The work of the digestive system also slows down.
What to do if a pregnant woman, for physiological reasons, swells her stomach after eating? Ways to eliminate bloating and completely rid a woman of such an uncomfortable condition include, among other things, a circular massage of the abdomen, which must be performed clockwise. It is recommended in the early stages. In addition, you will need to adjust the diet.
As an effective home remedy, traditional medicine recommends taking one or two drops of cumin with sugar with meals. In combination with fried potatoes, it will be an excellent defoamer. With the help of cumin, spasms are relieved and pain symptoms are eliminated.
