Answers
Why do I get so much gas and bloating?
Short answer
Gas and bloating are very common and are usually not a sign of serious disease. Swallowed air, some foods, constipation and a sensitive gut (IBS) are the usual causes. See a doctor if it is new, keeps getting worse, or comes with weight loss, vomiting or blood in the stool.
Common causes
- Eating fast, talking while eating, chewing gum and fizzy drinks, which add swallowed air
- Foods that make more gas in the gut, such as rajma, chana, cabbage and onion, or a lot of new fibre at once
- Milk and milk products, in people who do not digest lactose well
- Constipation, which traps gas behind hard stool
- IBS, where the gut feels normal amounts of gas more strongly
What usually helps
- Eat slowly, at regular times, and do not lie down right after meals
- Cut down on fizzy drinks and chewing gum
- Keep a food diary for a week to find your own triggers, instead of stopping many foods at once
- Add fibre slowly and drink enough water
- A 15-minute walk after meals helps gas move along
Signs that need a check-up
See a doctor if bloating comes with:
- Weight loss without trying
- Vomiting, or difficulty swallowing
- Blood in the stool, or black stools
- A swollen belly that keeps growing instead of coming and going
- New symptoms after age 45, or a family history of bowel or ovarian cancer
When it is urgent, and which tests help
Severe belly pain with a hard, swollen belly, repeated vomiting, or not passing gas or stool is an emergency. Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Most people with gas and bloating need no tests. If symptoms continue or warning signs are present, your doctor may suggest blood tests, an ultrasound, a test for H. pylori, or an endoscopy or colonoscopy.