Flatulence and bloating: what to know

Gas forms when swallowed air or gut bacteria move through the digestive tract. Eating quickly, fizzy drinks, chewing gum, constipation, and certain carbohydrates can increase fullness or wind. Lactose intolerance and other food intolerances may cause symptoms after particular foods. Irritable bowel syndrome can combine bloating with abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. Coeliac disease, infection, or upper-digestive conditions are less obvious possibilities when symptoms persist or include diarrhoea, weight loss, vomiting, or indigestion.

Keep a short food and symptom diary, eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and reduce fizzy drinks if they worsen symptoms. Gentle walking can support bowel movement. Treat constipation with advice from a pharmacist or clinician. Avoid removing many foods at once; a nutrition counsellor can help identify patterns while keeping meals balanced. Do not begin a gluten-free diet before discussing testing for coeliac disease, because it can affect the assessment.

Seek urgent care for severe or sudden abdominal pain, a swollen hard abdomen with vomiting, inability to pass stool or gas, blood in stool, black stool, fainting, or breathing difficulty. Book a medical review for ongoing or worsening bloating, unexplained weight loss, persistent diarrhoea, repeated vomiting, fever, or a clear change in bowel habit. Bring your diary and medication list.

Could constipation, intolerance, or another digestive condition explain my pattern? Do I need tests before changing my diet? Which foods or medicines should I review, and how can I avoid nutritional gaps?