Stomach bloating and inflammation: what to know

Bloating is a feeling of fullness, pressure, or visible swelling in the abdomen. Gas can build up when you swallow air or when gut bacteria break down certain carbohydrates. Inflammation can irritate the stomach or intestine and may occur with pain, nausea, diarrhoea, appetite change, or tiredness. A symptom alone cannot identify the cause.

Possible explanations include food intolerance, lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, coeliac disease, infection such as giardiasis, or Helicobacter pylori infection. Read more about [Bloating](/symptoms/bloating/) and [Food Intolerance](/conditions/food-intolerance/).

Record when swelling starts, what you ate, bowel changes, pain, and any medicines or supplements. Eat slowly, avoid gulping fizzy drinks, and keep meals comfortably sized. Do not remove major food groups for a long period without guidance; [Nutrition Counselling](/treatments/lifestyle-and-wellness/nutrition-counselling/) can help test dietary patterns safely. A clinician may review your abdomen and decide whether blood, stool, or breath testing is appropriate.

Arrange medical care if bloating keeps returning, steadily worsens, disrupts eating or sleep, or occurs with ongoing vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, weight loss, fever, blood in stool, yellowing of the skin, or marked fatigue. Seek urgent help for severe or rapidly increasing abdominal pain, a hard swollen abdomen, repeated vomiting, faintness, or trouble breathing.

Could my symptoms fit [Irritable Bowel Syndrome](/conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome/), [Coeliac Disease](/conditions/coeliac-disease/), [Lactose Intolerance](/conditions/lactose-intolerance/), or [Helicobacter Pylori Infection](/conditions/helicobacter-pylori-infection/)? What tests are suitable, and should I change my diet before testing?