Ways to stop bloating

Bloating is a feeling of fullness or visible abdominal swelling. Gas, constipation, large meals, fizzy drinks, or eating quickly can contribute. Irritable bowel syndrome may link bloating with abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. Food intolerance, lactose intolerance, or coeliac disease can cause symptoms after particular foods. Giardiasis and Helicobacter pylori infection are other possible causes in the right clinical setting. Bloating alone does not identify one diagnosis.

Keep a brief food and symptom diary, noting meal size, bowel movements, and timing rather than removing many foods at once. Eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and reduce chewing gum, straws, and fizzy drinks if they increase swallowed air. Gentle walking can support bowel movement. Address constipation with fluids and gradual fibre changes, unless a clinician has advised otherwise. Avoid starting a strict gluten-free diet before assessment for coeliac disease, because it can affect testing. Nutrition counselling can help you test changes safely and maintain a balanced diet.

Arrange an appointment if bloating is frequent, worsening, unexplained, or associated with ongoing diarrhoea, constipation, weight change, vomiting, or reduced appetite. Seek urgent care for severe or sudden abdominal pain, a hard swollen abdomen, repeated vomiting, blood in stool, or inability to pass stool or gas. A clinician may review medicines, examine your abdomen, and decide whether tests are needed.

Which patterns in my diary matter? Should I be tested for coeliac disease, intolerance, infection, or another digestive condition? How can I change fibre without worsening symptoms?