Abdominal pain vs bloating

Abdominal pain is discomfort in the belly, while bloating is a feeling of fullness, pressure, or increased abdominal size.

Pain may feel crampy, sharp, burning, or aching and can stay in one area or move. Bloating is often linked with trapped wind, visible distension, burping, or a tight waistband. They can occur together, but one may be the dominant problem.

Use abdominal pain as the main description when discomfort is the feature stopping normal activity, waking you, or drawing attention to a particular part of the abdomen. Note whether it began suddenly or gradually, whether movement or eating changes it, and whether nausea, vomiting, fever, urinary symptoms, or altered bowel habits accompany it.

A symptom diary can be useful when episodes recur. Record meals, bowel movements, menstrual timing where relevant, medicines, and what eased or aggravated the discomfort.

Bloating is the clearer starting point when the abdomen feels stretched or fuller than usual, particularly if this follows eating, improves after passing wind or stool, or comes with constipation. Changes in eating speed, carbonated drinks, fibre intake, and certain foods can affect gas and fullness.

Persistent new bloating deserves assessment, especially when it is progressive or is accompanied by reduced appetite, vomiting, unintentional weight loss, or a change in bowel habit.

Seek urgent medical help for severe or rapidly worsening abdominal pain, a rigid abdomen, fainting, confusion, repeated vomiting, vomiting blood, black stool, blood in stool, or inability to pass stool or wind with marked swelling. These features need prompt examination because they can occur with conditions requiring urgent treatment.

During pregnancy, new significant abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, dizziness, or shoulder-tip pain should be assessed urgently.

Choose a different symptom page when the main concern is diarrhoea, constipation, rectal bleeding, heartburn, vomiting, urinary burning, or a pelvic symptom rather than pain or fullness. Naming the leading symptom helps clinicians narrow the questions they ask and decide whether an examination or tests are useful.

If you are unsure which symptom is primary, describe the order in which symptoms appeared and the change that worries you most.

A clinician will usually ask about the site, timing, severity, food and bowel patterns, medicines, recent illness, travel, and relevant reproductive or urinary symptoms. Examination may include checking the abdomen for tenderness, distension, guarding, and bowel sounds.

The next step depends on the pattern. It may involve self-care advice, a medicine review, blood or urine tests, stool tests, imaging, or referral. Bring a list of medicines and a clear account of any warning signs.