Why does the stomach swell?
A disease characterized by bloating due to excess gas in the intestines (“puffy belly”) is called flatulence. Flatulence is manifested by a feeling of discomfort in the abdominal cavity, bouts of cramping pain, belching.
Normally, the stomach and intestines of a healthy person contain about 1 liter of gases that are formed in the body under the influence of the activity of microorganisms. As a result of a violation of the ratio between the amount of gases formed in the intestine and the amount removed, flatulence occurs.
The accumulated gases are mucous foam with many small bubbles, which covers the inner lining of the intestine in a thin layer, which, in turn, complicates the process of parietal digestion, reduces the action of enzymes and disrupts the absorption of nutrients.
Flatulence is not a serious and life-threatening disease, however, it quite often causes a feeling of discomfort and embarrassment, since the condition when the stomach is swollen is quite often accompanied by increased flatulence (an act of voluntary or involuntary release of gases from the intestines).
Belly pounds: reasons
In the absence of pathological processes in the gastrointestinal tract, increased gas production can occur due to many different factors. If the stomach is swollen, the reasons can be very diverse. Most often, they are presented:
- Improper nutrition. It has been confirmed that the content of gas in the intestines increases with the consumption of food with a large amount of carbohydrates. Also, the belly often swells with excessive consumption of legumes, apples, cabbage, carbonated drinks, black bread, beer, kombucha, kvass. People who eat dairy products with individual lactose intolerance can also suffer from flatulence;
- Swallowing food quickly, drinking liquid in large sips;
- Constipation. Constipation slows down the passage of food through the intestines, increases the fermentation time and traps the gases released during this;
- By talking while eating;
- Nervous overload. Overexcitation of the nervous system causes a spasm of the intestinal muscles, accompanied by a violation of the process of digesting food;
- Bad habits. Improper nutrition, prolonged use of chewing gum, snacks "on the go" lead to the fact that more air enters the stomach than is normal. This imbalance also causes increased gas production or flatulence.
When the stomach is swollen, the causes of this ailment may be signs of some diseases. These may include:
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When the stomach is swollen, activated charcoal is used Intestinal dysbiosis;
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (enteritis, pancreatitis, colitis, liver cirrhosis);
- Acute intestinal infections;
- Parasites in the rectum (helminthiasis);
- Intestinal obstruction;
- Intestinal atony due to peritonitis;
- Inflammatory processes in the intestines;
- General and local circulatory disorders.
The stomach pounds: what to do
The principle of treating flatulence is mainly to clarify and eliminate the causes of increased gas production. Treatment is accompanied by the following methods:
- Diet, as well as the principles of good nutrition. In a situation where the stomach is puffy, it is recommended to introduce into the diet friable cereals, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, meat (only in boiled form), wholemeal bread;
- Taking medicines;
- Recovery of movement disorders;
- Removal of accumulated gases from the intestinal lumen.
When the stomach swells, adsorbents are used: activated carbon, white clay, dimethicone, polyphepan, polysorb - drugs that reduce the absorption of toxins from the intestines and promote their elimination.
The carminative effect in flatulence, when the stomach often swells, is provided by such traditional medicines as infusions of mint leaves, chamomile flowers, caraway seeds, dill, coriander, fennel.
With a relative or absolute insufficiency of enzyme secretion, the process of food digestion is disrupted. In case of insufficiency of the intestinal and gastric glands as a result of flatulence, doctors prescribe natural gastric juice, pancreatin, pepsin, as well as a number of combined drugs as replacement therapy.
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