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Bloating
Category: Digestive & Abdomen · All digestive symptoms
What it can feel like
Bloating is the feeling — and often the visible fact — of a full, tight, swollen abdomen, usually from gas in the bowel or heightened sensitivity to normal amounts of gas. It commonly fluctuates through the day and is worse by evening.
Possible causes
A symptom can have many causes, and most are not serious. The lists below group conditions this symptom can be associated with — common causes first. They are possibilities to discuss with a clinician, not a diagnosis.
Common causes
Bloating can be associated with swallowing air, constipation, fizzy drinks, foods such as beans, onions and artificial sweeteners, irritable bowel patterns, and hormonal changes around periods and the menopause.
Other possible causes
Persistent or progressive bloating can be associated with coeliac disease, lactose intolerance, ovarian problems in women, and fluid collecting in the abdomen (ascites) from liver, heart or other disease.
Red flags — when to seek help promptly
- Bloating that is new, persistent and progressive over weeks
- Bloating with unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite
- Bloating with a pelvic or abdominal lump, or needing to pass urine more often (in women)
- A rapidly swelling abdomen with breathlessness
What a clinician may do
A clinician will ask about bowel habit, diet, periods and weight, and examine the abdomen and pelvis. Blood tests may include coeliac screening; an ultrasound of the abdomen or pelvis and bowel tests follow the pattern.
Watch: related videos
Examination and clinical videos from the MedicalVideos.com library relevant to this symptom. Some clinical footage is graphic — that is the nature of a medical video library.
Related guides on MedicalVideos.com
Frequently asked questions
Why do doctors ask women with bloating about their ovaries?
Because persistent, frequent bloating — as opposed to bloating that comes and goes with food — is one of the symptoms associated with ovarian cancer. It is much more often something simpler, but the pattern earns a pelvic examination and ultrasound.
Is bloating always gas?
Not always. It can be gas, gut sensitivity to normal gas, constipation, or — when the abdomen is steadily enlarging — fluid. A steadily enlarging waistline that does not fluctuate deserves examination rather than diet experiments.
Related symptoms — Digestive & Abdomen
Browse the B section of the A–Z list or return to the Symptoms A–Z hub.