Helping you cope with heaviness in the stomach

Gastroenterologist

Vinogradov

Dmitry Alekseevich

4 years of experience

Gastroenterologist

Make an appointment

Bloating is almost impossible to miss. It literally expands in different directions, it becomes larger visually, rumbling sounds are heard, and there is a feeling that the abdominal area is about to rupture. Perhaps the most unpleasant symptom among the entire complex is the release of accumulated digestive gases, which requires maximum effort to contain.

Causes of bloating

Flatulence, as this condition is otherwise called, can occur for a number of reasons, many of which are quite serious. Bloating and gas formation occur due to the presence of:

• chronic pancreatitis - acute lack of nutritional enzymes produced by the pancreas. Since there is nothing to digest the food, it accumulates in the stomach, creating a feeling of heaviness and bloating after eating;
• Irritable bowel syndrome – a person experiences bloating and abdominal pain due to changes in bowel movements;
• dysbiosis - a disease characterized by problems in the microflora, due to which pathogenic microorganisms located on the walls of the mucous membrane begin to produce gases that interfere with the full functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• individual lactose intolerance - the diagnosis is also associated with enzyme deficiency: the patient does not have enough milk sugar, which contributes to the complete absorption of lactose. In the presence of this syndrome, intestinal flatulence can occur at any age, but it is most often diagnosed before the age of 5-8 months;
• Intestinal obstruction is a fairly serious disease that can be diagnosed early. In this case, flatulence is associated with the growth of polyps or the formation of a tumor in the intestinal area. In most cases, surgery is required;
• Celiac disease is an extremely rare disease, but it does occur. According to statistics, in our country only 1 person out of 1000 is affected by it. Celiac disease is associated with a partial or absolute inability to break down gluten, as a result of which toxic compounds are created in the body that negatively affect the surface of the intestines. If a patient is diagnosed with this, then, first of all, he is prescribed a diet for flatulence, based on the complete exclusion of gluten from the diet. This includes sausages and sausages, barley. Wheat, rye, oatmeal, pasta made from regular flour, baked goods, ready-made sweets, store-bought yoghurts and curds, etc. A gastroenterologist may also prescribe enzymatic medications designed to break down gluten that enters the body.

Often, one of the reasons that provokes bloating is poor nutrition and abuse of foods that do not bring any benefit to the body.

• Frequent consumption of various carbonated drinks such as Coca-Cola and sparkling mineral water. Bloating in the lower abdomen that occurs for this reason, as a rule, goes away on its own and quite quickly: gases are absorbed into the body through the intestinal walls and then removed from it without additional help.
• Too large portions of food. Nutritionists around the world categorically do not recommend eating huge portions. Hastily eating food, quickly swallowing it instead of chewing it normally, is harmful to the digestion process. Abdominal bloating and gas formation that arise for this reason require a simple treatment - just change your approach to nutrition.
• An abundance of foods in the diet that cause fermentation, which, in turn, stimulates bloating and gas formation in an adult or child. The solution to this problem is not difficult: it is necessary to limit the consumption of sweets, baked goods, legumes, potatoes and other foods known for their content of starch and fast carbohydrates.
• Eating foods that are incompatible with each other. For example, any fruits should be separated from the main meal: eat them about 1 hour before or 2 hours after breakfast, lunch or dinner.

How does heaviness in the stomach occur?

Heaviness in the stomach is one of those conditions whose causes are not always obvious. However, most often the appearance of heaviness in the stomach is associated with food intake and can be the body’s reaction to the following conditions1-3:

Binge eating. With an unbalanced diet, the body simply cannot absorb the entire incoming amount of food. This condition can often occur after a heavy meal before bed, because it is known that at night the body’s metabolism slows down, which means it becomes more difficult to digest what has been eaten. Also, overeating often occurs after a feast, when it is simply impossible to refuse delicious dishes.

Quick snacks. To maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract, you should eat small meals several times a day. But who can do it? Snacks on the go, often dry, are the scourge of modern man, which is especially acute in a big city. Consumption of quickly cooked fatty and spicy foods, especially deep-fried foods, can cause both heaviness and discomfort.

Incompatible foods or complex dishes consisting of many products can provoke various processes in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), complicating the digestion of food.

Bad habits. Alcohol consumption and smoking, especially on an empty stomach, affect the gastrointestinal tract as a whole and can aggravate discomfort.

Now it’s worth explaining why overeating or a quick snack can cause your stomach to become capricious. In order for the food consumed to become “energy fuel” for the body, it needs to properly process and assimilate it. During the digestion process, food is broken down to its smallest components. For this process to proceed correctly, sufficient production of special substances - enzymes - is necessary. They are actively produced by the pancreas for each food component:

• Amylase breaks down carbohydrates and starch;
• Protease breaks down proteins;
• Lipase acts on fats.

Under the influence of enzymes in the body, food is absorbed. It is known that fats are the hardest component to digest. When a person consumes too much fat, there may not be enough lipase to process it properly, which is when feelings of fullness, heaviness, and discomfort can occur. It is important to think about how to help the body - for example, take medications for heaviness in the stomach.

Heaviness in the stomach after eating or on its own does not always indicate a lack of enzymes. For example, women may experience heaviness after eating during pregnancy. This phenomenon is absolutely normal, and it does not necessarily mean that there are any problems in the body. It’s just that during pregnancy, all body systems adapt to the growing baby. The location of the internal organs changes, and they press on each other.

Treatment for bloating

Abdominal bloating requires complex treatment, since it is necessary to eliminate not only the annoying symptom, but also the cause, otherwise the situation will repeat itself.

Any appointments must be made by a specialist - a gastroenterologist or therapist. As a rule, the standard regimen always includes taking enterosorbents, which allow the gases accumulated in it to be removed from the body as soon as possible. Since these drugs cannot independently distinguish harmful compounds from beneficial ones, they cannot be taken for a long time.

Depending on the patient’s medical history and the causes of bloating in the abdomen and intestines, non-toxic defoamers, used even at a very young age, enzymatic agents, and probiotics that restore damaged intestinal microflora may be prescribed. The specialist will also definitely recommend sticking to a diet for some time that does not burden the gastrointestinal tract.

It is very important to find the cause as quickly as possible in order to quickly alleviate the patient’s condition. Therefore, it is necessary to contact only experienced therapists and gastroenterologists. These are exactly the kind you will meet within the walls of JSC “Medicine” (academician Roitberg’s clinic) - a multifunctional medical center located in the very center of Moscow. The building is located at 2nd Tverskoy-Yamskaya Lane, building 10, next to the Mayakovskaya metro station.

Here they will quickly select a medicine for bloating that will specifically solve your cause, since the main principle of this clinic is an attentive and individual approach to each patient.

You can make an appointment for consultation, diagnosis and treatment by calling 24/7 +7 (495) 775-73-60 or using the feedback form on the medical center website.

Causes of abdominal discomfort

Heaviness and discomfort in the abdomen that occurs after eating can be associated with overeating, eating disorders - irregular eating, snacking on the run, eating fatty or spicy foods.

Unpleasant sensations in the stomach on an empty stomach can provoke:

• drinking alcohol and/or smoking;
• drinking carbonated drinks;
• taking certain medications;
• pregnancy;
• stress conditions leading to impaired gastric motility.

Diseases accompanied by a feeling of heaviness and discomfort in the abdomen:

• Diseases of the stomach (functional disorders - hypokinesia, hyperkinesia, inflammatory diseases - gastritis, peptic ulcer, benign and malignant tumors).
• Diseases of the pancreas (inflammatory, oncological, etc.).
• Diseases of the gallbladder (dyskinesia, inflammation, polyps and other tumors, helminthiases, stone formation) and liver (hepatitis, cirrhosis).
• Intestinal diseases (gastrointestinal infections, enterocolitis, dyskinesia, diverticulosis, oncological processes).

Answers to the most common questions

• What foods that cause bloating should you not eat? You need to eat a varied diet, and in the absence of individual food intolerances, you can eat everything. However, you should be careful about the consumption of sweets, white and black bread, baked goods, legumes, cabbage, and starchy foods.
• Severe flatulence. What to do? Consult a doctor for a medication prescription. Only a specialist, based on your medical history, can decide which drug to prescribe. These can be syrups, suspensions, tablets for bloating.
• What causes bloating in women during pregnancy? Indeed, this symptom is popular among women carrying a child, especially in the first trimester. This is mostly due to unstable hormonal levels and is considered completely normal. However, it is necessary to inform your gynecologist about this, as he can prescribe drugs that relieve the tone of the uterus and alleviate the condition of a pregnant woman.

How to treat heaviness in the stomach

Order in nutrition and other aspects of life helps improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, including helping to avoid the appearance of heaviness in the stomach. Such advice is not a treatment, but definitely refers to effective prevention; they should be considered as a possible remedy for heaviness in the stomach4:

• increase the amount of vegetables and fruits in the diet;
• follow a diet to train the stomach to work at a certain time, thereby increasing its efficiency;
• give up bad habits - alcohol, smoking, etc.;

• increase physical activity to maintain healthy gastrointestinal function;
• support digestion with special medications.

Some people are afraid to use digestive support medications frequently for fear of addiction. Let's figure out whether this is justified.

Treatment

The only way to get rid of heaviness and discomfort in the abdomen is to eliminate the causes of these symptoms.

It is recommended to normalize your diet and diet, limit smoking and intake of alcohol, carbonated drinks, spicy and fatty foods. If the measures taken do not produce a positive effect within a few days, it is necessary to undergo an examination to identify diseases accompanied by heaviness and discomfort in the abdomen and carry out targeted treatment, including dietary nutrition, medical and protective regimen, individually selected drug therapy, and, if necessary, surgical treatment in any volume.

If you or your loved ones are worried about heaviness or discomfort in the abdomen, contact the Clinical Hospital on Yauza. Here you can quickly undergo a modern examination. Our specialists will provide adequate conservative and/or surgical treatment, taking into account the characteristics of your body and condition.

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