Expanded Belly

Definition

In technical terminology, the bulging belly is also called “meteorism” and is often equated with flatulence. However, an inflated stomach initially only describes the accumulation of gas within the abdominal cavity. The gases can be in the free abdominal cavity, in the intestine or in other abdominal organs, but in the majority of cases the large intestine is responsible for the meteorism.

An inflated abdomen is first noticed by those affected because of its large, bloated and spherical shape, which can exert additional pressure and be accompanied by cramps. In addition to normal room air, the accumulation of gas can be caused by various gaseous substances that are the products of metabolic processes of the digestion and in the context of certain diseases. An inflated stomach can be very harmless, but in rare cases it can also be the symptom of a threatening disease.

Causes

The causes of an inflated stomach are numerous and can range from harmless digestive processes to dangerous intestinal blockages or inflammatory diseases of the abdominal cavity. The harmless causes are much more frequent, so that the bloated belly initially offers no cause for concern. – In the vast majority of cases, certain foods, drinks or medicines are behind the accumulation of gas in the intestine.

All foods are decomposed into their molecular components with the help of intestinal enzymes. Some foods are chemically designed in such a way that during digestion they release more gases that accumulate inside the intestine. These include, in particular, foods that are very rich in fibre, such as cereals, pulses, cabbage or dried fruits.

In addition, carbonated drinks can greatly increase the amount of gas in the intestine. – Some people may also have a food intolerance. This is typical for coeliac disease or lactose intolerance.

The lack of enzymes for the digestion of these foods causes the substances to be broken down by other chemical reactions with a significantly increased gas production. – Inflammations of the abdominal organs can also be behind an inflated stomach. These include infections of the gastrointestinal tract on the one hand, but also of the bile duct

Numerous drugs can also cause flatulence.

Especially drugs taken orally (via the mouth) can cause meteorism when decomposing in the stomach and intestines and through their effect on the gastrointestinal mucosa. Frequently taken drugs that contribute to the gas development are antibiotics and painkillers such as diclofenac. This is due to the altered gastrointestinal flora.

The use of antibiotics kills not only the harmful bacteria, but also numerous bacteria normally found in the intestines, which play an important role in digestion. After taking the antibiotics, it takes a few days until the normal intestinal flora has regenerated and the bloated abdomen subsides. In addition, an inflated stomach is caused by drugs that deliberately interfere with the digestion to treat certain diseases.

These include laxatives or weight loss drugs, which are intended to reduce food intake through the intestinal mucosa. Some diabetes medications can also cause the side effect bloated stomach. These drugs inhibit the absorption of certain food components from the intestines into the blood so that sugar levels do not rise too much after eating.

In these cases, the bloated stomach is a harmless but often annoying side effect. Antibiotics are drugs that specifically attack and kill bacteria in order to combat persistent bacterial infections or colonisation. However, the gastrointestinal tract contains a number of bacteria that have no disease value and are important for the maintenance of the intestinal flora and the course of digestion.

They are also attacked by the antibiotics and their balance is broken. However, a short treatment of an acute infection is much more harmless than permanent or long-term administration over several weeks. The digestion is considerably disturbed and the mucous membrane becomes more sensitive to infections and inflammations.

As a result, an inflated stomach but also new gastrointestinal infections can occur. Typical is the infection with the bacterium “Clostridium difficile“, which occurs mainly in hospitals after long antibiotic treatment. The infection leads to the clinical picture of pseudomembranous colitis.

An organic disease does not always have to be behind an inflated stomach. Stress can also influence health, intestinal flora and digestion in many ways. In many people, the intestine reacts very sensitively to bad living habits and changes in movement and eating habits.

In a state of stress, people tend to do little sport and maintain unhealthy eating habits. The so-called irritable bowel syndrome can also be promoted by stress. This is an increased sensitivity of the gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to inflammation and other symptoms.

Infections in the intestine can also be related to stress and irritable bowel syndrome. The immune system can be weakened by severe physical and psychological stress, which can lead to inflammation and the development of irritable bowel syndrome. An inflated stomach after an operation is a common complaint.

This is due to an interplay of various physical changes immediately after the operation and during the days or weeks of regeneration. A primary cause is physical inactivity during the acute recovery phase. Many patients are forced to remain lying down for days or weeks and often remain in bed much longer than necessary, especially during orthopaedic operations.

This hinders digestion and reduces the metabolism, which makes the food mush heavier and lingers longer in the intestine and can lead to bloating and flatulence. In addition, a change in diet can quickly lead to symptoms and discomfort in a sensitive gastrointestinal tract. Although hospital food after an operation is lighter than normal, the symptoms can be favoured by eating in combination with physical inactivity.

Depending on the procedure and the aftercare, various medications must be taken after the operation, which can have different effects on digestion. In particular, antibiotics or painkillers can additionally cause the bloated stomach as a side effect. Coffee is consumed regularly by most adults, although it can have side effects throughout the digestive tract.

In addition to frequent heartburn and stomach pain, the drink can also cause bloating. However, the discomfort can subside with increased and regular consumption, as a habituation effect sets in. Only the heartburn can become chronic and worsen with coffee consumption.

The bloated abdomen often develops secondarily as a result of increased movement of the intestinal muscles. The increased muscle contraction and thus accelerated digestion means that the food pulp often reaches the large intestine undigested and prematurely, where it is broken down chemically by gas-forming bacteria in a different way than usual. To alleviate the symptoms and not to do without coffee, longer roasted Arabica beans can be used first.

Milk with coffee can also have a positive effect on the symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract. Milk is a very common cause of bloating. Many adults have milk intolerance or intolerance to milk to varying degrees.

Even if not completely intolerant, frequent consumption of large quantities of milk can cause diarrhoea, abdominal pain or an inflated stomach. The reason for this is the lack of the enzyme “lactase”. This enzyme breaks down the lactose contained in milk and other milk products.

If the enzyme is absent, the lactose initially remains undigested, only to be decomposed in later sections of the intestine by gas-forming bacteria. Almost all people reduce the production of the lactase enzyme in adulthood. In Asia and Africa even more than 90% of the population is affected by such an enzyme deficiency.