Psyche and stress as a cause of bloating | Causes of bloating

Psyche and stress as a cause of bloating

Stress is a completely natural reaction of the body to a challenging situation. Stress hormones can downregulate the digestion, as this is not so important in an acute dangerous situation. Since today’s stress situations are more like exams or similar situations and not situations we can flee from, stress hormones can accumulate in the body and are not broken down directly.

This quickly leads to digestive problems and flatulence in acute stress situations. As long as this stress is only an acute situation and does not occur chronically, it is a natural reaction of the body and can be compensated for, for example, through sport. The psyche has an enormous influence on well-being and physical health.

If stress persists, hormones are released which are supposed to prepare an escape or fight reaction. Since the digestion plays a subordinate role in such a supposedly dangerous situation, it is inhibited. In the case of mental illness, a permanent increase in these stress hormones can occur, so that those affected can develop digestive disorders and thus suffer from flatulence. Particularly in children, mental discomfort is often the first thing to show itself in the form of stomach aches.

Liver dysfunction as the cause of an inflated abdomen

In advanced stages of liver disease, the blood can back up into the portal vein system. This means that the blood, which actually comes nutrient-rich from the gastrointestinal tract, is backed up and the abdominal organs are disturbed by the excess pressure. This can also lead to a permanent feeling of fullness and flatulence.

In technical terminology, this is called portal hypertension (high pressure in the portal vein). Liver diseases include chronic hepatitis, liver cancer and also alcohol-induced liver damage. All of these diseases have in common that they contribute to a restructuring of the liver, the liver cirrhosis.

This remodelling leads to the blood no longer being able to flow through the liver and is congested. In addition to the gastrointestinal tract, this backlog is also manifested by a cobweb-like pattern on the abdominal skin, also called caput medusae, and by hemorrhoids. Especially feared is the backwater in the blood vessels of the esophagus (esophageal varices), because bleeding here quickly becomes life-threatening.

Cirrhosis of the liver is irreversible and therefore the side effects, such as flatulence, remain. Those affected can achieve relief of the symptoms through a targeted diet and certain medications.When drinking alcohol, one must distinguish between occasional drinking and alcohol addiction. Occasional drinking can lead to a detoxification reaction in the body.

This is manifested by nausea and vomiting. The body is acutely unbalanced by the toxin and recovers by itself. Chronic alcohol addiction can lead to liver damage and thus to portal vein hypertension, which irreversibly affects digestion and can lead to flatulence.