11 ways to get rid of bloating, according to gastroenterologists
Feeling uncomfortably full? Everyone gets bloated from time to time. It can be completely normal and usually isn't a sign of an underlying health problem.
However, dealing with bloating can be unpleasant and downright painful. You may do whatever you can to feel relief — unbutton your pants, go for a jog, or sit on the toilet. Or maybe you want to know what caused your bloating so you can avoid it in the future.
Here's what to know about why it happens and how to get rid of bloating, according experts.
What is bloating?
Bloating is a sensation of fullness or tightness in the abdomen, which is often due to excess gas or fluid in the gastrointestinal tract, Dr. Anju Malieckal, a board-certified gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn, tells TODAY.com.
The excess gas or fluid can cause the belly to distend or "balloon out" beyond its normal size, she adds.
Bloating is a common condition that most people will experience in their lifetime. It's often temporary and resolves on its own, but bloating can persist or reoccur in some people.
What causes bloating?
Bloating can be caused or worsened by various behaviors, lifestyle factors and medical conditions. These include:
Swallowing air
Digestive issues
Constipation
Food intolerances
Bacterial overgrowth
Stress
Hormonal changes
Medications
A common cause of bloating is too much gas in the stomach or intestines. Gas is a natural byproduct of digestion, per the Cleveland Clinic, but too much of it can be a problem.
Excess gas in the digestive tract is often caused by swallowing too much air, says Malieckal. Everyone swallows some air when they eat or drink. The air typically escapes, through burping, before it reaches the intestines, per the Cleveland Clinic.
Some people may swallow too much air, which then winds up in the digestive tract. This often happens because of eating or drinking too fast, says Malieckal. People may also swallow extra air from talking while eating, drinking carbonated beverages or chewing gum.
Common gas-causing foods include beans and lentils, cabbage, and cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower.
Excess gas in the gastrointestinal tract may also result from a digestive issue or the contents of the intestines producing too much methane or hydrogen gas, Dr. Christine Lee, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic, tells TODAY.com. This may occur if you eat too much at once, and the body is not digesting food properly.
Another common culprit of excess abdominal gas is constipation or not emptying the bowels completely, says Dr. Lee.
"When stool is left behind ... since our body temperature is 98.6 degrees (Fahrenheit), that's a great climate for fermentation to occur, so you start producing gas, and if you can't pass it, it becomes trapped and causes the belly to distend and feel bloated," says Lee.
Food sensitivities or intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, can also cause excess gas production and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, the experts note.
Sometimes, bloating can be a sign of bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, called SIBO, which occurs when the bad bacteria in the gut outnumbers the good bacteria, says Malieckal.
Bloating can also be related to stress or changes in hormones. Menstruation can cause fluid retention in the abdomen, says Malieckal, which can result in bloating and discomfort. The drop in the hormone progesterone before a menstrual period can also slow digestion and result in constipation, Lee says.
“There are a number of medications that cause bloating," says Malieckal. Always talk to your doctor about the side effects of medicines you are taking.
Less commonly, bloating can be caused by malignancies, such as gastric cancer or ovarian cancer, says Malieckal. It can also result from ascites, or a buildup of fluid in the abdomen.
If bloating doesn't go away or it's accompanied by a decrease in appetite, vomiting or unintentional weight loss, it’s time to see a doctor to determine the cause, says Malieckal.
How to get rid of bloating
Bloating can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms like abdominal discomfort, pain and swelling. It may be accompanied by belching (burping) and flatulence (farting), which is the body’s way of getting rid of excess gas, Jena Casper, a nurse practitioner in gastroenterology at the Mayo Clinic Health System, tells TODAY.com.
While it's normal to experience bloating from time to time and you may not be able to prevent it entirely, there are ways to relieve the symptoms and avoid making bloating worse.
Eat slowly and chew well
Eating slowly and ensuring you are chewing your food completely can help reduce the amount of air you swallow, which contributes to excess abdominal gas, the experts note.
“Try to put your fork down a little bit more and just slow down, especially if you’re at work on a time crunch or with kids where (you feel like) if you don’t eat fast, you don’t get to eat,” says Casper.
Taking smaller bites and pausing to properly eat your food can also cut down the air you swallow.
Eat smaller, more frequent meals
A common cause of excess abdominal gas is eating too much food at once, the experts note, which can cause people to swallow too much air or strain the digestive system, and allow food to sit for a longer period in the GI tract.
Breaking up big meals into smaller ones eaten throughout the day can be a good strategy to combat bloating, says Malieckal. “Instead of three large meals, have six small ones,” she adds.
Cut the carbonated beverages
If you're bloated, it may be a good idea to cut out or cut back on your carbonated beverages because they can make bloating worse, the experts note.
"I think it is a misconception that if you're gassy, you should have seltzer to kind of help with gas, but it actually can cause more stomach distension and irritation so you feel fuller," says Malieckal.
Instead, the experts recommend sticking to water — and plenty of it — to prevent dehydration and keep things flowing.
Try anti-gas medications
If you need bloating relief fast, there are a number of over-the-counter medications that can help reduce excess gas or ease discomfort and other symptoms associated with bloating, the experts note.
These include simethicone, bismuth subsalicylate, the digestive enzyme lactase, and activated charcoal.
If constipation or incomplete bowel movements are the culprit of your bloating, laxatives or stool softeners can help — but these should not be used for more than 24 hours, Malieckal adds.
While over-the-counter meds can offer immediate relief, they are not a long-term solution. “Anti-gas medications can help with the gas, but it slows down the contractions in the gut so it can actually cause constipation,” says Malieckal.
If you find that anti-gas medicines aren't helping or you need to take them frequently, it may be time to see a doctor to get to the root cause.
Sip on peppermint or chamomile tea
A hot cup of herbal tea can be relaxing and it may help relieve the discomfort of trapped gas.
Chamomile and peppermint are some of the experts’ top picks. “Peppermint oils have been studied and shown to help with gut relaxation and alleviate bloating,” says Malieckal.
Drinking hot liquids can also help relieve constipation and get your digestive tract moving, Casper adds.
Get walking
Walking can help improve motility in the colon and relieve trapped gas, says Casper, which is why it's a great idea to walk in between or right after meals if bloating is a concern.
Exercising too hard right after eating can cause indigestion or even vomiting, says Malieckal, which is why walking is a great low-impact workout to get your body moving and digestion flowing.
"Fart walks" have even become a fitness trend after TikTok creator Mairlyn Smith went viral for documenting her daily 20-minute #fartwalk after a fiber-rich dinner.
Try a hot compress or shower
Heat can do wonders when it comes to bloating, the experts note.
Malieckal suggests placing a heating pad or warm compress on the abdomen to ease discomfort and pain and move trapped gas out of the intestines. Even taking a hot shower can help with the symptoms of bloating, says Malieckal.
Bring your knees to your chest
"I always tell my patients that if you feel like you're too gassy, elevate your knees and bring your knees up to your chest while pooping (like a squatty potty)," says Malieckal.
If you wake up feeling bloated, try rolling around and doing this pose in bed first thing in the morning to relieve gas, says Casper.
Try these 5 yoga poses to help aid in digestion.
Engage your core with ab exercises
An ab workout may seem like the last thing you want to do when you’re bloated, but engaging your core could help release some of the trapped gas and relieve symptoms, Lee explains.
In the longer term, strengthening your core muscles can aid with overall digestive health and improve bowel movements, says Lee. “You want to move and engage your core abdominal obliques and lower abdominal rectus abdominus muscles,” says Lee.
Try not to talk while eating
“Think about how you’re eating. ... Are you talking a lot during meals and chewing your food properly?,” Malieckal points out. Trying to get too many words in between bites can cause you to swallow more air while eating which can end up in your GI tract, she adds.
You don’t have to eat your meals in silence, but make sure you’ve chewed your food completely and swallowed before launching into your next comment.
“The best advice I could give is make sure you are giving yourself dedicated time to eat, which can be really hard,” says Malieckal.
Avoid gas-causing foods
If you notice specific foods always make you feel bloated or you have a known intolerance, try to avoid these foods if you can, the experts say.
Some foods are known to trigger excess gas production or bloating in most people. “These include beans, cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and even raw vegetables like carrots or kale,” says Malieckal. You may want to limit these or avoid these temporarily if you’re already bloated.
If you aren’t sure which foods are the cause of bloating, the experts recommend keeping track of your food intake and symptoms.
“I always advise my patients to keep a diary for at least a week so we can figure out which foods may be triggering the symptoms and then you can try an elimination diet,” says Malieckal.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com