There are many reasons that cause the belly to swell, and some of them can be very serious (e.g., ovarian cancer). The portal MedikForum.ru writes about common factors of this violation.
The irritable bowel syndrome. He is one of the most common causes of bloating affects nearly every fifth adult. This syndrome is characterized by the phenomenon that when any individual part of the bowel is functioning normally, but the different parts do not provide the normal work of the entire tract as a whole. Symptoms of this disorder, in addition to swelling, there may be abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of the two, sometimes nausea, fatigue and headache.
Flatulence. Eating foods that produce a lot of gas during digestion, can also cause bloating. Typical instigators of flatulence are broccoli, legumes, and starchy food is the reduction of these foods in the diet can help alleviate unpleasant symptoms.
Celiac disease. It is characterized by intolerance to a protein called gluten, found in wheat, barley and rye. Symptoms of celiac disease are different, but in more than half of the cases is dominated by dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract (nausea, vomiting, flatulence, stomach bloated), backlog in physical development, allergies, memory loss, fatigue, poor sleep. If you suspect you may have celiac disease, visit your doctor. There is a blood test that can exclude or confirm its presence.
Inflammatory bowel disease. There are two types of inflammatory bowel diseases – Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Their main symptoms are usually changes in usual bowel habits, abdominal pain and diarrhea (often with blood or mucus), bloating. In addition, a person may experience fevers, he loses weight.
Ovarian cancer. Constant bloating can be a symptom of ovarian cancer, although in women this symptom is often ignored (usually associated with the characteristics of nutrition and digestion). But in the case of cancer the swelling has a distinctive feature – it becomes lengthy. Therefore, if the stomach seems to be swollen for three or more weeks, you should see a doctor and be examined to rule out ovarian cancer.
Hormonal fluctuations. In women during pregnancy and just before menstruation in the body and increases the level of the hormone progesterone, which can slow down the motility of the intestines. As a result, the passage of food through the tract is slowed down, constipation and bloating.
Stress. Increased anxiety and worry cause physiological changes in the body, reducing levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Among them – the reaction that diverts blood from the digestive system to other parts of the body, making the digestive process less efficient and can lead to bloating. For some people, the stress response also causes changes in breathing, which leads to swallowing air, and, consequently, to swollen belly.
