If you are facing the problem of a hard bloated stomach after eating, this article will shed some light on its causes. Read further to know the ways in which you can get relief from a bloated stomach.
A bloated stomach after eating makes life difficult. Especially, when you are working and facing a heavy post lunch workload, a bloated stomach makes it impossible to do anything. A healthy and peaceful stomach is essential, if you want to concentrate on the job at hand.
A bloated stomach could just be the proverbial tip of the iceberg, signifying a deep rooted problem. It often so happens that we dismiss or neglect a problem like this one. Our body gives us signals and shows symptoms of deep rooted physical problems. One should take the hint and engage in immediate action to prevent it from being blown over into something serious. The very fact that you are reading this article signifies that you care about your body and are willing to take action to nip the problem in the bud. If you carry this attitude throughout life, not only will you be saved from paying many medical bills, but also live an energetic life.
Hard Bloated Stomach – Causes & Treatment
After that small digression into the benefits of prompt action against physical problems, let us get back to the subject of the article, which is the condition of a bloated stomach after eating. A bloated stomach is often accompanied by cramps and stomach ache. Let’s see what are the physical problems which can lead to a bloated stomach and what can you do to prevent it from occurring. Here I list the most common causes.
Overeating Resulting in Gases
If you have a habit of gorging on food, then it’s not surprising that you have a bloated tummy. The price you pay for committing the sin of gluttony is a bloated stomach after eating. Overeating causes indigestion, which creates gas that inflates your belly. Your stomach has a very limited food accommodating and digesting capacity. If you fill it beyond that, you are bound to have this bloating stomach problem regularly. The bigger problem which also looms eventually in the future is obesity. Be warned and mend your ways, while you still can.
Treatment
The treatment is very simple. Stop overeating and know when to stop. Eat to live and not live to eat!
High Fiber Diet
A heavy high fiber diet can result can give you a bloated stomach. If you have recently started on one, you need to rethink about the amount of fiber you intend to include in your diet.
Cure
Reduce fiber content for a while and then gradually increase it to a level that doesn’t lead to bloating problems of the stomach.
Aerophagia
Swallowing too much air while eating can bloat your stomach. Drinking carbonated drinks or smoking can also cause aerophagia, leading to a bloated stomach.
Remedy
Refrain from talking too much while you eat. This will reduce the air intake in your stomach. A high intake of carbonated drinks and smoking while eating should be avoided. Also, avoid gas producing foods, as much as possible.
Lactose and Fructose Intolerance
Certain food allergies or intolerance to digestion and assimilation of lactose or fructose may lead to a bloated stomach. Sometimes worm infestation may also be the cause.
Treatment
Avoid lactose containing dairy products if you are lactose intolerant. If you realize that allergy to certain food stuffs is causing a problem, then avoid eating them. Check up with a doctor if you suspect worm infestation.
Constipation
One of the prime causes of a bloated stomach is constipation. It may be caused by several physiological problems, bad eating habits, low fiber diet, low fluid intake, pregnancy, excess processed foods in diet and inactivity.
Remedy
Switching to a high fiber diet, laxative intake and adequate fluid intake helps clear out constipation. Initiate a change in your diet and make sure that you include fibrous foods like fruits (orange, banana, strawberries), legumes, nuts and vegetables (potato, sweet corn).
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
If bloating is accompanied with symptoms like chronic pain in the abdomen, along with gastroesophageal reflux, diarrhea, backache and chronic fatigue, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) could be the cause.
Treatment
Diet changes, laxative intake, antispasmodic medications, exercise and stress relief can effectively treat IBS. There are a range of treatment methods one could adopt after consultation with a medical practitioner.
Other causative factors which may lead to a chronic bloating as a symptom are Diverticulosis, Splenic-flexure syndrome, Alvarez’ syndrome, Gastric dumping syndrome, bowel obstruction, food allergies and Celiac disease. Occasional bloated stomach after eating can be easily avoided by following a disciplined daily meal schedule and a balanced diet, with high fiber and fluid intake. This will avoid most of the problems that are caused due to indigestion and the resulting gas which is the number one cause of a hard bloated stomach.
