Stomach bloating describes what happens when too much gas clogs up a person’s gastrointestinal tract. The result tends to be an uncomfortable bout of tummy swelling. Most often it is no cause for alarm however experiencing any of these four incidences alongside your bloat could signal something more serious.
A person is seriously bloated when their symptoms are caused by a condition that requires immediate medical attention.
It’s important to be familiar with the warning signs and symptoms that might indicate something ominous.
Most bloating subsides after a few hours or after taking the correct medication but sometimes the bloating persists and can cause agonising pain.
Health expert Dr Oz explained that if a person finds bloating is “interfering” with their lives and has a constant negative impact, this could be a red flag.
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Changes in toilet habits
Health app for NHS patients, Now Patient said: “If a person experiences out of the ordinary bathroom changes, such as continuous diarrhoea, needing to go more frequently or blood in your stools may indicate that you have something which needs medical attention.”
Fatigue
“Continually feeling tiredness combined with bloating can be attributed to many things but shouldn’t be ignored,” added Now Patient.
Less commonly, abdominal bloating may be due to other serious conditions, said Medical News Today.
The site continued: “People with gallstones or gallbladder disease may experience intense abdominal pain that mimics bloating.
“Cancers of the stomach or intestines may also lead to abdominal discomfort and bloating.
“Ascites is another condition that leads to abdominal pain and bloating. “Ascites is a build-up of fluid in the abdominal cavity over a period of time.
“The most common cause of this is liver disease.”