How to Relieve Bloating Pain

Triệu chứng	Liệu pháp
Đau do chướng bụng thường xuyên	Tham khảo ý kiến bác sĩ
Đau nhói do chướng bụng	Tham khảo ý kiến bác sĩ
Cảm giác đầy hơi hoặc đầy bụng	Điều chỉnh chế độ ăn uống
Táo bón	Thử dùng thuốc nhuận tràng, tham khảo ý kiến bác sĩ nếu triệu chứng dai dẳng
Khó tiêu	Hỏi bác sĩ về việc dùng axit hydrochloric

Don't hesitate to release gas. One of the most direct ways to ease bloating pain is to release gas (farting or passing wind). Most of us, along with many cultures, consider farting in public impolite, so it's best to do so in a bathroom. To make releasing gas more comfortable, try walking slowly or gently massaging your stomach from top to bottom to push the gas out of your intestines.

• Gas produced by bacteria fermenting in the intestines is composed of nitrogen, CO2, methane, and sulfur compounds, which contribute to the odor.
• Bloating tends to become more common with age, often due to a decrease in digestive enzyme production.

Try relieving the pain by burping. Another way to release gas from the opposite direction is by burping. While burping doesn't affect gas in the intestines as much, it can help release excess gas from the stomach and upper digestive tract. Air buildup in the stomach may result from swallowing liquids too quickly, drinking through a straw, chewing gum, or smoking. The gas can be expelled simply, quickly, and without discomfort by burping. Although carbonated drinks can cause bloating, a few sips of sparkling water may help stimulate burping and release gas.

• Natural ingredients like ginger, papaya, lemon juice, and mint are sometimes used to stimulate burping.
• Similar to farting, many people and cultures (but not all) consider loud burping in public rude, so it’s important to be cautious.

Avoid foods that cause bloating. Some foods tend to create gas in the intestines because they are difficult to digest or contain compounds that irritate the stomach or intestines. Common bloating foods include beans, lentils, cabbage, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, prunes, and mushrooms. Overeating insoluble fiber (found in most vegetables and the skins of certain fruits), fructose (found in all fruits, especially sweet berries), and gluten (found in most grains like wheat, barley, and rye) can lead to farting, bloating, and diarrhea. If you enjoy raw fruits and vegetables, eat small portions, chew slowly, and allow time for digestion.

• People with celiac disease are particularly sensitive to gluten, which can irritate the intestines, causing stomach pain and bloating.
• Other gut disorders that can increase bloating risk include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease.
• Beverages that can cause bloating include coffee, fructose-rich drinks, beer, and soft drinks containing artificial sweeteners (aspartame or sorbitol).

Eat foods that won't increase bloating and stomach discomfort. These foods include ginger, raw honey, mint, chamomile, cucumber, bananas, pineapple, fennel seeds, flaxseeds, probiotic yogurt, and kale.

Avoid dairy products if you're lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance is the condition of not being able to produce enough (or any) lactase, an enzyme necessary to break down the sugar in milk (lactose). Undigested lactose accumulates in the large intestine, providing a substrate for beneficial bacteria to ferment and use as food, producing gas as a byproduct. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. Therefore, you should reduce or avoid animal dairy products if you suspect lactose intolerance, especially cow's milk, cheese, cream, ice cream, and milkshakes.

• Lactase production decreases rapidly after adolescence, meaning the likelihood of lactose intolerance increases as you age.
• If you want to continue consuming dairy products without bloating or stomach pain from lactose intolerance, consider taking lactase enzyme supplements available in health food stores or pharmacies. Take a few capsules before eating dairy foods.

Mix 1-2 teaspoons of baking soda with a bit of water. Abdominal pain caused by bloating could be a result of stomach acid. Baking soda, being alkaline, neutralizes acid and helps relieve the discomfort caused by bloating.

Consult a doctor. Along with food intolerance or bloating from consuming foods that cause gas, there are numerous medical conditions that could lead to bloating and stomach pain. If you frequently experience bloating pain, it’s a good idea to visit a doctor for a health checkup to screen for any potential serious underlying conditions. Medical issues that commonly cause bloating and stomach pain include viral, bacterial, and parasitic stomach infections, stomach ulcers, bowel obstruction, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, food allergies, stomach or colon cancer, gallbladder disease, and acid reflux.

• If bloating pain is caused by an infection or food poisoning, the doctor may recommend a short course of antibiotics. However, overuse of antibiotics can destroy beneficial gut bacteria and actually cause further digestive symptoms.
• Some medications can cause bloating and discomfort, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen, Naproxen), laxatives, antifungals, and statins (for high blood pressure patients), so it’s important to discuss your prescription medication with your doctor.
• Your doctor may perform stool tests and blood tests to diagnose celiac disease, as well as conduct a breath test for lactose intolerance. In some cases, X-rays or a colonoscopy may be needed.

Ask your doctor about hydrochloric acid. Normal digestion, especially of protein-rich foods, requires a significant amount of stomach acid, specifically hydrochloric acid (HCl) at high concentrations. A deficiency in stomach acid production, which is common with aging, can lead to improper protein digestion, causing fermentation in the intestines and gas production. Therefore, it’s advisable to consult your doctor about assessing your stomach acid production and consider taking supplements like HCl if your body isn't naturally producing enough acid.

• To aid protein digestion, it’s better to consume meat, poultry, or fish before starting with bread and/or salads. Stomach acid is typically produced when you begin eating, but carbohydrates need much less hydrochloric acid compared to proteins.
• Betaine hydrochloride is a popular supplement form of HCl that can be found in most health food stores. Be sure to take it after meals, not before or during your meals.

Consider supplementing with the enzyme alpha-galactosidase. As mentioned earlier, a common reason some foods may cause bloating is that the human body is unable to digest certain complex sugars (such as insoluble fiber and oligosaccharides). Taking over-the-counter products containing alpha-galactosidase (such as Beano, Suntaqzyme, Bean-zyme) can help address this issue by breaking down the sugars before they reach the intestines and start fermenting. Take one tablet of alpha-galactosidase before eating high-fiber foods (such as vegetables and beans) to prevent gas formation and abdominal pain.

• This enzyme is derived from the mold Aspergillus niger, which is used in food production and may cause allergic reactions in individuals sensitive to mold and penicillin.
• Alpha-galactosidase efficiently breaks down galactose into glucose, but it may interact with diabetes medication. Consult your doctor if you have diabetes and plan to use a product containing alpha-galactosidase.

Try taking probiotics. Probiotic supplements contain strains of beneficial bacteria that are typically found in the colon. These "good bacteria" can be destroyed due to excessive antibiotic use, laxative consumption, heavy alcohol intake, exposure to heavy metals, or colonoscopy. An imbalance of gut bacteria can lead to digestive problems and related symptoms. If you believe you're at risk of gut flora imbalance, you may want to consider taking probiotics to relieve bloating pain. Probiotics are safe and commonly available at health food stores.

• Probiotics are available in tablet, capsule, or powder form and must be taken regularly to maintain an effective level of bacteria in the colon. Any product you choose should be designed to dissolve in the intestine or be encapsulated to survive stomach acid and remain alive when reaching the gut.
• Fermented foods are also a rich source of beneficial bacteria and include natural yogurt, buttermilk, kefir, fermented soy products (such as Natto, Miso, soy sauce, tofu), sauerkraut, and even unpasteurized beer.

Consider using a laxative for constipation relief. Constipation can occur due to poor bowel movement or difficulty passing stool, often caused by eating too much fiber (or almost none at all) or not drinking enough water. Chronic constipation is typically defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week over several weeks or months, but most cases of constipation last only a few days. Constipation can cause stomach pain and cramping similar to bloating pain, though the discomfort’s cause is usually quite different. Treatments for constipation often include the use of laxatives to stimulate bowel movements. Laxatives work by adding bulk to stool (FiberCon, Metamucil, Citrucel), softening stool, promoting fluid movement in the colon (Milk of Magnesia), or lubricating the colon (mineral oil, cod liver oil).

• Older adults, particularly those with poor diets, are often constipated due to insufficient fiber intake and are commonly advised to eat prunes or drink prune juice.
• Constipation in young children and adolescents often results from overeating fiber at once, such as carrots or apples.
• If your constipation is caused by excess fiber, you may also experience bloating and abdominal discomfort due to bacterial fermentation. Therefore, you should apply the methods mentioned to relieve bloating pain as well.