The First Steps With Bloating
Bloating: the few things that matter most, and the mistakes that catch people out early.
A sensation of abdominal fullness or pressure, sometimes with visible distension.
Key takeaways
- Common causes: diet, constipation, IBS, swallowed air
- Persistent bloating over 50: warrants investigation, including for ovarian cancer
- Most useful single change: Increase fibre gradually with more fluid.
- Commonest mistake: Cutting out food groups without dietetic advice.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Why bother
It is usually benign and dietary, and occasionally the presenting symptom of something that needs urgent investigation.
Start here
Start with two. Add the rest once those have stopped taking effort.
- Increase fibre gradually with more fluid
- Keep a food and symptom diary to find patterns
Then add these
The next additions, when you are ready for them.
- Treat constipation, which is a frequent underlying cause
- Eat more slowly, which reduces swallowed air
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Common causes | diet, constipation, IBS, swallowed air |
| Persistent bloating over 50 | warrants investigation, including for ovarian cancer |
| Fibre | increase gradually; sudden increases cause bloating |
| Pulses and cruciferous vegetables | common contributors, usually dose-related |
| Coeliac testing | appropriate before assuming IBS |
Common early mistakes
- Cutting out food groups without dietetic advice
- Assuming persistent bloating is trivial, particularly over 50
- Fizzy drinks and chewing gum if bloating is prominent
Where to go next
- Bloating: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- Bloating, Explained Without the Jargon
- Bloating — the reference entry
- Diarrhoea: What Published Guidance Supports
- The Evidence on Haemorrhoids, Without the Hype
When to speak to a doctor
See a GP promptly for persistent bloating occurring most days for three weeks or more, particularly with feeling full quickly, pelvic or abdominal pain, or needing to urinate more often — these can indicate ovarian cancer. Also seek assessment for bloating with weight loss, rectal bleeding, or a change in bowel habit.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
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