A bloated belly can be caused by overeating, intestinal gas, pregnancy, or underlying medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, congestive heart failure, and gastric cancer. Unhealthy eating habits and parasite infestation can also contribute to the condition. Other symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, and diarrhea should prompt a consultation with a doctor.
The various causes of a bloated belly may or may not be obvious. Overeating, intestinal gas, and pregnancy are obvious reasons for a bloated belly. Other causes that are not as common and could be serious can include irritable bowel syndrome, congestive heart failure, acute liver failure, tuberculous peritonitis, and gastric cancer. Conditions that can be added to that list are intestinal parasites, biliary ascites, urinary ascites, peritoneal adhesions, colon cancer, and primary mesothelioma. Females sometimes experience a bloated belly during premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and if they have ovarian cysts or uterine fibroids.
One cause of a swollen belly is parasite infestation. This is often the culprit for bloating among severely malnourished individuals suffering from a parasitic invasion. It should be remembered that even people who eat a lot of food can be malnourished if they do not follow a diet that provides them with the nutrients they need. A bloated belly can also be referred to as a distended belly, bloated stomach, or distended abdomen.
Some causes of this condition are brought on by unhealthy eating habits and others result from an underlying medical condition. For example, many people try to improve their health by consuming more fruits and vegetables, but find that they end up feeling unwell and with a bloated abdomen. This is usually caused by habits such as eating fruits and vegetables at the same meal, which is generally not good for proper digestion. Others try to bolster their health by increasing their intake of fiber-rich foods. Intestinal gas that causes a bloated belly often occurs when grains aren’t cooked properly or aren’t ancient grains.
While most causes of a distended abdomen aren’t indications of a life-threatening health problem, it’s a good idea to consider other signs and symptoms that may accompany the distension. For example, any type of abdominal pain, high fever, inability to eat or drink for several hours, and diarrhea are causes for concern. Unexplained fatigue, tenderness in the belly, and any other signs or symptoms accompanying bloating should prompt a consultation with a doctor. A doctor will ask about these and other signs and symptoms and, based on your answers, determine what medical and laboratory tests should be done to make a diagnosis.
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