Abdominal distension (patient information)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Charmaine Patel, M.D. [2]
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Abdominal distension Microchapters |
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Diagnosis |
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Overview
What are the symptoms of (disease name)?
- Passing an excessive amount of gas or burping too frequently.
- Abdominal bloating.
- Cramping abdominal pain.
- Feeling of fullness in the stomach.
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
What causes abdominal distension?
- Air swallowing (a nervous habit)
- Constipation
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Lactose intolerance and other food intolerances
- Overeating
- Small bowel bacterial overgrowth
- Weight gain
More serious causes of abdominal distension or bloating are:
- Ascites which is fluid that accumulates in the belly.
- Tumors
- Celiac disease, which is a condition caused by an allergy to a component of food called gluten.
- Dumping syndrome, which is a syndrome causing gastrointestinal side effects due to a tumor.
- Ovarian cancer
- When the pancreas is not able to make enzymes needed for digestion (pancreatic insufficiency)