Stomach bloating: ‘Sudden’ bloating is a serious warning sign - what it could mean
Gorging on gassy foods, such as beans and broccoli, can have painful repercussions on the body. The most common being stomach bloating – that painful sensation whereby the belly distends to accommodate excess wind. In most cases, cutting down on gassy culprits should help to relieve bloating.
Stomach bloating does not always have benign causes, however.
Bloating that comes on suddenly when you get older can signal something serious is up.
“Most people who have bloating start experiencing it at a young age. But if someone is suddenly having bloating in older age, that’s sometimes a red flag that tells me something has changed and needs to be investigated,” said Dr Kyle Staller, a gastroenterologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
According to Professor Staller, it could signal the following:
- Inflammatory bowel condition
- Constipation
- Lactose intolerance
- Celiac disease, or (in rare cases) cancer.
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