Symptoms

• Symptoms

  Bloating can often be accompanied by signs and symptoms, including:

  • A feeling of uncomfortable fullness, pressure, or tightness
  • Swollen or distended lower abdomen
  • Pain or cramping
  • Gas or wind 
  • Burping 
  • Constipation

Identify

Your Naturopath, Homeopath, or Nutritionist can generally diagnose the cause of your bloating through a physical exam. They will ask you questions about your symptoms. They will want to know if your bloating is occasional or if it occurs all the time.

Causes

Bloating can be linked to certain medical conditions, foods and beverages, as well as eating habits that cause the build-up of gasses in the digestive system.

Some of the common causes of bloating include:

• Poor eating habits – eating too much or too quickly can cause you to swallow extra air leading to bloating and a build up of gas. 
• Food sensitivities or intolerances – when your body isn’t able to process a certain food, it can trigger an immune reaction that produces symptoms, including bloating. 
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – a gastrointestinal disorder triggered by certain foods or beverages producing digestive symptoms, including bloating. 
• Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) – an abnormal increase in bacteria in your small intestine leading to bloating, burping and excessive wind. 
• Lactose intolerance: inability to digest lactose, the sugar in dairy products. 
• Constipation – stool backed up in the bowels will cause digestive symptoms, including bloating. 
• Celiac disease – an autoimmune condition where the consumption of gluten triggers an immune reaction in the small intestine leading to a range of symptoms, including abdominal pain and bloating. 
• Female hormone fluctuations – women can often feel more bloated at the start of their period cycle due to changes in progesterone and oestrogen hormone levels resulting in their bodies retaining more water and salt. 

How a Nutritionist / Naturopath or Homeopath can help with bloating:

Our approach and help to treating bloating will usually involve a comprehensive health assessment to identify contributing factors and rule out any underlying conditions, alongside recommendations around diet, lifestyle and natural remedies to ease bloating. 

• Diet – depending on your history and the extent of your digestive symptoms, a therapeutic diet such as Low FODMAP or a Food Elimination Trial may be recommended to identify problematic foods contributing to bloating. 
• Natural remedies – supplements, homeopathy and herbs can all help reduce the symptoms associated with bloating, as well as target the underlying causes.
• Healthy lifestyle habits – regular exercise, good eating habits and proper hydration may also be advised. 
• Stool testing – conducting a Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA) test can be helpful in identifying gut infections and imbalances in gut bacteria, which can contribute to bloating. 
• Food intolerance testing – our in-house Food Detective Test may be recommended if it is suspected that food intolerances are contributing to bloating.

If you often feel bloated, accompanied by other digestive symptoms, book in to see one of the Naturopaths, nutritionists, or Homoeopaths who are best to discuss your gut health and create a tailored plan to address the underlying drivers of your bloating.