Bloating Specialist
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Gastroenterology Clinic of San Antonio
Nicholas P. Martinez, MD
Gastroenterologist located in San Antonio, TX
That uncomfortable feeling of being overfull or bloated with gas is a common experience that may just be a warning you’ve eaten too much. If it’s a symptom of a more serious underlying problem, however, Nicholas Martinez, MD, is a board-certified gastroenterologist at Gastroenterology Clinic of San Antonio who can find the cause using cutting-edge diagnostic tools and then provide effective therapies to relieve your bloating. Call his San Antonio office or schedule an appointment online today if you’re suffering from painful bloating.
Bloating Q & A
What is bloating?
Bloating is a common problem in which your stomach feels distended and uncomfortable. As many as 40% of patients who visit Dr. Martinez complain of gas or bloating, and it can become a regular problem, causing visible distension of the abdomen. Most cases of bloating are due to the food you eat, so dietary and lifestyle changes may be all that’s required to ease that bloated feeling.
What causes bloating?
The primary cause of bloating is overeating, or having too much rich, fatty food. Fat is harder for your body to digest than proteins and carbohydrates, so it makes your stomach feel full for longer. Simply reducing your portion sizes and cutting out fatty foods can relieve bloating for many people.
Some people also eat too quickly, consuming more food than they need because their brain isn’t receiving the signal that they’ve eaten enough. Slowing down your rate of consumption helps you avoid overeating, and also reduces the amount of air you swallow as you eat. Swallowing air contributes to the buildup of gas in your stomach, which is another reason you may feel bloated.
Certain foods are more likely to cause bloating because they are harder for your body to digest. These include:
- Beans
- Lentils
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
- Prunes
- Apricots
- Sweeteners
- Dairy
- Whole grains
Whole foods are a staple of a healthy diet, but suddenly increasing the number of whole grains you eat can cause bloating if your body hasn’t gotten used to the change. If you’re changing your diet, do so gradually to give your system time to acclimate to the new foods, and always drink plenty of water.
Could food intolerances be causing my bloating?
Some people have intolerances to certain foods that make them more likely to experience bloating. You may be able to isolate some of these for yourself by taking note of when your bloating occurs and looking for foods you may have eaten prior to the bloating.
Dr. Martinez can perform breath testing to check for intolerances or other causes of bloating. These are simple tests that measure the presence of indicators for problems such as fructose malabsorption, where your body can’t digest certain sugars properly.
Bloating isn’t usually a sign of any serious health problem, but it’s always worth getting it checked out to find out the cause so you can take steps to avoid bloating in the future. Call Gastroenterology Clinic of San Antonio or use online booking to schedule an appointment with Dr. Martinez today.
