Bloating

Struggling with bloating? Here’s what you need to know to find relief.

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What is bloating?

When you’re bloated, your stomach or abdomen can feel full and uncomfortable, or even painful.

This bloating happens when your gastrointestinal tract contains too much gas or air. Bloating can be mild, or more severe, and may present as:

– A visibly distended or swollen abdomen

– Feeling very full and uncomfortable

– Feeling of tightness in the abdomen

– Excess gas – belching and/or flatulence

– Rumbling or gurgling

There are several causes of bloating, so it’s important to diagnose the cause of your bloating and find out why it’s happening to you.

Why does bloating happen?

Prolonged periods of bloating could indicate an underlying health problem, if so you should see your GP.

Possible causes can include:

  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS diagnosis)

  • Ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), where the inner lining of the large bowel is inflamed and develops ulcers

  • Crohn’s disease, the other form of IBD, where some parts of your colon are inflamed

  • Too much bacteria in your small intestine (called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO)

  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease

  • Food intolerances, especially lactose or fructose intolerance

  • Producing too much gas (dysbiosis and fermentation)

  • Weight gain

  • Stress or anxiety

  • Delays in your food and drink moving on from your stomach (called gastroparesis)

  • Eating too quickly, so that you swallow too much air (called aerophagia)

Diagnosing bloating

Feeling bloated is no fun, but once you know what’s going on you can start to manage your symptoms and the underlying causes.

Testing options:

At the Functional Gut Clinic, we can run the following tests to diagnose the causes of bloating:

  • Gastric emptying test– which measures how quickly food leaves your stomach

  • Carbohydrate malabsorption breath test– which finds out if you have certain food intolerances (lactose or fructose)

  • Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) breath test– which finds out if you have an overgrowth of bacteria in your small intestine (called SIBO)

  • Oesophageal manometry– which measures the function of your oesophagus (food pipe)

  • 24-hour pH impedance monitoring– which looks at whether you have any reflux

  • Colonic transit study-a non-invasive test which looks at how long it takes for faeces to pass through your bowl

Learn more about bloating

Graeme Syme

Graeme Syme

Extended Network
October 10, 2025•1 min read

Graeme is a Specialist Gastroenterology Dietitian who lives and works in London, having trained in Edinburgh. He is passionate about patient care and involving patients in decision-making. This commitment led Graeme to co-develop www.PostScriptMedical.com, an illustrative tool designed to help explain medical terminology and treatment plans to patients.

Having trained in endoscopy, Graeme became the first JAG-accredited Dietitian in the UK qualified to perform diagnostic gastroscopy procedures. This achievement enabled the development of a “one-stop coeliac service,” enhancing consistency and familiarity in patient care.

His particular interest lies in gastroenterology, and he is a valued member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT), which includes Gastroenterology, Neurogastroenterology, and Colorectal specialists.

Graeme is a specialist in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), and Coeliac Disease.

Areas of Interest:

  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease

  • Coeliac Disease

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome

  • Gastric Motility Disorders

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Are you experiencing any other symptoms

Symptoms are often closely connected. Find out more below.

Reflux

Burning mid-chest, worse when bending or lying down

Constipation

Difficulty going to the toilet, unusual stools, often with stomach ache or intestinal cramps, bloating, nausea or appetite loss

Heartburn

A burning pain in your chest, just behind your breastbone.

The pain is often worse after eating...

Regurgitation

Bringing food or drink back up, difficulty swallowing, feeling that food or drink is stuck in your throat, horrible taste in your mouth

Swallowing Issues

Dysphagia - difficulty swallowing, feeling that food or drink is stuck in your throat, horrible taste in your mouth

Diarrhoea

Loose or explosive stools, can’t get to a toilet in time

Abdominal Pain

Cramps; sharp or dull pain, Bloating, Excessive belching, Nausea or vomiting

Faecal Incontinence

Stools leak unexpectedly, Can’t get to a toilet in time

IBS

Abdominal pain or cramping, bloating, changes in bowel habits and urgency, gas

Learn more