Stomach pain and abdominal bloating can be incredibly uncomfortable. Up to 30% of Americans experience bloating on a daily basis! In some cases, we can experience bloating on rare occasions, like after a delicious and heavy meal, or after eating something that isn’t always the best for us. Stress and anxiety can also lead to bloating on occasion, but the real issue comes when bloating is a daily concern. It can make you physically uncomfortable throughout the day, and can deter you from being active, and can even keep you from eating, even when you want to. Functional medicine and bloat treatments that take into consideration the root cause of your discomfort look to find the real, ongoing reasons that you may be experiencing stomach pains and bloating. 

Functional Medicine and Bloat – The Underlying Cause

There are 3 main causes of stomach and abdominal bloating; fluid retention, air, and gas. Eating carb-heavy foods, or foods that are high in salt and sodium is one major culprit for this type of water retention. Unfortunately, sometimes fluid retention can be caused by more serious issues like heart or liver disease. Hormonal imbalances can also contribute to retention, like pregnancy or menstrual hormonal fluctuations. 

Swallowing air can also lead to bloating, and this is one of the more easily managed causes. Gulping air while drinking, smoking, chewing gum, and even drinking through a straw can lead to excess air being forced into the stomach.

The third cause for bloating is actually the most common and is usually caused by gut health problems. The most promising news about this particular cause for bloating is finding the solution can typically be linked to our diets, and what we’re putting in our body. When we speak to the benefits of pairing functional medicine and bloating symptoms, we like to focus on improving the microbiome in your gut in order to improve the healthy functions that take place there. 

Symptoms and Treatments – Your Journey to Feeling Better

For some, the culprits behind stomach bloating can be linked to certain food additives or ingredients and nutrients that may upset your digestive system. From dairy products to cruciferous vegetables, analyzing your diet can give you a pretty good idea if there are specific food items that aggravate your digestive health. At the Integrated Wellness Clinic of Philly, we’ll help you with a food and nutrition journal to really pinpoint if your diet is the cause of your discomfort. We’ll also assist you with nutritional help from our certified Nutritionist. 

Bloat symptoms include abdominal pressure, stomach and abdominal pain, restlessness, swollen or distended abdomen, burping or increased gas.

Caption: Bloat symptoms include abdominal pressure, stomach and abdominal pain, restlessness, swollen or distended abdomen, burping or increased gas. (alt tag: bloat symptoms)

There are other disorders however, that can contribute to your bloat symptoms. Celiac disease is one disorder that can impact your overall health and it’s one that is greatly impacted by your diet. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, diverticulitis, food allergies, lactose intolerance, and even low digestive enzyme production can also impact your digestive health and can lead to symptoms like bloat.

Outside influences can also impact your gut health, and as we discussed in a previous blog, the link between our mental health and our gut health is often overlooked. Added stress and anxiety can impact our gut’s microbiome in ways that can impact many of our body’s functions and systems negatively.

Finding Solutions for a Better Quality of Life

Utilizing integrative medicine treatments and techniques, IWC can help pinpoint the underlying root cause of your bloating symptoms and really dig deep into the best way to combat your symptoms and alleviate your discomfort as soon as possible. By evaluating your diet in conjunction with specific functional gastrointestinal testing, we’ll ensure all bases are covered.

Are you ready to get some answers about your gut health? To book an appointment with the Integrated Wellness Clinic of Philly, give us a call at (610) 265-0500 or better yet, fill out our appointment booking tool right on our website here. We’re here to help you on your journey to better health and wellness!