While these symptoms can affect anyone from time to time, IBS bloating and stomach distension can be persistent.
This article discusses the root causes and underlying mechanisms behind IBS bloating and distention.
It also details medications to treat uncomfortable IBS symptoms and home remedies that can bring relief.
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However, bloating isn’t listed as part of theRome IV criteriafor diagnosing IBS.
What Is Rome IV?
Rome IV includes diagnostic criteria for IBS.
It is periodically updated to incorporate new research.
Distension typically worsens as the day wears on.
You may also find that your abdomen gets more distended after you have eaten.
It’s estimated that approximately half of all people who have IBS experience distension.
Distension and bloating often occur simultaneously, but it is thought that they result from different bodily processes.
Why Does IBS Make My Belly Swell?
Several underlying mechanisms are being investigated as possible causes of IBS bloating.
It’s possible that many of them are interrelated.
Bloating and Quality of Life
Bloating has a negative impact on quality of life.
In surveys, it runs neck-and-neck with abdominal pain as the most severesymptom of IBS.
In one survey, a quarter of people with IBS-C ranked it as their most bothersome symptom.
What Relieves IBS Bloating?
Try not to get frustrated when your experience doesn’t match that of other people with this condition.
IBS Medications
No treatments are definitively proven to improve IBS bloating.
Laxatives and stool softeners are commonly used.
In particular, polyethylene glycol (PEG) is often recommended for people with IBS-C.
It works to retain water in the stools, softening them.
This helps increase bowel movements.
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