Does inflammatory bowel disease cause bloating?

Ah, the joys of bloating – the stomach distension, tightness and general discomfort that makes you feel like a beached whale. But does inflammatory bowel disease (‘IBD’) cause bloating? It’s a question that has bugged many people who have grappled with IBD.

Before diving into the meat of this article, let’s first understand what IBD is.

What Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

Inflammation in our body is typically meant to protect us from harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses. However, when inflammation becomes excessive or uncontrolled, it can wreak havoc on healthy tissue too. That’s essentially what happens in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which comprises two main forms: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Fun fact: The word “inflammatory” comes from the Latin word inflammare meaning “to set on fire.” With IBD patients’ bowels experiencing anything but a harmonious existence reminiscent of churning seas seen only during typhoons; we couldn’t think of an adjective more apt than ‘inflammatory.’

Both Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis are chronic conditions characterized by inflammation (for those readers imagining their gut looking like red-hot lava streaming down Mount Vesuvius – don’t worry, it doesn’t); either somewhere along your digestive tract or confined to certain sections such as in Ulcerative Colitis case which harms only Colon & Rectum resulting in intermittent diarrhea(strained yes!) , bloody stools(ouch!), abdominal pain(you would feel as if somebody stabbed you inside )& cramping(literally every muscle stretching without going to gym) . Unfortunately, while there are some treatments available for managing these debilitating diseases，but cannot cure them completely 😿😿😿 So based on recent researches scientists did come up with few explanations about the connection between bloating and IBD.

So, Does Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cause Bloating?

Yes. But it’s not that simple because life always finds ways to make things difficult (why oh why 😭).

First of all, don’t mix up inflammation with bloating; though they have few overlap in their symptoms like fatigue (sudden lapses), Nausea(gag reflex )& reduced appetite(weighing 50 kgs would be a dream come true). These are common issues no matter what disease you face when your gut is inflamed. We can’t deny that there are several reasons for suffering from intestinal gas which may lead to bloating(increased waist length shouldn’t be on our bucket list , Trust me!) such as eating too quickly, swallowing air during meals or drinking carbonated beverages(Just avoid them You donut!). Despite these facts ,
intense inflammatory response simultaneously might result into internal changes way beyond the physical
appearance causing one feel extra gassy(devilish farts lurk aroundsss!), crampy(as if somebody twisting your belly muscles in knots) & just generally miserablely :'(.

Fun fact: Chemokines(Tiny molecules released by cells acting as traffic signals flocking towards an infected spot during Inflammation similar to lady Gaga fans waiting outside Wembley stadium 💗💗💓)  did play pretty essential role in causing and maintaining inflammation at its peak😎

To make matters worse(guess what? we were taking only levels of uncomfortable-ness normal people couldn’t imagine but now it could get exceedingly brutal ), some medications used for treating IBD – steroids primarily – can cause water retention or stimulate appetite(turning us into snack addicts!). Additionally, Corticosteroids also interfere with electrolyte balance resulting in excess fluid build-up(swell-bellies alert 🚨🚨🚨!)

What Can You Do About IBD-Induced Bloating?

As with all things GI-related, our primal instinct is to immediately unbutton/ loosen up pants/joggers/shorts 🩳and seek refuge on a sofa for moving around much-too-much could feel like experiencing your last meal twice. But this façade can only work temporarily because bloating usually persists and often becomes worse over time.

Increase Exercise

While it’s understandable that some people may want to skip exercising when feeling bloated or tired, it’s actually essential! (Caféineeeee please🥱) Exercise encourages movement of waste matter through the bowels whilst also increasing lymphatic drainage(an important ally!) away from tissue(easing inflammation), making it easier for your body to get back in shape(helping you knockout those demonized gas pockets!). So next time Instead slothing around(become couch potato ,a giant luxury pillow 😔) try taking a walk at least

Fun fact: A study published in Clinical Gastroenterology observed significant benefits associated with moderate exercise (e.g., swimming, cycling) for Crohn’s disease patients compared against non-active counterparts.💯

Modify Your Eating Habits

Changing eating habits isn’t entirely just about cutting out fizzy drinks but looking at changing other elements too; consuming small meals(more digestive power less bloat-y pooper!), reducing fat intake(Why not opt lean?😋😋😋 delicious & healthy), minimising processed foods(user-friendly bacteria love real-food diet ! ), eliminating carbonated beverages(big no-noo👎)+ alcohol(sudden mortality-causing regret that isn’t worth their price tags!), adding probiotics(Aye-a choice preferred by majority⚡️⚡️ ) as well avoiding known inflammatory foods(stuffs like sugar white flour refined oils which rather than boosting immune function apparently causes one more prone to catching pathogens😱😱) greatly improves your chances of managing IBD. Remember- If you hope for a calm and balanced gut – choosing the right food is half battle won!

Medication

More often than not, certain medicines will be prescribed to alleviate inflammation(necessary evil! 🙃🙃 ) and in turn, reduce upon bloating (Yay!). Given physicians prescription nasal-butterflies intake oral medication shouldn’t be too difficult or missed as taking medicine timely would lessen further internal issues later on.

When Should You See Your Doctor?

As aforementioned, Bloating (despite being common amongst every living mammal with an acute intestinal tract ), if coupled by other symptoms like fever,sudden weight loss,tarry black stools, constipation or diarrhoea lasting longer period of time – more than 3 months or significant pain that leaves one incapacitated; can be signs signalling something troublesome-you don’t necessarily have ought to panicary but do seek scheduled doctor appointments(can occur via phone calls nowadays!).

Bottom Line?

Inflammatory bowel disease does cause bloating( let out a huge sighs 🥴🥴in relief?) ,but it comes down to how well we manage our lifestyles & incorporate healthy changes into daily eating routine along with regular exercises .The ability in which we handle chronic illnesses surely becomes Herculean task without aid from modern science but successful management of these shared struggles ultimately rests within us 💪💪

Dane Raynor

Hey there, I’m Dane Raynor, and I’m all about sharing fascinating knowledge, news, and hot topics. I’m passionate about learning and have a knack for simplifying complex ideas. Let’s explore together!