Irritable bowel syndrome is diagnosed only after all other causes of your symptoms are ruled out; can a swollen belly be caused by IBS?
If you have irritable bowel syndrome, you may have noticed that your stomach is swelling or has become bloated.
“IBS can be associated with bloating, and this may be related to slow bowel transit and possibly bacterial overgrowth,” says John E. Pandolfino, MD, Director of the Esophageal Center, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and Associate Professor, Division of Gastroenterology at Northwestern University.
“The bacteria break down food and create gas which can distend the stomach.”
To help remedy this problem, include “live culture bacteria” yogurt and/or kefir in your diet. The “good” bacteria will help balance out the “bad” bacteria in your intestines.
If you have not been diagnosed with IBS but have noticed that your stomach is looking a little swollen lately, don’t automatically assume that this is new-onset IBS.
A swollen or bloated abdomen can have other causes.
Serious Cause of a Swollen Stomach
Excess fluid in the abdominal cavity is called ascites (pronounced uh-sight-eez).
This never has a harmless or innocuous cause.
The causes of ascites include liver disease, kidney disease, congestive heart failure or ovarian cancer.
With these serious causes of the fluid retention, there will likely be other troubling symptoms that you became aware of before you began noticing the increasing size of your abdomen.
Other Causes of a Growing Belly
Did you take a home pregnancy test? All it takes is one intimate episode, even if both you and your partner were on birth control.
The only 100 percent effective birth control is abstinence. Plus, a home pregnancy test can yield a false negative.
You may also simply be gaining excess fat.
If you have an official irritable bowel syndrome diagnosis and are noticing a new swelling or bloating in your abdomen, don’t make assumptions. See your doctor.
Dr. Pandolfino’s practice covers a wide gamut of GI disorders including GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, benign and malignant tumors, swallowing disorders and esophageal disorders.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
