This article originally ran May 3, 2022, and was updated February 27, 2026.
Most of us know what it feels like to be bloated, and it isn’t pleasant.
“People will describe it different ways, but it’s typically a feeling of being gassy, feeling like your stomach is distended or swollen, a sense of being uncomfortable,” says UNC Health gastroenterologist Alicia Muratore, MD. “They may also describe a feeling of pressure, fullness or trapped gas.”
Sometimes, you can physically see that your abdomen is distended or swollen, but it can also just be a feeling.
Occasional bloating usually resolves on its own, with the help of water and exercise, but if you’re consistently feeling this way, it’s important to talk to your doctor so they can help you find the cause and a solution. Dr. Muratore shares five reasons you might be feeling bloated.
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You’re constipated.
If you haven’t had a bowel movement in a few days, gas can get trapped in the body behind the stool. Constipation is defined as fewer than three bowel movements a week, and chronic constipation often leads to bloating. You may also be constipated if you repeatedly pass stool that looks like little pebbles or hard lumps.
Drinking more water and getting regular exercise can help, but you also need to make sure you’re getting enough fiber in your diet. Adults need between 25 and 35 grams per day, but if you’re not eating much fiber now, add it slowly.
“To say that you’ll get 35 grams of fiber tomorrow when you’re at 5 or 10 grams is like saying that you’re going to run a marathon tomorrow when you haven’t been training,” Dr. Muratore says. “You have to train your gut, or you’ll get more bloated.”
If lifestyle changes don’t resolve constipation, you can try Miralax, a gentle over-the-counter laxative, but if you continue to have issues, talk to your doctor.
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You’re eating something that causes gas.
Your gut is full of good bacteria that help break down the food you eat. That breakdown process produces gas, which makes you feel bloated. Some foods create more gas than others, most notably a category of carbohydrates called FODMAPs, which stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. FODMAPs appear in a wide range of foods, including fruits, vegetables, dairy, beans and wheat.
Some people are more intolerant of FODMAPs, other carbohydrates, fructose, lactose and gluten, and these people may experience a lot of bloating and other gastrointestinal symptoms after eating them.
If you suspect that your bloating is due to something you ate, start by keeping a food diary, Dr. Muratore says. Note what you eat and when bloating was at its worst. Share the findings with your doctor; they may recommend that you work with a dietitian on a trial of elimination to see if changing your diet will resolve your symptoms.
“I never put anyone on a low-FODMAP diet or recommend eliminating an entire food group without the help of a dietitian,” Dr. Muratore says. “You can do trials to cut out foods, but especially with a low-FODMAP diet, you need someone who can help you add foods back so you don’t end up with a really restrictive diet that’s missing key nutrients.”
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You’re swallowing too much air.
In the course of breathing, eating, drinking and talking, you swallow some air. Usually that air is removed via burps or gas, but some people may be swallowing so much—a condition called aerophagia—that it causes bloat.
Chewing gum and eating quickly are two common causes of swallowing too much air; drinking through a straw, consuming carbonated beverages, smoking and wearing poorly fitted dentures also can contribute.
“Stress can also increase this,” Dr. Muratore says, noting that people might gulp extra air when they’re anxious. “I will sometimes coach people on their breathing technique, to make sure they’re doing diaphragmatic breathing” from the belly.
If you know you eat quickly, try to slow down. Eat when you know you have adequate time to consume your meal. Chew with your mouth closed, and don’t talk when your mouth is full. In some cases, it may be necessary to work with a therapist on special training for chewing and swallowing.
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You have pelvic floor dysfunction.
Sometimes, you might be doing everything that’s recommended to prevent constipation, but you’re still not regularly expelling stool. In that cause, your doctor may want to evaluate you for pelvic floor dysfunction, which can happen to both men and women.
“Sometimes, the colon is moving but it’s not emptying at the bottom, which is like trying squeeze out toothpaste when the lid is on,” Dr. Muratore says. “If a person is regularly experiencing constipation and bloating, we’d check their pelvic floor and can refer them to pelvic floor physical therapy.”
A pelvic floor physical therapist can ensure that your sphincter releases at the appropriate time, ensuring that you can have a bowel movement when needed.
Scar tissue from previous surgeries, hernias, gallstones and other benign growths also can cause blockages.
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You have a medical condition.
Some chronic gastrointestinal conditions cause bloating, including irritable bowel syndrome, when you experience painful symptoms during digestion, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), which occurs when there’s an excess of bacteria in your gut.
Bloating can also be a symptom of colorectal cancer.
“If you’ve noticed bloating along with a change in your bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, anemia, any bleeding, talk to your doctor,” Dr. Muratore says. “We are seeing more colorectal cancer in younger patients, and the blockage could be from that. It’s not as common a cause as constipation, but there’s not a zero percent chance of it.”
That risk is why it’s so important to tell your doctor if you’re regularly experiencing bloating. Plus, you deserve to feel more comfortable.
“It’s never wrong to ask for help, to see if this is just routine bloating or if it could be something else,” Dr. Muratore says. “It might take a few different approaches to figure out the true cause, but that’s what we’re here for.”
Have questions about your gut health? Talk to your doctor or find one near you.