Bloating and Gas Treatment in Katy, TX
When bloating, gas or a swollen belly become part of every day, we look for the reasons behind it and build a plan around them.
Understanding Bloating and Gas
Almost everyone feels bloated now and then, after a large meal, a soda or other carbonated drink or a few days of constipation. Bloating becomes a medical problem when it happens most days, lasts for weeks, or starts to shape what you eat, what you wear and how you plan your day. It is one of the most common reasons people see a gastroenterologist.
Doctors separate two related problems. Bloating is the feeling of pressure, fullness or trapped gas in the belly. Distention is a visible swelling of the abdomen, often small in the morning and much larger by evening. Many people have both. Knowing which you have, and when it happens, helps point to the cause.
Symptoms that often come with bloating
- A tight, full or swollen belly, often worse as the day goes on
- Excess gas or frequent belching
- Abdominal discomfort, cramping or pain
- Constipation, diarrhea or a change in bowel habits
- Feeling full quickly or uncomfortably full after normal meals
- Nausea
What causes bloating?
Bloating often has more than one cause. The most common include:
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional bloating, where the gut is more sensitive to normal amounts of gas
- Constipation, including problems with the pelvic floor muscles that make it hard to empty the bowel
- Food intolerances, such as difficulty digesting lactose (milk sugar), fructose or other fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs)
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
- Celiac disease
- Slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis) or indigestion (functional dyspepsia)
- An abnormal reflex of the abdominal and diaphragm muscles, in which the belly wall relaxes and pushes outward after meals. It is a common and treatable cause of visible swelling.
- Swallowed air from eating quickly, chewing gum or drinking carbonated drinks
- Some medicines, such as opioid pain medicines and some weight-loss and diabetes medicines
When to see a gastroenterologist
See a specialist if bloating happens most days for more than a few weeks, if it is getting worse, or if simple changes to your diet have not helped. See a doctor promptly if bloating comes with:
- Weight loss you cannot explain
- Blood in the stool or black, tarry stools
- Vomiting that keeps returning
- Anemia on a blood test
- A change in bowel habits that starts at age 45 or older
- A family history of colon cancer, ovarian cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease
- For women, bloating that is new, persistent and happens almost every day, which should also be checked by your gynecologist or primary care doctor
Our approach to Bloating and Gas
The most common mistake with bloating is cutting out more and more foods without knowing the cause. Our gastroenterologists start with a careful history and exam to narrow down the likely reasons, then use only the tests that will change your treatment.
Finding the cause
Depending on your symptoms, your evaluation may include:
- Blood tests for celiac disease, anemia and other causes
- Breath tests for lactose or fructose intolerance, or for SIBO
- Tests for constipation and pelvic floor function, when straining or incomplete emptying is part of the picture
- A stomach emptying study, only if bloating comes with nausea or vomiting
- An upper endoscopy or colonoscopy if you have warning signs or are due for colon cancer screening
- Imaging, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, when the exam or symptoms suggest it
Endoscopies and colonoscopies are performed by our own physicians at Zazen Surgery Center, in the same building as our clinic.
Treatment matched to the cause
- Diet therapy with a registered dietitian. A structured low FODMAP plan, with reintroduction to find your personal triggers, or a targeted change such as reducing lactose or fructose. The goal is the most varied diet that keeps you comfortable.
- Treating constipation, with fiber, laxatives or prescription medicines, which often relieves bloating on its own.
- Pelvic floor and breathing therapy. Diaphragmatic breathing exercises can reduce visible swelling caused by the abdominal muscle reflex.
- Medicines that calm the gut. Low-dose gut-brain neuromodulators reduce gut sensitivity and can ease bloating and discomfort, even in people without anxiety or depression.
- Antibiotics when SIBO is confirmed.
- Gut-directed therapies, such as gut-directed hypnotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy, for bloating linked to IBS.
There is not enough evidence to recommend probiotics for bloating, and long-term restrictive diets often cause more problems than they solve. We will tell you honestly what is likely to help in your case.
Bloating is often brushed off as something to live with. It is not. Once we understand why it happens, many patients have more options than they expected.
Dr. Vivian Asamoah, MD
Board-Certified Gastroenterologist, Integrative Medicine
Key Facts
What you need to know
Everything you need to know before your appointment.
Who should consider this
Anyone with bloating, gas or a swollen belly most days, especially if diet changes have not helped.
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What to expect
A detailed first visit, focused testing, and a clear plan for the most likely cause.
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Recovery and results
Many people notice improvement within weeks once the cause is treated.
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Why our team
Gastroenterologists and registered dietitians who look for the cause of bloating, not just the symptom.
Learn moreWhat Our Patients Say
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Dr. Asamoah is a wonderful doctor with an excellent bedside manner who cares about what you're going through and leaves no stone unturned I highly recommend.
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From the moment of entering the Surgical Center, I felt like I was an individual and my needs were of concern. The actual procedure experience was great. Dr. Asamoah has a way of making you feel at ease. She's gathered a staff of people who do the same thing. Highly recommend.
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I was very impressed with both doctors' expression of authentic interest in and concern with my health concerns. A rare experience.
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Highly recommend. The office staff and Dr. Asamoah were helpful, friendly and very accommodating! We left feeling like we have answers and are hopeful.
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First time visit. Impressed by the clean and nice environment. Friendly staff. Doctor takes her time to hear you and answer any questions you have. Great experience.
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Wow!!! Absolutely amazed by the facility and doctor! Dr. Vivian Asamoah is extremely educational, professional, and so sweet! I went in feeling extremely anxious because of my health issues, and she put me at ease by explaining every detail! Xiomara, her MA, was so helpful and thorough. Honestly, she is by far one of the best doctors I've seen. God bless this office and everyone in it! I most definitely recommend her!
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I went in to check on issues I was having with my colon. I was in a panic and was not feeling my best. Dr. Asamoah was kind and very understanding, with great patient-relationship skills. She is genuine and truly professional. Her staff is great and wonderful. I will recommend my family and friends.
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Had a great experience. The doctors are very understanding and comforting. They listen to all of your needs. Loved their music. Very relaxing.
Individual results vary.
Ready to talk with a specialist about your bloating?
Schedule a consultation with our team. We are here to help you find lasting relief.
Expert GI. Whole-person care. All under one roof.Common questions about Bloating and Gas
Common causes include irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, food intolerances such as lactose or fructose intolerance, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), celiac disease and swallowed air. Many people have more than one cause at the same time.
Bloating feels like pressure, fullness or trapped gas in the belly. Some people also have distention, a visible swelling of the abdomen that often gets bigger during the day and goes down overnight.
Bloating often comes with gas, belching, abdominal discomfort or cramping, feeling full quickly, and changes in bowel habits such as constipation or diarrhea. Unexplained weight loss, vomiting or bleeding are not typical and should be checked by a doctor.
For occasional bloating, eating more slowly, choosing smaller meals, and cutting back on carbonated drinks and chewing gum can help. If bloating happens most days, lasts for weeks, or comes with pain or bowel changes, see a gastroenterologist rather than cutting out more and more foods.
Eating slowly, staying active, keeping bowel movements regular and limiting foods that you know trigger symptoms can all help. A registered dietitian can help you find your personal triggers so you do not avoid more foods than you need to.
Bloating itself is rarely dangerous, but ongoing bloating can affect eating, sleep, work and quality of life. It can also be a sign of a condition that needs treatment, such as celiac disease or constipation, so persistent bloating should be evaluated.
This pattern is common. In many people it is not caused by extra gas but by a reflex in which the diaphragm pushes down and the belly wall relaxes after meals. Breathing retraining or biofeedback can help, along with treating any constipation.
Most bloating is not serious. See a doctor promptly if it comes with weight loss, bleeding, vomiting, anemia or a change in bowel habits starting at age 45 or older. Women with new bloating that happens almost every day should also have it checked, as new, persistent bloating, especially with pelvic pain, feeling full quickly or needing to urinate often, can occasionally be an early sign of ovarian cancer.
There is not enough evidence to recommend probiotics for bloating. Some people feel better on them and others feel worse. It is more useful to find and treat the cause, such as constipation, a food intolerance or SIBO.
Yes. A gastroenterologist can test for the common causes of bloating, including celiac disease, food intolerances, SIBO and constipation, and treat them. Working with a registered dietitian, they can also guide diet changes that relieve symptoms without unnecessary restriction.
Houston Gastro Institute diagnoses and treats bloating, gas and abdominal swelling at our clinic on Kingsland Boulevard in Katy, TX. Patients come to us from across west Houston, including Cinco Ranch, Fulshear, Richmond, Brookshire, Sugar Land and Cypress. Endoscopies and colonoscopies are performed at Zazen Surgery Center in the same building.
