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Lower Abdominal Pain, Bloating, Tightness And Stool Color Changes. Why Is This Lasting For Long?
Question: Lower abdominal pain/bloating/gas. Around, below and to the left of belly button - mainly below. Mild lingering pain (sometimes there, sometimes not) and increased bloating/gas/burping - also feels like the stomach is tight (almost like not eating for 2 days). Fells like something is pulling/pushing the stomach. No real nausea/fever/vomitting. Gets slightly better after walking around and worse in morning/night , better in afternoon.
Stolls are fairly normal - no diarrhea/constipation and frequency is the same - however there are sometimes color changes (from light to dark brown) and the thickness changes.
Had this condition for 6 days now.
Stolls are fairly normal - no diarrhea/constipation and frequency is the same - however there are sometimes color changes (from light to dark brown) and the thickness changes.
Had this condition for 6 days now.
Hi,
Thanks for the query.
There are a variety of things that can cause this bloated feeling. The commonest causes are indigestion, fatty diet, constipation, peptic ulcer, anxiety, alcohol, smoking, trapped wind, food intolerance, insufficient hydrochloric acid, insufficient digestive enzymes, lack of good intestinal flora and dysmotility (a slow digestive system).
The change in stools consistency and color might also be due to indigestion and gastric causes.
The following life style changes might help you control both abdominal bloating .
1. Eat small meals at regular intervals
2. Limit the amount of heavy food that you are consuming
3. Exercise regularly for atleast 50 minutes a day
4. Minimize the use of antibiotics. Antibiotics destroy the harmless bacteria normally present in the digestive tract that usually help you digest food.
In addition to these lifestyle changes, you may try taking proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec OTC once a day for 1 week 20 minutes before food. Drink sufficient fluids, eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
If your symptoms do not resolve, I would suggest that you visit a physician who can evaluate you and order certain investigations like an ultrasonography of the abdomen.
Hope I have answered all your queries. Please accept my answer if you do not have any follow up queries.
Regards
Thanks for the query.
There are a variety of things that can cause this bloated feeling. The commonest causes are indigestion, fatty diet, constipation, peptic ulcer, anxiety, alcohol, smoking, trapped wind, food intolerance, insufficient hydrochloric acid, insufficient digestive enzymes, lack of good intestinal flora and dysmotility (a slow digestive system).
The change in stools consistency and color might also be due to indigestion and gastric causes.
The following life style changes might help you control both abdominal bloating .
1. Eat small meals at regular intervals
2. Limit the amount of heavy food that you are consuming
3. Exercise regularly for atleast 50 minutes a day
4. Minimize the use of antibiotics. Antibiotics destroy the harmless bacteria normally present in the digestive tract that usually help you digest food.
In addition to these lifestyle changes, you may try taking proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec OTC once a day for 1 week 20 minutes before food. Drink sufficient fluids, eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
If your symptoms do not resolve, I would suggest that you visit a physician who can evaluate you and order certain investigations like an ultrasonography of the abdomen.
Hope I have answered all your queries. Please accept my answer if you do not have any follow up queries.
Regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Aparna Kohli
Answered by
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