Abdominal swelling and diarrhea after eating may be linked to various conditions. If you have a know food allergy, eating foods to which you're allergic can cause abdominal swelling and diarrhea. Other conditions that are related to these symptoms may include irritable bowel syndrome and food intolerances such as celiac disease. Swelling and diarrhea that occur occasionally after eating excessive amounts of high-fiber or greasy foods is normal. If you experience these symptoms on a regular basis, you need to talk with your doctor.
Food Allergy
A food allergy can cause abdominal swelling and diarrhea due to inflammation in the digestive tract. Consuming certain foods, which include wheat, soy, fish, nuts, peanuts, eggs and dairy, causes most food allergies. During a food allergy, your body produces disease-fighting chemicals, including histamine and antibodies, which can trigger inflammation in your gut. A food allergy will cause various gastrointestinal symptoms along with swelling and diarrhea like nausea, vomiting and cramping.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is considered a common disorder that primarily affects your colon. Common symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea and cramping. Unlike other digestive disorders, IBS does not cause any damage to the lining or tissues in your digestive tract. The exact cause of IBS is unknown but the symptoms are understood. Your intestines are lined with muscles that contract to move your stool through. Your brain controls these muscles. If you have IBS, the communication between the brain and the intestinal muscles fails, causing erratic bowel movements.
Food Intolerance
Food intolerances can cause abdominal swelling and diarrhea. Food intolerances occur when you digestive system cannot properly digest certain proteins or sugars found in various foods. Lactose intolerance and gluten intolerance are two of the most common food intolerances. Lactose is a sugar found in dairy products and gluten is a protein in wheat. Because the digestive tract cannot properly digest certain foods, gas, bloating, diarrhea and nausea can develop.
Celiac Disease
If you're gluten intolerant, you may be diagnosed with celiac disease. The cause of this condition is not yet understood. When you eat gluten, your immune system causes damage to the lining of your intestines, which causes common symptoms including diarrhea and abdominal swelling. Treatment for this condition is elimination of all products that contain gluten.
