Abdominal swelling after eating is a common symptom of many digestive conditions. The swelling, or bloating, is caused by excessive gas that forms as a result of an adverse reaction to a certain food or an ingredient in a food. If your swelling is accompanied with other symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea and nausea, call your doctor. A clinical diagnosis is essential for the most effective treatment. The most common conditions that cause abdominal swelling include food intolerances, food allergies and irritable bowel syndrome.
Food Intolerances
Food intolerances commonly cause abdominal swelling, pain, gas and diarrhea. The symptoms of a food intolerance occur when you eat something that most people can digest, but your body is unable to digest it. Most of the time, food intolerances are the result of the lack of an enzyme in your small intestines. Enzymes help to break down proteins and sugars so that the body can absorb the nutrients from the food. If you lack enzymes, your digestive system will leave the protein or sugar undigested, which leads to inflammation and irritation throughout the digestive system. The most common food intolerances include gluten, lactose, fructose and MSG.
Food Allergy
Food allergies are not as common as food intolerances and are a more serious medical condition. Food allergies are found primarily in young children and are less common among adults. A food allergy can cause life-threatening symptoms to develop within a few minutes of consuming a food to which you are allergic. A food allergy is different from intolerance because it isn't the result of the digestive system, although it affects the digestive system. Food allergies are a reaction of the immune system that triggers symptoms throughout the body. If the abdominal swelling is the result of a food allergy, other symptoms will form, such as asthma, skin rashes and nasal congestion.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a condition that causes irregular bowel movements, stomach pain, gas and bloating. IBS is not fully understood, but the symptoms are manageable through diet and lifestyle changes. If you have IBS, you will develop abdominal swelling along with chronic diarrhea or constipation after eating. Some foods can trigger your symptoms, such as artificial sweeteners, milk and chocolate.
Treatment
Treating these three conditions requires identification of the substances and foods that trigger your symptoms and avoidance of those foods. For example, if you're diagnosed with a milk allergy, you will need to eliminate all dairy from your diet. Some cases of food intolerances and IBS are treated with prescribed medications.
