The University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill estimates that 10 to 30 percent of people experience abdominal bloating at some point during their lives. Symptoms associated with abdominal bloating can include burping, abdominal noises (rumbling), gas (flatulence) or abdominal swelling. Abdominal bloating can be caused by a variety of factors, which may make it difficult for your doctor to determine the cause of your symptoms.
Air Swallowing
Certain people swallow abnormal amounts of air when they breathe---the result of a nervous habit, explain health professionals at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. Excess amounts of air within the digestive tract can cause abdominal bloating to occur in these patients, which can lead to abdominal discomfort or pain.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
If you have a type of food intolerance, such as lactose intolerance or celiac disease, you can develop abdominal bloating when exposed to the offending food product. Such food items can irritate the lining of the stomach or intestinal tract, which can cause excessive gas buildup within the abdomen.
Constipation
People who develop constipation experience difficulty producing a stool during a bowel movement. Constipation causes waste products to build up within the intestinal tract, causing abdominal bloating, cramping and pain.
Tumors
Cancerous and non-cancerous tumor formation within the abdomen can irritate the intestinal lining of the digestive tract. If this occurs, you can experience abnormal abdominal bloating or swelling as a results of abdominal tumors.
Excessive Food Consumption
Overeating can overwhelm your digestive tract and can make it difficult for your body to normally process this ingested food. As a result of overeating, you can experience symptoms of abdominal bloating, excessive gas or swelling of the abdomen. Such symptoms typically subside once your body is able to digest all of the food within your stomach.
Bacteria Overgrowth
The overgrowth of bacteria within the small intestine can cause symptoms of abdominal bloating to occur in some people. When bacteria multiply within the body, they excrete small amounts of gas, which can build up within the intestine. If this occurs, you can experience additional symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea or weight loss, explains Medline Plus, an informational health website established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
