Bloating is most often caused by gas producing bacteria in the small intestine. For years, the medical community had focused on the colon since the small intestine is meant to be a relatively sterile environment. However, when an overgrowth of bacteria grows in this small intestine it can disrupt the body’s ability to move partially digested food through the small intestine and into the colon.
When this occurs, the unwanted bacteria feed off of the starches in the food we eat and create methane gas. This gas causes the uncomfortable bloating and distention experienced by an estimated 15% of the U.S. population. Dr. Eidem treats patients with bloating and other IBS related symptoms in his Plano, TX practice and writes articles explaining the causes of bloating and introduces research on new pharmaceutical and natural remedies for bloating relief in his digestive health blog.
