Heaviness in the abdomen and bloating for several days. Constant heaviness in the stomach and bloating. Improper nutrition as the main cause of heaviness in the intestines and bloating

Any person in the intestines and stomach always has gases. With the proper functioning of the digestive organs, their number does not exceed 0.5 liters, but in the event that any functional failure occurs, it can increase significantly. In such a situation, people begin to feel heaviness and bloating. There is no such person who would not encounter this unpleasant phenomenon that provokes the appearance of such a delicate problem as flatulence.

Most often, this situation occurs after eating, if alimentary violations of the diet and diet have been made, but more serious reasons can also provoke it. That is why gastroenterologists categorically do not recommend leaving this negative phenomenon unattended.

Preconditions that provoke symptoms

Bloating and heaviness in the stomach can cause both pathological (the development of any disease of the internal organs) and alimentary causes. To determine the etiology of this process, it is extremely important to analyze the direct combination of its manifestations. The following causes are most often noted, provoking heaviness in the stomach and bloating:

Binge eating. After eating in excess, the stomach always begins to swell due to the inability of the main digestive organ to cope with the excessive amount of food that has entered it. A food bolus that is not ready for splitting enters the intestines, where fermentation and putrefaction processes occur, causing increased gas formation.
Aerophagia. This condition most often occurs in those people who are accustomed to hastily, on the go, swallow food or talk a lot while taking it. This causes too much air to enter the stomach. After a meal consumed in this way, a person may experience not only heaviness in the stomach, but also nausea.
Carbonated drinks, strong tea or coffee, alcohol and excessive smoking also irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive organs and lead to discomfort and heaviness in them.
Able to lead to the development of this phenomenon and food containing an insufficient amount of microelements and vitamins important for the life of the body. Such poor nutrition is fraught with serious problems in the gastric mucosa.
Dangerous causes of this pathological condition lie in chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cholecystitis or gastritis. People with a history of them always have a feeling of heaviness in the stomach and nausea after eating.

Also, the causes of these negative phenomena may be associated with the introduction of incompatible products into the diet, frequent stress, increased nervousness, uncontrolled intake of certain medications, intestinal dysbacteriosis and helminthic invasions. An ailment can also occur during pregnancy, especially when a woman consumes a large amount of food rich in vegetable fiber.

Main features

Bloating that appears from time to time in the human abdomen is characterized by the appearance of a feeling of fullness and heaviness. There may also be cramping pains that are stabbing or aching in nature and are localized in different parts of the abdominal cavity. In the case of alimentary reasons for the development of pathology, they subside after the passage of gases.

Often, bloating is accompanied by a violation of the stool, heartburn or nausea may occur, as well as bad breath. The appetite of a person suffering from this delicate problem is always reduced. With swelling, the following accompanying symptoms are noted:

the abdomen increases significantly in size and becomes hard to the touch;
in the stomach there is a feeling of heaviness and fullness;
rumbling is heard in the stomach;
there is an eructation of air and hiccups.

A person suffering from this negative phenomenon often has a headache and loss of appetite. To help him, it is imperative to determine why it arose. Only after that it is possible to prescribe adequate treatment.

Dangerous Additions of Ailment

If the causes of bloating and heaviness after eating lie in the development of pathologies of internal organs, some extremely negative symptoms are added to the above signs. In this case, a person always has heartburn and belching, as well as acute pain. Their appearance requires an immediate visit to a gastroenterologist. Alarm signals indicating digestive disorders or dyspepsia are:

diarrhea that does not pass for a long time, in which impurities of pus or blood are present in the feces. Vivid signs of dehydration;
a strong spastic pain syndrome in the abdomen that constrains movement;
asymmetric bloating - the stomach is enlarged on one side;
nausea that persists for more than a week;
vomiting with the presence of blood impurities in the vomited masses;
elevated to maximum temperature;
fever;
fainting and convulsions.

These signs accompanying bloating indicate the appearance of serious problems with the intestines or stomach and require immediate medical attention.

Self-medication in this situation should be completely excluded, as it can significantly aggravate the problem.

The main methods of getting rid of pathology

Treatment of swelling should be carried out taking into account the reasons that provoked them. Its purpose is to rid a person of the air in his intestines. The complex therapy used for this involves the use of the following methods:

Correction of the mode and diet. In order to stop the appearance of bloating, it is necessary to completely exclude gas-producing or fermentation-enhancing foods and drinks from the daily menu, as well as refuse chewing gums. In addition, you should start eating at certain hours. This will teach the stomach to produce digestive juice at a certain time, and this will ensure the normalization of the process of digestion of food.
Leading a healthy lifestyle. A person suffering from this pathology should give up bad habits that provoke irritation of the mucous membrane (drinking alcohol and smoking), increase physical activity (morning exercises, walking in the fresh air after eating, etc.), and also sleep well at night.
Taking appropriate medications.

It is these activities that will help to cope with the problem of heaviness and bloating in the abdomen due to increased gas formation.

Treatment with pills

In order to permanently get rid of this delicate problem, you need to know its cause. For this, a special diagnostic study is carried out. It is according to its results that drug therapy is prescribed. In the case when no pathological causes have been found that provoke this phenomenon, it is possible to fight it with special medicines on your own. At any pharmacy, you can buy pills, powders and potions for bloating and heaviness of the abdomen without a prescription and at a relatively inexpensive price. Usually, the following groups of drugs are used for this purpose:

absorbents and adsorbents (Activated carbon, Smecta, etc.). They eliminate the excessive amount of the gas mixture accumulated in the intestines;
carminative drugs (Smektion). They impede the formation of bubbles and destroy gases, which are subsequently absorbed by the digestive organ or exit through the peristalsis;
prokinetics, which are stimulants of gastrointestinal motility (Cerukal, Motilium);
if there is pancreatic insufficiency, medicines containing enzymes (Festal, Mezim forte) help well;
herbal preparations (dill water, caraway and fennel extracts) are also used for this purpose. These medicinal herbs have an antimicrobial effect, eliminate spasms, stimulate peristalsis and bile production.

Heaviness in the abdomen is a symptom of disorders in the gastrointestinal tract or other pathological processes in the body. Periodic heaviness in the abdomen is not considered a pathology, while a chronic symptom of this nature requires consultation with a doctor and subsequent treatment. Unauthorized medication to eliminate this symptom can lead not only to complications, but also to a blurred clinical picture, which is fraught with consequences.

Etiology

Heaviness in the lower abdomen may be due to the following etiological factors:

malnutrition - frequent snacks, fast food, abuse of fatty, spicy, too salty;
binge eating;
food before bed;
eating too much food at one time;
alcohol abuse and smoking;
long-term treatment with "heavy" medicines - antibiotics, hormonal drugs;
frequent stressful situations, nervous strain;
chronic gastroenterological pathologies.

It is also common to experience heaviness in the abdomen during pregnancy. In this case, if there are no other symptoms or general poor health, this symptom should not be considered as a sign of pathology. If the heaviness in the lower abdomen is prolonged, you should seek advice.

As for gastroenterological pathologies, the severity of the lower abdomen can be due to the following ailments:

, both acute and;
oncological processes in the gastrointestinal tract;
viral or;

Constant heaviness in the abdomen requires consultation with a gastroenterologist, since in this case the symptom is a manifestation of a certain pathological process. It should be understood that any gastrointestinal ailment can cause the development of serious complications, including.

Symptoms

If heaviness in the lower abdomen is observed only after eating, then the clinical picture may have the following symptoms:

after eating, sometimes with a taste of previously consumed food;
flatulence;
slight disturbance in the work of the gastrointestinal tract.

In the presence of gastroenterological pathology, symptoms may have such additional signs:

, sometimes with seizures ;
heaviness in the left side of the abdomen;
feeling full even after consuming a minimum amount of food;
unstable stool - sharp bouts of diarrhea can be replaced by long ones;
heaviness in the abdomen is observed almost constantly;
sudden weight loss;
after consuming food, a person may be disturbed, which differ in the nature of the manifestation and duration.

The main sign that heaviness in the abdomen is a sign of gastroenterological pathology is pain in the stomach. The nature of the pain, localization and duration will depend on the underlying factor.

If you have such a symptom, you should consult a doctor, and not self-medicate. Timely treatment will help to avoid serious complications.

Diagnostics

If you have the above symptoms, you should consult a gastroenterologist. Initially, a physical examination of the patient is performed, with palpation of the abdomen and clarification of the general history. During the conversation, the doctor should find out how the patient eats, whether he took any medications, whether he has chronic gastrointestinal pathologies. To make an accurate diagnosis, the following laboratory and instrumental examination methods are prescribed:

general and biochemical blood test;
general urine analysis;
ultrasound and x-ray examination of the abdominal organs;
respiratory urease test;
FEGDS;
MRI of the abdominal organs.

Additional gastroenterological studies are prescribed by the doctor, depending on the current clinical picture and anamnesis of the disease.

Treatment

How to get rid of heaviness in the abdomen, only a doctor can say after an accurate diagnosis and identification of the etiology of this symptom. If the cause of heaviness in the abdomen was a hormonal imbalance or the development of an oncological process, then appropriate basic therapy is carried out, and surgical intervention is possible.

Regardless of the cause of the development of this pathological process, the patient is prescribed diet therapy, which implies the following:

exclusion of spicy, fatty, fried;
foods that cause bloating and flatulence should be minimized;
food should be carried out 4-5 times a day in small portions;
preference is given to steamed, grated or pureed dishes.

With regard to drug therapy, the doctor may prescribe the following:

drugs to improve gastric motility;
painkillers;
antispasmodics;
means to restore the microflora of the stomach.

Duration, mode of administration and dosage are prescribed only by the attending physician. Unauthorized use of medicines is unacceptable. Treatment with folk remedies is possible, but only after consulting a doctor.

Prevention

There are no specific methods of prevention. In general, you need to follow the rules of a healthy lifestyle and eat right.

When contacting a doctor with a complaint of heaviness in the intestines, as a rule, a preliminary diagnosis is made - irritable bowel syndrome. But sometimes, such sensations can be associated with more serious diseases or even certain physiological conditions. What are these states? And how to solve the problem once and for all?

Finding out the causes of heaviness in the intestines

The main reason lies in the violation of the motor and secretory function of the digestive tract - this will be the primary disorder, and many factors can provoke these disorders (secondary disorders):

diseases of the digestive tract - pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, etc.;
sedentary lifestyle;
prolonged bed rest;
postoperative conditions;
circulatory disorders in the organs of the digestive tract;
poisoning with certain substances (drugs, alcohol, nicotine);
the presence of mental disorders;
fever;
hormonal changes - menopause, premenstrual syndrome, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, etc.;
pregnancy is the only physiological cause of such a symptom.

To make a diagnosis, it is important to consider when exactly it appeared: how long this condition persists, whether it is associated with eating, taking certain medications.

After eating, heaviness in the intestines may appear with:

the presence of helminthic invasions;
dysbacteriosis (imbalance of microflora);
pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas);
colitis (inflammation of the colon);
improper and irrational nutrition is the most common cause.

Improper nutrition as the main cause of heaviness in the intestines and bloating

The nature of the food consumed can cause such symptoms. Fatty and high-protein foods, for example, concentrated and rich broths, dairy and meat dishes, sweets containing sweet cream, etc., have a role in the digestion process itself and all the processes that will be associated with it. But the main importance is given to refractory animal fats. Their long splitting and delayed evacuation will create a serious burden on all organs of the digestive tract.

If the sensations are localized on the left, then this indicates overeating of food with a high concentration of simple carbohydrates, for example, sweets, white cereals, pastries. Easily digestible carbohydrates will contribute to the activation of saccharolytic microflora and enhance fermentation processes, which will provoke symptoms.

The heaviness rarely comes alone and is often associated with pain in the intestines. In addition to pain, various dyspeptic disorders can also occur - nausea, belching, excessive gas formation, loss of appetite, sensations of overflows and "explosions" in the abdomen.

What to do with heaviness in the intestines during pregnancy

Literally every third woman complains about the problem of heaviness in the lower abdomen during pregnancy.

The reasons for this condition lie in the growing belly and uterus, which presses on the intestines. There is a group of obstetric causes that require the close attention of specialists.

Severe heaviness and pain in the intestinal area during pregnancy can be a signal of an ectopic pregnancy or be symptoms of spontaneous abortion, in other words, a symptom of anxiety. The appearance of simple severity during pregnancy without the appearance of any unpleasant symptoms - pain, bloating, as a rule, does not require treatment, and is explained by the growing uterus, an increase in blood circulation.

The causes of severity after 37 weeks of pregnancy are hidden at the beginning of preterm labor, when such sensations do not disappear within 4-6 hours, are accompanied by vaginal bleeding, severe and dull pain in the lower back - you need to call an ambulance and go to the maternity ward.

If the causes of severity are not of obstetric origin, treatment can take place at home. Experts recommend portions of food to do less. It is recommended to include fermented milk products, vegetables and fruits enriched with fiber in the diet.

What to do if there is heaviness in the intestines?

This problem may not require treatment, because the cause is not always a serious pathology. But meanwhile, this must be confirmed by a specialist - a gastroenterologist, proctologist or therapist.

For differential diagnosis, the following types of research are usually used:

general and biochemical blood tests, with mandatory liver tests, with the exception of inflammatory and infectious processes;
analysis of feces, which allows to evaluate the work of the digestive system, to exclude helminthic invasions;
irrigoscopy - X-ray examination of the intestine with a contrast agent;
sigmoidoscopy - endoscopic examination of the intestine (direct and sigmoid), will allow to exclude obstruction by tumors, adhesions, polyps, etc.

In case of exclusion of inflammatory and destructive processes, "treatment" can be carried out at home and comes down to following a certain diet.

The diet is based on increased consumption of foods with a lot of fiber, which stimulates peristalsis. Doctors recommend eating more often, but in smaller portions.

To relieve pain, decoctions of medicinal herbs with anti-inflammatory and antiseptic orientation can be used - chamomile, St. John's wort, sage. To relieve swelling, dill water, fennel will help. Preliminary consultation with a specialist is necessary, who will determine the desired composition of herbs, their concentration, and the duration of the course of administration.

In some cases, with combined pathology, the treatment of severity with pain can be carried out by prescribing antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics are prescribed only in the case of a diagnosed inflammatory process of an infectious nature.

Often drugs are required to establish coordinated intestinal motor activity, for example, prokinetics - Motilak.

Should not worry. If the body works smoothly and without failures, all processes proceed naturally, without attracting attention and without being felt. If unpleasant symptoms appear, the stomach hurts, gas formation is activated, this area feels heavy or it seems to be on fire inside - it makes sense to think about the reasons and visit a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

What is the reason for the feeling?

Heaviness and pain in the intestines indicate a malfunction of the digestive organs. In some cases, everything is explained by functional disorders due to the pathological state of organs and tissues due to the influence of external factors. The organic nature of failures in the performance of tissues and cells is possible. This is observed against the background of somatic pathological conditions.

However, most often, discomfort can be explained by the peculiarities of the diet. In order for the stomach and intestines to be normal, it is necessary to eat correctly, following the regimen and adhering to healthy foods. Ignoring these rules and advice, a person learns very well from himself what heaviness in the intestines is after eating.

healthy diet

If the wrong diet has caused heaviness in the intestines, what should I do? The doctor will tell you the best program for the transition to a healthy diet. Ideally, a person should eat a balanced diet, absorb a moderate amount of food in small portions, quite often during the day. A healthy diet involves the full satisfaction of the body's need for protein structures, fat molecules and carbohydrates. An adequate amount of irreplaceable microscopic elements, vitamins, should come with the products. Food is a source of certain amounts of energy. They are usually measured in calories. A healthy diet provides a normal amount of energy, but does not burden the digestive tract too much.

Neglecting the described rules for compiling a diet, you can find out for yourself how unpleasant bloating, heaviness in the intestines. You can understand what exactly needs to be adjusted in the nutrition program if you visit a nutritionist. The most common causes of disorders are the consumption of excess amounts of food, the imbalance of products or the low nutritional value of the food consumed.

Everything is interconnected

The causes of heaviness in the intestines listed above are closely related and form a kind of vicious circle. For example, a person who eats foods with low nutritional value must constantly renew the stocks of components, substances, which forces him to consume large amounts of food. This provokes overeating, at the same time, the body, quite possibly, will still suffer due to a lack of vitamins.

Even if a person can boast of good health, the digestive system is not able to process large amounts of food coming in a short period of time. There is a feeling of heaviness in the intestines, because the body is not able to generate enough enzymes to break down all the products, and rapid digestion becomes impossible.

Nuances and processes

If food lingers in the gastric cavity, intestinal tract, fermentation processes begin in these masses, provoking bloating. A person suffers from gas formation, heaviness in the intestines. Often, sensations are accompanied by constant hunger, it is almost impossible to get enough, every now and then it pulls to have a bite again. Since it is easiest to get fast food, it is with it that people “fry the worm”, without even realizing that they only aggravate their condition.

The wrong diet is not only an unsuccessful set of products, but also the culture of eating them. Currently, many are characterized by aerophagy, that is, swallowing with the nutrient components of the air masses that enter the intestinal tract. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to be silent during meals, absorb dishes in small pieces, chewing gently.

Everyone suffers

Constant heaviness in the intestines may be present against the background of regular stress loads and aggressive factors that affect the human psyche. It so happened that a variety of food becomes one of the generally accepted and common "medicines" for experiences. Trying to drown out emotional swings with food, thereby a person provokes functional disorders of the digestive system. Gradually, this can cause organic malfunctions in the digestive tract.

Diseases and their manifestations

Treatment of heaviness in the intestines, provoked by the factors described above, involves the normalization of the diet and the stabilization of everyday life, the exclusion of experiences, stress factors. The task will be somewhat more difficult if the cause of the phenomenon is a pathology, a disease that has affected the organs of the digestive system. Clarification of a specific somatic disorder is the responsibility of the doctor. It makes sense to imagine what diseases the symptom indicates in order to have sufficient motivation to visit the clinic.

Most often, heaviness in the intestine accompanies gastritis. This disease is extremely widespread among the inhabitants of various countries of the world. The term is used to denote the presence of foci of inflammation on the mucous membranes covering the stomach. The cause of gastritis is bacterial invasion. Pathology is expressed by slow digestion. Unpleasant sensations come immediately after a meal and disturb for some time. Gastritis is manifested by pain in the abdomen from above, nausea, weight loss. Some people have broken stools.

Diagnosis and pathology

Sometimes heaviness in the intestines indicates the presence of inflammatory processes in the gallbladder. Perhaps, in terms of prevalence, this pathology is second only to gastritis. A distinctive feature of cholecystitis is severe pain on the right under the ribs. Sensations come in attacks, especially strong if you eat something fatty, alcoholic, salty. Often, the period of exacerbation is accompanied by fever.

Colitis, enteritis are pathological conditions that also manifest themselves, among other things, as heaviness in the intestines. The terms denote inflammatory processes localized in the large, small intestinal tract. The problem is accompanied by bloating, increased gas formation, soreness of the zone suffering from pathological processes. The chair is broken.

What else is possible?

Sometimes heaviness in the intestines is explained by pancreatitis. This term refers to inflammatory processes localized in the pancreas. They lead to a violation of the functionality of the gastrointestinal tract, which is accompanied by increased gas formation, discomfort, and soreness of the zone. Pancreatitis is characterized by a number of non-specific manifestations - pressure rises, shortness of breath worries, the skin acquires an unhealthy yellowish tint.

The digestive system is formed from a large number of closely related organs. In case of violation of the work of at least one of them, this affects the state of the person as a whole. Localization of unpleasant sensations does not always help to make an accurate diagnosis right away. Refinement of the state is the responsibility of the doctor. The doctor collects the patient's complaints, draws up a picture of the course of the disease, directs the client to laboratory and instrumental studies. Based on the results of these events, it is possible to determine what exactly caused the discomfort, therefore, to choose a successful course of treatment.

Options and reasons

Sometimes heaviness in the intestines is accompanied by a feeling of fullness in the cavity of the stomach. Additional symptoms are usually nausea and vomiting. A person is constantly thirsty. There is a possibility that the root cause of the manifestations is a violation of the well-coordinated work of muscles, nerve fibers of the gastrointestinal tract. There is a possibility of such a condition with a long strictly limited diet, against the background of starvation. Conducting a study of the patient's body usually allows you to establish the depletion of the body.

A not very frequent, but extremely dangerous cause of heaviness in the intestines is a heart attack. Additionally, gas formation is activated in the gastrointestinal tract, the patient feels sick and vomits. When touched, examination of the stomach pain in this area is not detected. The patient's condition is rapidly progressing, dryness of the mucous membranes of the mouth and tongue worries.

If heaviness in the intestines is accompanied by fever and increased gas formation, the cause is probably the presence of foci of inflammation. Sometimes symptoms accompany severe poisoning. Clarification of the state in some cases helps to identify a combination of liver, kidney, pancreas diseases. If the heaviness in the intestines is chronic, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Approach to therapy

Currently, etiotropic treatment is practiced - first, the causes that provoked the pathology are established and corrected, while the symptoms are considered secondary. In some cases, it is not possible to eliminate the root cause, and for a number of diseases no drugs have been invented. In this case, relief of the patient's condition is achieved by relief of symptoms.

It so happened that many people do not perceive heaviness in the intestines as a serious problem, and in pharmacies there are many means to improve the general condition. It is worth remembering: the constant use of such drugs adversely affects the liver, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys. In addition, the root cause, the original pathology, whose symptoms are suppressed, gradually develops and becomes more complicated.

First aid: how to alleviate the condition

If there is no opportunity to visit a doctor, and the condition is extremely unpleasant, to alleviate discomfort, you can take any of the drugs presented in modern pharmacies - they have a fairly large selection of over-the-counter remedies for the stomach and intestines. In addition, such drugs are indispensable if the severity in the gastrointestinal tract is due to excessive food intake and improper diet. They will help if low-quality products got into the food.

As a rule, the remedy present in the first-aid kit of any of our citizens is activated charcoal. This drug belongs to the category of enterosorbents. Slightly more expensive Polysorb, Enterosgel, Polyphepan have similar properties.

In some cases, enzyme medicines, presented in pharmacies under the names "Creon", "Mezim", help to alleviate the condition. Festal has proven itself well. To activate the movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract, you can take "Itoprav", "Ganaton". With problems with gas formation, "Simikol", "Espumizan" come to the rescue.

There are many options - how to decide?

The choice in favor of a specific name is made based on the characteristics of the case and which symptom dominates the others. If it is possible to accurately determine the cause of discomfort, it is also taken into account when choosing a remedy to alleviate the condition. For example, after the absorption of large volumes of food, it is necessary to use enzymatic active compounds - they stimulate the digestive process and help get rid of unpleasant heaviness. When eating harmful, unhealthy foods, simple carbohydrates, it is reasonable to use sorbents and drugs that stimulate the passage of gases for severity and swelling.

With often disturbing heaviness in the intestines, you should consult a doctor. The constant use of pills to relieve symptoms will only harm. Having learned the exact cause of poor health, you can choose a good treatment program with minimal negative consequences for the body.

Nutrition rules and dietary changes

To get rid of heaviness in the intestines, as a rule, it is enough to adjust the meal program and menu. The main idea of the diet is unloading the gastrointestinal tract, minimizing the ingress of harmful, heavy foods into the body. It is necessary to eat fractionally, taking breaks between meals no more than four hours. During meals, a reasonable amount of food (small portion) should be consumed.

You should review your diet and balance your diet. About half of the products entering the body are normally complex carbohydrates. Approximately a quarter of nutrition is protein structures, the same amount is fatty. It is reasonable to use the medical diet recommended by doctors as a basic menu. It is adapted to the specifics of a particular lifestyle, realities, taking into account your tastes.

Normally, the work of the gastrointestinal tract proceeds unnoticed by a person. Therefore, any symptoms that indicate a violation of digestion, whether it be heaviness in the abdomen, pain and bloating, flatulence or stool changes, should not be ignored.

These signs may hide a serious illness or poor eating habits. Both require elimination through therapy or adjustment of the menu and diet.

Causes of a feeling of heaviness and bloating

Feelings of heaviness and bloating are the body's signal of disturbances in the digestive system. Violations can be functional, that is, arising against the background of the health of organs under the influence of external factors, or organic, provoked by somatic pathologies.

Improper nutrition

In order to understand what is hidden under the term "malnutrition", it is necessary to have a general idea of a healthy diet.

Healthy nutrition is a balanced fractional menu that satisfies a person's needs for proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and microelements, provides the required amount of calories and does not overload the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, the following eating habits can cause indigestion, and, as a result, heaviness in the abdomen and bloating:

binge eating;
diet with low nutritional value;
unbalanced menu.

All of these factors are both cause and effect of each other. That is, if a person often eats fast food, the nutritional value of his menu is low, and in order to fill the need for the necessary substances, he is forced to absorb a very large amount of food.

The digestive system of even a very healthy person is unable to effectively cope with large volumes of incoming food. The amount of enzymes produced in the body becomes insufficient in comparison with the volume of food, so it cannot be digested quickly.

Slowing down the process of passing food through the stomach and intestines leads to fermentation, gas formation and bloating. At the same time, a feeling of heaviness in the stomach can coexist with hunger, which will force him to snack on fast food again, provoking even more discomfort.

Malnutrition can relate not only to what is directly on the plate, but also to how exactly a person eats food. A common phenomenon is aerophagia, when a person swallows a large amount of air at the same time as food, leading to increased formation of gases in the intestines. Learning to “not swallow” air while eating is very simple: for this it is enough not to talk while eating.

Another common cause that provokes heaviness and bloating is stress. If a person consumes too much food, trying to “seize” stress, this will certainly lead to functional, and then to organic disorders in the digestive organs.

Diseases of the digestive system

Bloating and heaviness in the abdomen are symptoms of a number of gastrointestinal diseases. To say for sure what kind of somatic disorder in a particular case, only a doctor can. But it is useful for each person to know what pathologies have in the symptomatic picture such a sign as bloating, nausea and heaviness. Moreover, all of these diseases are very common among people of all ages.

Gastritis is an inflammation of the gastric mucosa of a bacterial nature. With gastritis, the digestion process slows down, so heaviness in the stomach and bloating occurs immediately after eating. Together with these symptoms, the clinical picture is supplemented by pain in the upper abdomen, vomiting, nausea, and weight loss. Sometimes there are also signs of disruption of the intestinal tract: constipation or, conversely, diarrhea.
Cholecystitis, or inflammation of the gallbladder, is the second most common cause of bloating. From other pathologies, cholecystitis distinguishes pain in the right hypochondrium. It is paroxysmal in nature and is most pronounced after taking fatty, salty foods and alcohol. During exacerbations, the temperature often rises.
Enteritis and colitis are inflammations of the small intestine and large intestine, respectively. In addition to bloating and heaviness, the characteristic signs of the disease are: flatulence, diarrhea and constipation, pain.
Pancreatitis - inflammation of the pancreas, also entails a violation of digestion, and consequently, bloating, a feeling of heaviness and discomfort. The disease also occurs with nonspecific signs: increased blood pressure, yellowing of the skin and the occurrence of shortness of breath.

It is important to understand that all organs of the digestive tract are interconnected, therefore, it is not always possible to recognize a diseased organ by the localization of discomfort. If a person has a pathology of the stomach, the food in it is not digested enough to quickly leave the intestinal tract. Therefore, a person can constantly struggle with constipation, flatulence, pain in the lower abdomen, although the root cause of the disease is the pathology of the organ of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

What to do

A feeling of heaviness in the abdomen is a symptom that has a pronounced effect on the quality of life of a person. Even if a thorough examination did not show the presence of a disease that causes discomfort in the abdomen, it is important to find a way to normalize well-being.

Treatment of the underlying disease

In modern medicine, the principle of etiotropic treatment operates. That is, the priority is to eliminate the cause of the pathology, and not its symptoms. Even if the cause of the disease cannot be eliminated due to the fact that the therapy for a particular disease does not yet exist, treatment will never be limited to reducing the severity of symptoms.

Heaviness in the abdomen is often perceived by a person as a phenomenon that is not worth close attention, which can be easily eliminated with the help of medicines. However, firstly, the constant use of drugs negatively affects the functioning of the liver, stomach and kidneys, and secondly, the disease progresses without treatment.

When and what drugs can help

Bloating and heaviness can be eliminated with medication, without resorting to the help of a doctor, if the cause of discomfort is overeating or eating poor-quality food.

For this, there are over-the-counter drugs:

enterosorbents: activated carbon, Polysorb, Polyphepan, Enterosgel;
enzymes: Mezim Forte, Festal, Creon;
carminatives: Espumizan, Meteospasmil, Simicol;
Gastrointestinal motility stimulants: Ganaton, Itomed, Itopra.

Which drugs to choose depends on which symptom prevails and what caused it. With bloating in the upper abdomen after a heavy dinner, it is worth taking enzymes that will speed up the digestion process. If the symptoms are localized in the lower abdomen, accompanied by increased gas formation, and this was preceded by the use of junk food (fast food, simple carbohydrates), sorbents and carminative drugs will be effective.

If a symptom occurs regularly, it is impossible to treat it on your own, drowning it out with pills. In this case, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination that will identify the cause of poor health and make it possible to eliminate it in the most effective and safe way.

Power correction

If a person is faced with symptoms such as constant heaviness in the stomach after eating, pain and bloating, it is necessary to adjust your diet so as to unload the digestive tract as much as possible.

It is important to pay attention to which foods cause discomfort, and then completely eliminate them from the menu.
Nutrition should be fractional: a person should eat often, every 3-4 hours, but in small portions.
The food should be balanced: about half of the serving should be complex carbohydrates, and the other half should be fats and proteins in approximately equal amounts.

You can take the treatment menu as the basis of the diet, adapting it to your lifestyle and taste preferences.