30 October 20269 min read

Bloated Stomach: Causes, Relief and When to Worry

Medical Review

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera, MD

Licensed Physician No. 484814280 · Official Medical College of Bizkaia (Spain)Last reviewed: 31 October 2026

A bloated stomach is usually gas, constipation or a food trigger. What eases it, what a Spanish pharmacy offers and the signs that need a doctor.

A woman on a sofa talks on the phone, smiling gently with a look of relief, in a bright living room.

Need help now?

You don't have to figure this out alone

Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera is an independent, bilingual GP licensed in Spain. Book a 15-minute video consultation in English or Spanish for €50, with a private electronic prescription issued under Spanish law when clinically appropriate.

Book a Video Consultation

A bloated stomach is usually caused by gas, constipation, swallowed air or foods your gut finds hard to digest. It is common and rarely serious. Smaller meals, fewer fizzy drinks and gassy foods, more movement and treating constipation help most people. Bloating that keeps coming back, or comes with weight loss or bleeding, needs a doctor.

TL;DR

Most bloating comes from gas, constipation, eating fast or food you do not digest well.
Passing wind up to about 20 times a day is normal, says Mayo Clinic.
Eat smaller meals slowly, cut fizzy drinks, and treat constipation with soluble fibre such as oats or psyllium.
In Spain, several simethicone (simeticona) products are sold at the pharmacy without a prescription.
See a doctor if you are bloated most days, lose weight without trying or see blood in your poo.
Call 112 for a swollen stomach with sudden severe pain, or vomiting blood.

Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera is a GP licensed in Spain (Colegiado No. 484814280).

For a medical emergency, call 112 or go to the nearest local emergency department. Do not wait for a video consultation or an online reply.

What does a bloated stomach feel like?

Bloating is a feeling of fullness and tightness in the belly. Your tummy may also look swollen. It can come with burping, passing wind, cramps or a knotted feeling.

On a Spanish medical report you may see distensión abdominal (a swollen belly) or meteorismo (excess gas). In everyday Spanish people say tripa hinchada or tengo gases.

What causes a bloated stomach?

The NHS says the most common cause is gas in the gut. Other causes include:

Gassy foods. Beans, lentils, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onions and garlic make more gas as gut bacteria break them down.
Swallowed air. Eating fast, talking while you chew, chewing gum and drinking through a straw all add air.
Fizzy drinks and beer.
Constipation. Stool sitting in the bowel makes you feel full and tight.
Sugars you do not digest well. Lactose in milk, fructose in some fruit and juice, and sweeteners such as sorbitol and xylitol in sugar-free sweets.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The gut nerves can be extra sensitive, so normal amounts of gas feel uncomfortable.
Coeliac disease, a reaction to gluten.
Your period. Some people feel bloated around their period.
Reflux. Acid reflux often comes with bloating and burping.

MedlinePlus also lists some medicines, such as lactulose, as a cause. Lactulose is a common laxative in Spain, so it can be worth checking your own medicines.

How can I relieve a bloated stomach at home?

Simple changes help most people. The NHS and MedlinePlus suggest you:

Eat smaller meals, more often, and eat slowly with your mouth closed.
Cut down on fizzy drinks, alcohol and caffeine.
Limit gassy foods for a while, then add them back one at a time.
Avoid sugar-free gum and sweets with sorbitol or xylitol.
Move. Regular exercise helps gas pass through.
Gently massage your tummy. The NHS suggests moving from right to left to help release trapped wind.
Treat constipation. Drink plenty of water. Soluble fibre such as oats, linseed or psyllium is usually better tolerated than bran, which can add gas.
Keep a food diary. Dairy and some fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs) are common triggers.

A low-FODMAP diet can help people with IBS. It is strict, so it is best done with a dietitian (dietista-nutricionista) rather than alone.

What can a pharmacy in Spain give for bloating?

Pharmacists in Spain can help with mild bloating. The medicine names may differ from home:

Simethicone. It is spelt simeticone in the UK and simeticona in Spain. The Spanish medicines database (CIMA) lists several simethicone-only products, such as Aero-Red, Disolgas and Noraflat, as non-prescription. Some combination products, such as Flatoril, need a prescription.
Activated charcoal (carbón activado). MedlinePlus says it may help. It turns your poo black, which is harmless but can be confusing.
Laxatives if constipation is behind it. See our guides to Movicol (macrogol) and Duphalac (lactulose).

Tell the pharmacist about any other medicines you take, and if you are pregnant or buying for a child.

Bloated most days, or not sure if constipation is the cause?

You can book a video visit with a GP licensed in Spain, in English or Spanish. He goes through your symptoms, diet and bowel habits, and helps you plan the next steps.

See available times

Is a bloated stomach a sign of something serious?

Usually not. But the NHS notes that bloating that keeps going can, now and then, be a sign of ovarian cancer. The NHS advises women to see a doctor if they have any of these roughly 12 or more times a month:

Bloating or a swollen tummy.
Tummy or pelvic pain.
Feeling full quickly or losing your appetite.
Needing to pee more often or more urgently.

These symptoms are common and usually have another cause. Still, it is worth a check, especially if a close relative has had ovarian or breast cancer. A doctor may also test for coeliac disease or look for other causes, such as fluid in the belly.

Bloating in pregnancy and in children

The NHS lists pregnancy as a cause of reflux, and reflux often comes with bloating. Ask your pharmacist or midwife (matrona) before taking any remedy.

A child with a swollen, hard tummy and vomiting, or who cannot pass poo or wind, should see a doctor today. Call 112 if a child has green vomit, vomits blood or has a sudden, severe tummy ache.

When should you see a doctor about bloating?

Book a routine visit if:

You often feel bloated.
Changing your diet has not helped.
You are losing weight without trying.
You see blood in your poo. Our guide to stool colour explains what colours mean.

See a doctor today if the bloating comes with vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation, a stomach ache, a fever or shivers, a lump in your tummy, black or tarry poo, or if you cannot pee, poo or pass wind.

Call 112 or go to urgencias if your stomach is swollen and you have severe pain that came on suddenly, you vomit blood or something like coffee grounds, or you have severe trouble breathing.

Talking it through with a doctor by video

Dr. Yelamo is a GP licensed in Spain. He sees adults, children and pregnant patients by video, every day from 07:30 to 20:30 (Spain time). In the visit he will:

Ask when the bloating started, what makes it worse and how your bowels are working.
Check for warning signs and any medicines that may play a part.
Agree a plan for diet, constipation and pharmacy remedies, and tell you if you need blood tests or an in-person exam.

He does not promise any test or prescription before the visit. Where clinically appropriate, following a genuine evaluation. Treatment and prescriptions are issued solely at the doctor's discretion based on evidence-based clinical guidelines.

A prescription is never guaranteed: it is issued only where clinically appropriate after a genuine evaluation, as a private electronic prescription under Spanish law. This service is for urgent, non-emergency care. In an emergency, call 112.

See how the Urgent Care video visit works. It lasts 15 minutes and costs €50.

This guide is general information. It does not replace a consultation with your doctor.

Frequently asked questions

What is the fastest way to relieve a bloated stomach?

Go for a gentle walk, massage your tummy from right to left and avoid fizzy drinks. A pharmacist can suggest simethicone. If you are constipated, treating that usually helps most.

Is it normal to pass a lot of wind?

Yes. Mayo Clinic says most people pass wind up to about 20 times a day. It is only a concern if it comes with pain, weight loss, blood in the poo or a change in bowel habit.

Can I buy simethicone without a prescription in Spain?

Yes. Several simethicone-only products in Spain, such as Aero-Red, Disolgas and Noraflat, are sold without a prescription. Some combination products, such as Flatoril, need one.

Which foods cause bloating?

Beans, lentils, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onions, garlic, fizzy drinks and sugar-free sweets with sorbitol are common triggers. Milk can bloat people who do not digest lactose well.

When is bloating serious?

See a doctor if you are bloated most days, lose weight without trying or see blood in your poo. Call 112 for a swollen stomach with sudden severe pain or vomiting blood.

Can bloating be a sign of ovarian cancer?

Rarely, yes. The NHS advises women to see a doctor if bloating, feeling full quickly, pelvic pain or needing to pee more happen roughly 12 or more times a month.

Sources

Related guides

Medical Citations & Sources

This content is written and reviewed by a licensed physician with reference to the following official health authorities.