Abdominal bloating occurs when excess gas builds up in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It can cause discomfort and distress if you experience it often.
Having too much gas is the most common cause of bloating. After eating and as your food digests, your body creates gas in the GI tract. Swallowing air while you eat can also contribute to gas buildup.
Over-the-counter medications
Bloating is a common occurrence, and many OTC medications help ease symptoms. Some of these include:
- Simethicone (Mylicon or Mylanta): This medication can help you pass the excess gas that has built up in your GI tract. It works by dispersing gas bubbles, allowing the body to remove them from the GI tract through flatulence or burping.
- Lactase enzyme (Lactaid): A naturally occurring enzyme, lactase helps break down lactose into sugars that the body processes and digests. It is especially helpful for people with lactose intolerance.
- Antacids (Tums or Maalox): These medications neutralize stomach acid, which helps reduce bloating and heartburn symptoms caused by bile acid.
- Laxatives: If bloating is due to constipation, laxatives may help. These medications work by stimulating the muscles around the intestine to move a stool along or softening the stool with water from within your body. But it’s important to use laxatives as directed on the label and use them sparingly to avoid misuse.
Before taking any OTC medication, always read the dosage information included on the packaging. It’s important to speak with a doctor if your symptoms persist.
Prescription medications
Your doctor may suggest taking prescription medications. These are typically stronger than OTC medications or target a specific cause of bloating, such as infection.
Some prescription medications include:
Prokinetics
These medications encourage the muscles of the GI tract to contract and move stools along the gut. Doctors may prescribe prokinetics for gastroparesis. An example of a prokinetic is metoclopramide (Reglan, Gimoti), that come in tablet form.
Anticholinergics or antispasmodic
These prescription tablets relieve muscle contractions that may cause bloating and pain. They may include:
- hyoscyamine (Symax Duotab, Anaspaz)
- dicyclomine (Bentyl)
- benztropine (Cogentin)
- glycopyrrolate (Glyrx-pf or Glycate)
Antispasmodics
Hyoscine butyl bromide, also known as scopolamine (Transderm Scop), works by helping the bladder and digestive system muscles relax. It usually comes as a transdermal patch.
If you need help covering the cost of medications, the free Optum Perks Discount Card could help you save up to 80% on prescription drugs. Follow the links on drug names for savings on that medication, or search for a specific drug here.