A distended and bulging stomach is known as bloating, which may be caused by functional dyspepsia, intestinal obstruction, acute gastric retention, etc. The most common treatments include general treatment, medication and surgery. Commonly used treatments include general treatment, medication, and surgery, with no quick relief.
1. Functional dyspepsia: mostly caused by gastric and duodenal dysfunction, establish good living and eating habits and avoid possible triggering factors. Commonly used drugs include acid inhibitors such as famotidine, omeprazole, etc.; pro-dynamic drugs such as mosapride, etc.; digestive enzyme preparations such as compound digestive enzymes.
2. Intestinal obstruction: the obstruction of the passage of intestinal contents causes abdominal distension. Temporary fasting is needed to correct water and electrolyte disorders and acid-base imbalance with saline, dextrose injection, potassium chloride injection, etc. Gastrointestinal decompression is needed if necessary. Surgery is needed when strangulation occurs.
3. Acute gastric retention: treatment can be divided into gastrointestinal decompression and causative treatment. After gastrointestinal decompression and suctioning out the gastric contents, if the obstruction is caused by pyloric edema, some acid-suppressing drugs such as omeprazole can be used, and at the same time, the stomach should be washed with warm saline to promote the absorption of edema. If the obstruction is caused by fibrous scarring, surgery is needed.
Abdominal distension is often a normal physiological phenomenon and can be relieved on its own. Patients with underlying medical conditions should go to the hospital for standardized treatment if the bloating persists or worsens progressively.