Bloating and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Complaints such as abdominal bloating and distension are frequent in patients with functional intestinal diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Bloating or meteorism is defined as the subjective perception of abdominal distension and does not necessarily accompany objective abdominal distension. Disturbances of intestinal gas dynamics with hypersensitivity has been detected as a significant cause of bloating in IBS patients. Abdominal distension with no increase in bowel contents (e.g., by abnormal relaxation of the anterior abdominal muscles or phrenic dysregulation) is another important mechanism of bloating. The multilayered problem of abdominal bloating and distension, especially in IBS patients, requires individual strategies and complex therapies with the goal of normalizing intestinal activity and patient perception.