How to stop bloating fast, and the better question to ask
A walk and a hand on your tummy will help today. Working out what your bloating is doing is what helps next week.
For bloating right now, move. A walk and a gentle massage of your tummy from right to left are both NHS suggestions, and a pharmacist can talk you through medicines. The more useful question is what is causing yours, because that decides whether it comes back tomorrow.
What helps bloating right now?
Movement, mostly. Exercise helps when you are already bloated, and massaging your tummy from right to left can help trapped wind on its way. Sit or stand up straight rather than curling over, since slouching is on the NHS list of things that add to bloating. For frequent wind, peppermint tea is one of the NHS suggestions.
A pharmacist is a good next stop if it is bad today. They can tell you what is on the shelf for bloating and for constipation, and whether any of it suits you and the medicines you already take.
Beyond that, I know of nothing that reliably works in minutes, and everything else on this page is slower.
Why is “fast” the wrong question?
Because bloating is a symptom with a long list of causes, and a quick remedy aims at none of them in particular. Gas from a rushed lunch, a bowel that has not emptied properly for days, a food intolerance, a gut that is sensitive in IBS, and the time of the month all feel similar and need different things. Something that eases the first will do little for the second.
A lot of what is sold for fast relief rests on thin evidence. Guts UK says probiotics can be tried in IBS, but that no specific strain or product can be advised at this time. Home intolerance tests are not recommended by the NHS. Before you buy anything, read gut health supplements: read this first.
There is a line of mine I come back to before buying anything for bloating: so much of our health isn’t about what we add in, it’s about what we finally remove.
What is the right question?
What is my bloating doing, and when? Bloating that grows after every meal, bloating with hard poo, bloating a few hours after certain foods, and bloating in the week before a period all point in different directions. Why am I bloated all the time goes through those patterns one by one.
Once you have a likely pattern, the lasting changes are well known, and none of them costs anything.
| If this is behind it | What makes a lasting difference |
|---|---|
| Swallowed air | Eating slowly, chewing with your mouth closed, no chewing gum |
| Large meals | Smaller meals, more often |
| Late meals | No large meal late at night |
| Fizzy drinks, alcohol, lots of caffeine | Cutting down on all three |
| Gassy foods | Less of the obvious ones, such as cabbage, beans and lentils, rather than none |
| Sugar free sweets and gum | Checking labels for sweeteners such as sorbitol |
| Constipation | Plenty of fluids, fibre raised gradually, oats, a regular toilet routine, a daily walk |
| A food intolerance | A food and symptom diary, then a GP or dietitian before cutting anything out |
Why does it keep coming back when I am doing everything right?
Usually one of four reasons.
You changed too much at once. If you cut out fizzy drinks, started porridge, gave up bread and took up walking in the same week, you cannot tell which helped and which made it worse. One change at a time is the advice for exactly this reason.
You have not given it long enough. Bowels take time to adjust. Changes for constipation can show within a few days, but sometimes take a few weeks.
More fibre made it worse. It can, if it goes up quickly, which is why fibre should rise gradually. I have written about that in more fibre made my bloating worse.
Your gut is sensitive, not overloaded. In IBS, an ordinary amount of gas can feel like a lot, and visible swelling can come from a reflex in which the diaphragm pushes down and the belly wall relaxes. A physiotherapy approach called pelvic floor biofeedback can cut bloating and distension symptoms in half, and you can ask your GP about a referral. If general advice has not helped and you have IBS, a dietitian may suggest a low FODMAP diet, which is meant to be done with a professional, not from a printout.
If you would like a steer on which of these fits, the bloating quiz takes about a minute.
When should I stop trying things and see a GP?
When it is regular, when diet changes have not worked, or when other symptoms come with it. These are the NHS’s own words.
See a GP if:
- “you feel bloated regularly”
- “you’ve tried changing your diet but keep feeling bloated”
- “you have bloating and unintentional weight loss”
- “you have bloating and also have blood in your poo”
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if:
- “you have bloating with vomiting (being sick), diarrhoea or constipation”
- “you have bloating with a stomach ache”
- “you have a high temperature (fever), or feel hot, cold or shivery”
- “you have a swelling or lump in your tummy”
- “you cannot pee, poo or fart”
- “you have a burning feeling in your chest caused by stomach acid travelling up towards your throat (acid reflux)”
Call 999 or go to A&E if you have bloating with a swollen stomach and:
- “you have a stomach ache that is severe and came on very suddenly”
- “you’re vomiting blood or your vomit looks like ground coffee”
- “you have severe difficulty breathing”
A GP can also refer you to an NHS dietitian if general diet tips are not helping, or for tests to find out what is behind your bloating.
Questions people ask
How do I get rid of bloating fast?
Move and give it time. The NHS suggests exercise when you are feeling bloated and massaging your tummy from right to left to release trapped wind, and a pharmacist can advise on medicines that may ease it. None of these stops it coming back if the cause is still there.
What is the fastest way to release trapped wind?
A walk and a gentle massage of your tummy from right to left are the NHS suggestions. For frequent wind, the NHS also suggests eating smaller meals more often, eating slowly with your mouth closed, and peppermint tea.
Do probiotics stop bloating?
The evidence is not strong enough to say. Guts UK says probiotics can be tried in people with IBS, but that no specific strain or product can be advised at this time.
Why does my bloating keep coming back?
Usually because the cause has not changed. Constipation, large or rushed meals, fizzy drinks, a food intolerance or a sensitive gut each need a different change, and changes can take a few days to a few weeks to show.
When should I see a doctor about bloating?
See a GP if you feel bloated regularly, if changing your diet has not helped, or if you have bloating with weight loss or blood in your poo. Ask for an urgent appointment or call 111 if it comes with vomiting, a stomach ache, a high temperature or a lump in your tummy.
- NHS, Bloating. www.nhs.uk/symptoms/bloating/
- NHS, Farting (flatulence). www.nhs.uk/conditions/flatulence/
- NHS, Constipation. www.nhs.uk/conditions/constipation/
- NHS, Food intolerance. www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-intolerance/
- Guts UK, Bloating and distension. gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-information/symptoms/bloating-
- Guts UK, Irritable bowel syndrome. gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-information/conditions/irritab
- British Dietetic Association, Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and diet. www.bda.uk.com/resource/irritable-bowel-syndrome-diet.html
- NICE, Irritable bowel syndrome in adults, diagnosis and management (CG61). www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg61/chapter/Recommendations
Clinically checked by Laura, RN.