The key difference between bloating and distention is that bloating is mainly characterized by trapped gas, abdominal pressure, and fullness, while distention is mainly characterized by a measurable increase in abdominal girth.
Gastrointestinal conditions affect the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus. Some examples of gastrointestinal conditions include colitis, food poisoning, lactose intolerance, and diarrhea. Bloating and distention are the two most commonly reported gastrointestinal symptoms.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Bloating
3. What is Distention
4. Similarities – Bloating and Distention
5. Bloating vs. Distention in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – Bloating and Distention
7. Summary – Bloating vs. Distention
What is Bloating?
Bloating is a gastrointestinal symptom where people feel full and tight due to gas. It may or may not be accompanied by a visibly distended abdomen. Cramps, burping, diarrhea, constipation, swelling, and flatulence mainly characterize it. Bloating can be caused by the accumulation of gas, constipation, coeliac disease, food intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), helicobacter pylori infection, some medicines, gaining weight, and stress.
Figure 01: Bloating
Bloating can be diagnosed through physical symptoms evaluation, blood tests, and stool tests. Bloating can be treated by cutting down salty foods, carbohydrates, fizzy drinks, wheat, etc., eating more fiber-containing foods, over-the-counter medicines to help digestion, supplements and vitamins, hormone therapy if bloating is caused by menopause, and laxatives to manage constipation.
What is Distention?
Distension is a gastrointestinal symptom where the abdomen is abnormally swollen outward. It can be caused by pregnancy, menstruation, significant recent weight gain, obstruction of the small or large bowel, partial paralysis, certain gastrointestinal diseases such as celiac disease, peritonitis, buildup of fluid in the abdomen, organ enlargement from inflammation or a growth, internal bleeding, gas, constipation, urinary retention, a disorder of muscle contractions involved in digestion, and abdominal muscle weakness. Distension is characterized by a sensation of fullness, abdominal pressure, nausea, pain, cramping, upward pressure on the diaphragm, and shortness of breath.
Figure 02: Distention
Distension can be diagnosed through medical history, physical examination, blood test, urinalysis, abdominal X-ray, abdominal ultrasound, transvaginal ultrasound, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, CT scan, and abdominal inductance plethysmography. Furthermore, distention can be treated by managing underlying conditions, taking stool softeners, laxatives, antibiotics, or an enema, identifying food sensitivities and changing the diet accordingly, eating smaller amounts of food more slowly, drinking more water and eating more fiber, and trying digestive enzymes and probiotics before meals.
What are the Similarities Between Bloating and Distention?
- Bloating and distention are the two most commonly reported gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Bloating may or may not be accompanied by a visibly distended abdomen.
- Both can be diagnosed through physical examination and blood tests.
- They can be treated by changing the diet and using medications like laxatives.
What is the Difference Between Bloating and Distention?
Bloating causes trapped gas, abdominal pressure, and fullness, while distention refers to a measurable increase in abdominal girth. Thus, this is the key difference between bloating and distention.
Furthermore, bloating can be caused by the accumulation of gas, constipation, coeliac disease, food intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), helicobacter pylori infection, some medicines, gaining weight, and stress. On the other hand, distention can be caused by pregnancy, menstruation, significant recent weight gain, obstruction of the small or large bowel, partial paralysis, certain gastrointestinal diseases such as celiac disease, peritonitis, buildup of fluid in the abdomen, organ enlargement from inflammation or a growth, internal bleeding, gas, constipation, urinary retention, a disorder of muscle contractions involved in digestion and abdominal muscle weakness.
The infographic below presents the differences between bloating and distention in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
FAQ: Bloating and Distention
What are the two types of bloating?
Frothy bloat and free gas bloat are the two types of bloating.
What is the main cause of bloating?
Bloating can be due to a food sensitivity (something you ate) or a medical condition. Moreover, stress and hormones can also cause bloating.
Is bloating a serious problem?
Usually, bloating is not a serious problem unless blood is in the stool or bloating does not go away with time.
Summary – Bloating vs. Distention
Boating and distension are both very common gastrointestinal symptoms for the general population and those with functional gastrointestinal diseases and motility diseases. Moreover, bloating may or may not be accompanied by a visible abdominal distension. However, bloating, trapped gas, abdominal pressure, and fullness are the main characteristics, while a measurable increase in abdominal girth mainly characterizes distention. Hence, this summarizes the difference between bloating and distention.
Reference:
1. “Bloating: Causes and Prevention Tips.” Johns Hopkins Medicine.
2. Sanchari Sinha Dutta, Ph.D. “What Is Abdominal Distension?” News – Medical.net.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Most people complain of bloating after…” By Massa Bitar (CC BY 2.0 DEED) via Flickr
2. “Image from page 145 of “The diagnosis and treatment of diseases of women” (1907)” By Internet Archive Book Images (Public Domain) via Flickr