---
title: What causes functional bloating (bloating with no clear medical cause) and how can it be treated?
description: The cause is unknown. Old explanations have been disproven, and newer ideas suggest recent weight gain, weak abdominal muscles, or fluid trapped in the small
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/functional-abdominal-bloating-1994/
---

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- What causes functional bloating (bloating with no clear medical cause) and how can it be treated?

Review, 1994

# What causes functional bloating (bloating with no clear medical cause) and how can it be treated?

The cause is unknown. Old explanations have been disproven, and newer ideas suggest recent weight gain, weak abdominal muscles, or fluid trapped in the small intestine. No treatment has been proven to work.

 Early or limited evidence

Healthy people and those with irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, or anorexia nervosa

## What they did

This was a review of bloating that doesn't have an obvious medical cause (functional bloating). The authors reviewed what's known about its causes and potential treatments.

## What they found

Bloating is common: 10 to 25% of healthy people experience it. It is very common in people with irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, or anorexia nervosa. Old explanations (low diaphragm, excessive spine curve, psychiatric causes) have been disproven. Newer theories suggest weight gain, weak abdominal muscles, or fluid in small intestine loops. No treatment is of proven benefit.

## What it means for you

Bloating without a clear medical cause is common but its true cause isn't known. The main limit is that this is a review without proven treatments identified. This paper doesn't focus on bloating related to the menstrual cycle specifically.

10-25%

healthy people with bloating

## About the study

Original title Functional abdominal bloating Authors Sullivan SN Journal Journal of clinical gastroenterology Year 1994 Study design Review What was tested None; the abstract discusses potential treatments worth studying but no proven ones Read the paper [doi.org/10.1097/00004836-199407000-00007](https://doi.org/10.1097/00004836-199407000-00007)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Eating disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-eating-disorders/)[IBS and gut symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ibs-gi/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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