A swollen, tight tummy is common. The NHS names having a lot of gas in your gut as a common cause and suggests regular exercise, chewing with your mouth closed, drinking plenty of water and eating smaller, more frequent meals. It says not to have lots of fizzy drinks, alcohol or caffeine, or large meals late at night. See a GP if you feel bloated regularly, lose weight without trying, or have blood in your poo; call 999 for a severe stomach ache that came on very suddenly, vomiting blood, or severe difficulty breathing. This sets out the NHS page “Bloating”.
1. A common cause is gas in your gut. Exercise, chew with your mouth closed, drink water, eat smaller meals more often.
2. Not lots of fizzy drinks, alcohol or caffeine, no large meals late at night, not lots of processed, sugary, spicy or fatty food.
3. Regular bloating, weight loss or blood in your poo: GP. Sudden severe stomach ache or vomiting blood: call 999 (119 in Korea).
What to do and not do at home — NHS
| Type | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Do | Exercise regularly | Said to improve digestion and help prevent bloating |
| Do | Chew with your mouth closed | To avoid swallowing air |
| Do | Drink plenty of water | — |
| Do | Eat foods high in soluble fibre if constipated | See constipation |
| Do | Eat smaller, more frequent meals instead of large ones | — |
| Do | Massage your stomach from right to left to release trapped wind | — |
| Don’t | Drink lots of fizzy drinks, alcohol or caffeine in coffee and tea | — |
| Don’t | Eat lots of foods known to cause gas | No foods are named on this page |
| Don’t | Eat large meals late at night before bed | — |
| Don’t | Eat lots of processed, sugary, spicy or fatty foods | — |
| Don’t | Eat food you are intolerant to | — |
A pharmacist can suggest laxatives for constipation or medicines like simeticone to ease bloating. Choosing a laxative and the NHS thresholds are in constipation.
When to get help — NHS
| If | Where | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| You feel bloated regularly | GP | — |
| You’ve changed your diet but keep feeling bloated | GP | — |
| Bloating with unintentional weight loss | GP | — |
| Bloating with blood in your poo | GP | — |
| Bloating with vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation, or a stomach ache | Urgent GP or 111 | See diarrhoea and vomiting |
| A high temperature, or feeling hot, cold or shivery | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| A swelling or lump in your tummy | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| You cannot pee, poo or fart | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| A burning feeling in your chest caused by stomach acid | Urgent GP or 111 | See heartburn |
| A stomach ache that is severe and came on very suddenly | 999 (119 in Korea) | — |
| Vomiting blood, or vomit that looks like ground coffee | 999 (119 in Korea) | — |
| Severe difficulty breathing | 999 (119 in Korea) | — |
With vomiting or diarrhoea, see diarrhoea and vomiting; for a burning chest from stomach acid, see heartburn.
Checklist
- ☐ Regular exercise; chew with your mouth closed
- ☐ Plenty of water; smaller, more frequent meals
- ☐ Cut down fizzy drinks, alcohol, caffeine and late-night large meals
- ☐ Regular bloating, weight loss or blood in your poo: GP
- ☐ Sudden severe stomach ache, vomiting blood or severe breathing difficulty: call 999 (119 in Korea)
If bloating comes with heartburn, feeling sick and burping, the NHS indigestion page may fit better (indigestion).
Questions that remain
Which foods cause gas?
This page only says not to eat lots of “foods that are known to cause gas” and names none. We haven’t added any.
Which way do I massage?
The NHS says to massage your stomach from right to left to release trapped wind.
Sources
- NHS — Bloating — source (page shows: reviewed 21 January 2026, next review 21 January 2029; checked 19 October 2026). Common cause, 6 dos and 5 don’ts, pharmacist, 4 GP, 6 urgent and 3 999 reasons.
- Not read. Korean agency guidance on bloating; lists of gas-producing foods.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean care gloss.
Where else to check
- Your GP or an internal medicine clinic — regular bloating or weight loss.
Written on 19 October 2026. The content is from the NHS; the glosses are ours.
