Perut kembung (bloating) is when your tummy feels full, tight and uncomfortable, and the most common cause is a lot of gas (angin) in your gut from certain foods, fizzy drinks or swallowing air. It is very common and often does not need treatment. To relieve it, the NHS suggests eating smaller meals slowly, cutting down on fizzy drinks and gassy foods such as cabbage and beans, staying active, and gently massaging your tummy to release trapped wind; a pharmacist can suggest simeticone. Bloating that keeps coming back can be linked to constipation, food intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). See a doctor if you are often bloated, or if bloating comes with weight loss or blood in your poo; for women, bloating that happens about 12 or more times a month should be checked.
What is perut kembung (bloating)?
According to the NHS, you may be bloated if:
- your tummy feels full or bigger than usual;
- you have tummy pain or discomfort;
- your tummy is rumbling or making noises;
- you are farting more than usual.
Bloating is very common. The US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) notes that research suggests 16% to 31% of people experience bloating. It also explains that bloating is the feeling of fullness or swelling, while a belly that actually becomes larger is called distention; only about half of people with bloating also have distention.
In Malaysia, people often describe this as angin dalam perut (wind in the stomach). In medical terms, this is gas in the gut, which leaves the body by burping or passing wind (kentut).
Kentut: how much wind is normal?
Farting (kentut, flatulence or wind) is normal; according to the NHS, everyone farts, some people more than others. The NIDDK says:
- people pass gas an average of 8 to 14 times a day, and experts consider up to 25 times a day normal;
- people typically burp up to 30 times a day;
- gas comes from swallowed air and from bacteria in the large intestine breaking down carbohydrates that the stomach and small intestine do not fully digest;
- smelly wind may be due to sulfur in the gas.
What is normal differs from person to person. If you notice a change, or it is affecting your life, there are things you can do (see below).
Punca perut kembung: what causes bloating and wind?
According to the NHS and NIDDK, bloating and wind can be caused by:
| Possible cause | Clues | Our guide |
|---|---|---|
| Gas from food and drinks | After vegetables such as cabbage, beans or onions, fizzy drinks or beer | — |
| Swallowing air | Eating or drinking fast, chewing gum, fizzy drinks, smoking | — |
| Constipation | Difficulty pooing and stomach pain | Sembelit |
| Indigestion | Feeling full and bloated after eating, burping, heartburn; often called 'gastrik angin' | Gastrik |
| Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) | Bloating and stomach pain with diarrhoea or constipation that comes and goes; pain often better after pooing | — |
| Lactose intolerance | Bloating, farting, tummy rumbling, pain or diarrhoea a few minutes to a few hours after milk or dairy | — |
| Coeliac disease | Bloating, wind, diarrhoea and tummy pain after food containing gluten (wheat, barley, rye) | — |
| Periods | Some people feel bloated around the time of their period | Senggugut |
| Some medicines | NSAID painkillers such as ibuprofen, some laxatives, antifungal medicines and statins can cause wind | — |
According to the NHS, bloating that does not go away can sometimes be a sign of something more serious, such as ovarian cancer (see bloating in women). Bloating is also listed among the possible symptoms of bowel cancer. Do not self-diagnose; see a doctor if you are worried.
Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine without speaking to a doctor first.
Foods and drinks that cause gas
The NHS lists these foods and drinks as ones that can make you fart:
- vegetables: cabbage (kubis), broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and onions (bawang);
- pulses such as beans (kacang) and lentils (dal);
- dried fruit such as raisins or apricots;
- food or drinks with the sweetener sorbitol;
- fizzy drinks and beer.
If you are lactose intolerant, milk and dairy foods, including milk drinks, can also cause bloating. Many processed foods contain lactose too, such as some breads, biscuits, sauces and protein shakes. Keeping a food and symptom diary can help you spot your own triggers.
Cara buang angin: how to relieve bloating and wind
According to the NHS, these steps can help reduce bloating and wind:
- exercise regularly to improve digestion; it can also help when you are already feeling bloated;
- massage your stomach from right to left to release trapped wind;
- eat smaller, more frequent meals instead of large ones;
- eat and drink slowly, and chew with your mouth closed to avoid swallowing air;
- drink plenty of water, and try peppermint tea;
- if you are constipated, eat foods high in soluble fibre, such as oats or linseed.
And try not to:
- drink lots of fizzy drinks, alcohol, or caffeine in coffee and tea;
- eat lots of foods that are known to cause gas;
- eat large meals late at night or slouch when eating;
- eat lots of processed, sugary, spicy or fatty foods;
- smoke or chew gum;
- eat food you are intolerant to.
Ubat perut kembung: what can a pharmacist suggest?
According to the NHS, a pharmacist can suggest:
- simeticone to help ease bloating and wind;
- laxatives if constipation is causing the bloating (see sembelit);
- products for smelly wind, such as special underwear and pads that absorb smells.
If you have been diagnosed with IBS, the NHS says to ask a pharmacist about medicines such as Buscopan or peppermint oil, and to eat oats regularly and up to 1 tablespoon of linseeds a day to ease bloating, cramps and farting. The NHS also suggests trying probiotics for a month, as they may help symptoms caused by changes in gut bacteria. Its probiotics page notes some evidence that probiotics may ease some IBS symptoms, but that different types may have different effects. See our probiotik guide for how to choose one.
Sakit perut angin: when bloating comes with pain
Bloating can cause tummy pain or discomfort. According to the NHS, ask for an urgent doctor's appointment if you have bloating with:
- a stomach ache;
- vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation;
- a high temperature, or you feel hot, cold or shivery;
- a swelling or lump in your tummy;
- being unable to pee, poo or fart;
- a burning feeling in your chest from acid reflux.
Call 999 if you have bloating with a swollen stomach and a severe stomach ache that came on very suddenly, you are vomiting blood or vomit that looks like ground coffee, or you have severe difficulty breathing.
To understand what pain in different parts of the tummy may mean, see our guide to sakit perut by location.
Bloating in women
Some women feel bloated around the time of their period. But persistent bloating should not be ignored. According to the NHS, symptoms of ovarian cancer include frequently (roughly 12 or more times a month) having:
- a swollen tummy or feeling bloated;
- pain or tenderness in your tummy or between your hips (pelvic pain);
- no appetite, or feeling full quickly after eating;
- an urgent need to pee, or needing to pee more often.
These symptoms are very common and usually caused by other conditions, but see a doctor if you have them, especially if they are new, frequent or getting worse. Tell your doctor if anyone in your family has had ovarian or breast cancer. Other causes of tummy swelling and pelvic pain include an ovarian cyst.
When should you see a doctor?
According to the NHS, see a doctor (at a klinik kesihatan or a GP) if:
- you feel bloated regularly, or it does not go away;
- you have tried changing your diet but keep feeling bloated;
- farting is affecting your life and self-help and pharmacy treatments have not worked;
- you keep getting constipation or diarrhoea;
- you have bloating and weight loss without trying;
- you have bloating and blood in your poo;
- you think you might have IBS and have had symptoms for over 4 weeks.
A doctor may refer you to a dietitian if diet changes are not helping, or to a specialist for tests to find the cause.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What causes perut kembung (bloating)?
According to the NHS, the most common reason for bloating is a lot of gas in your gut, caused by some foods and drinks, such as some vegetables and fizzy drinks, or by swallowing air when you eat. It can also be caused by constipation, a food intolerance, coeliac disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and some women feel bloated around their period.
How do I get rid of wind in my stomach (cara buang angin dalam perut)?
The NHS suggests exercising regularly, which can also help when you already feel bloated, and massaging your stomach from right to left to release trapped wind. Eating smaller meals, eating slowly with your mouth closed and drinking peppermint tea may also help. A pharmacist can suggest medicines such as simeticone.
What are some petua to relieve bloating in adults?
Simple habits that the NHS recommends include eating smaller, more frequent meals, chewing with your mouth closed, drinking plenty of water, cutting down on fizzy drinks, alcohol and caffeine, not eating large meals late at night, and limiting foods known to cause gas such as cabbage, beans and lentils. If you are constipated, eating more soluble fibre such as oats or linseed can help.
Is it normal to kentut (fart) a lot?
Yes, farting is normal and everyone does it. The US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says people pass gas an average of 8 to 14 times a day, and experts consider up to 25 times a day normal. See a doctor if it is affecting your life, or comes with tummy pain, bloating that keeps coming back, a change in bowel habits, weight loss or blood in your poo.
What does sakit perut angin (wind pain) mean?
Trapped wind can cause tummy pain or discomfort, rumbling and feeling full. See a doctor urgently if bloating comes with a stomach ache, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation, a fever, or a lump in your tummy, and call 999 if the pain is severe and sudden.
When is bloating a sign of something serious?
See a doctor if you feel bloated regularly, bloating does not go away after changing your diet, or you have weight loss or blood in your poo. For women, the NHS lists feeling bloated or a swollen tummy frequently (roughly 12 or more times a month) as a symptom of ovarian cancer. Most bloating is not serious, but these symptoms should be checked.
What is the best ubat for perut kembung?
The right treatment depends on the cause. A pharmacist can suggest simeticone to ease bloating and wind, and laxatives if constipation is the cause. For people with IBS, the NHS mentions medicines such as Buscopan or peppermint oil, and suggests trying probiotics for a month. If bloating keeps coming back, see a doctor to find the cause.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment from a doctor. Do not self-diagnose; see a doctor if bloating keeps coming back or comes with warning signs. Health supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
References
- Bloating — NHS
- Farting (flatulence) — NHS
- Symptoms of IBS — NHS
- Diet, lifestyle and medicines for IBS — NHS
- Lactose intolerance — NHS
- Coeliac disease — NHS
- Symptoms of ovarian cancer — NHS
- Probiotics — NHS
- Definition and facts for gas in the digestive tract — NIDDK
- Symptoms and causes of gas in the digestive tract — NIDDK
