Chronic Bloating with Constant Gas and Fullness

The abdominal distension that Donguibogam explained with qi stagnation and dampness-phlegm is deeply related in modern medicine to an imbalance in the gut-brain axis. Our brain and gut are closely connected like a hotline, constantly exchanging signals. When psychological factors such as stress or anxiety stimulate the brain, they exert a negative effect across the digestive spectrum, including intestinal motility, digestive enzyme secretion, and the gut microbiota environment. Chronic stress, in particular, causes hyperactivation of the sympathetic nerve, slowing intestinal motility, inhibiting gastric acid secretion, and generally diminishing digestive function. This matches the Donguibogam concept of blocked qi with striking precision. When intestinal motility slows, food lingers in the intestines for too long, during which gut microbiota excessively ferment the food and generate excessive gas. If this state repeats, it can lead to gut dysbiosis, sparking a vicious cycle where harmful bacteria proliferate, beneficial bacteria decrease, and intestinal health declines further. Moreover, conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth are cited as primary causes of abdominal distension in modern individuals. In small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, bacteria that have over-proliferated in the small intestine break down food and produce large amounts of gas, triggering severe abdominal distension and pain. FODMAPs contained in certain foods are also not completely absorbed in the intestines and ferment via bacteria, increasing gas production, which can be interpreted similarly to the accumulation of dampness-phlegm described in Donguibogam. Ultimately, a swollen belly is more than mere discomfort; it can be considered a warning signal of complex imbalances across our digestive system, nervous system, and the overall gut microbiota ecosystem. It is genuinely important not to overlook the small signals our body sends, but to listen carefully to them.