For many people, it is simply a sensation of stuffiness. However, for some it can feel downright painful. It is not necessarily caused by too much gas. Usually bloating is a result of poor motility. Motility refers to the contractions that automatically move food through the digestive tract.
Poor motility slows the movement of food through the stomach and intestinal tract.
Eating fatty foods can also delay stomach emptying, leading to bloating. Bloating is often a part of irritable bowel syndrome, a condition in which there is disorganized motility and spasm of the bowel. Sometimes bloating is caused by a disease or a disorder in the stomach or upper part of the digestive system. For this reason, the physician may perform tests, including x-rays and endoscopy. Endoscopy is a visual examination of the esophagus and stomach with a thin, flexible, lighted tube.