Q: I am a 31 years old man suffering from a persistent abdomen bloating, sense of gas forming in lower stomach. I do not have any other medical problem. I consulted my family doctor and underwent a complete medical checkup. The findings were - right renal calculus (4 mm) and a microlith in the upper set (asymptomatic), blood pressure (BP) - 160/110 mmHg and cholesterol - 225 (on the borderline). Rest of the checks like echocardiogram, chest x-ray and other tests were found normal. What could be the cause for this?

A:Your abdominal symptoms are suggestive of irritable bowel syndrome, a condition where the bowel contracts irregularly and can cause abdominal symptoms to a varying degree. Bloating and irregularity of bowel movements are more common of the symptoms and a high fibre diet usually helps. Sometimes antispasmodics may be needed. However, before a definite diagnosis it is essential to exclude other treatable abdominal conditions and I suggest you consult a gastro-enterologist for appropriate investigations.