How Are Incomplete Bowel Movements and Bloating Related?

When someone feels like they haven’t finished a bowel movement, it may mean that stool is staying in the colon longer than it should. This lingering stool can allow bacteria to work on the waste, which can produce extra gas. This extra gas builds up and makes the belly feel swollen or bloated. Research has shown that when it takes longer for a balloon (used in a test) to be pushed out, there is a link with more abdominal distension, meaning the belly looks or feels larger. In conditions like constipation and irritable bowel syndrome, people often worry that they haven’t fully emptied their bowels. This feeling of incomplete bowel movements can go hand in hand with bloating because both may be signs of slower movement of material through the gut. If this process happens, it can lead to discomfort for many individuals. Understanding this connection helps doctors look at both symptoms together and consider treatments that help move things along in the digestive system, easing both incomplete bowel movements and bloating.