Is it normal that my stomach is swollen?

My stomach is tight and swollen?

• About a year ago, I stopped eating wheat upon realizing that I had a gluten allergy. My stomach got better; however, it still acts up. I was taking a tiny bit of laxatives every day to help things pass through. (This was ok'd by medical professionals.) However, I was eventually able to switch over to using just fiber, non-wheat fiber drinks. But now, my stomach is acting up even more. I'm getting constipated for long stretches at a time. I'm having what is called--sorry to be descriptive here--pencil bowel movements, because they're so skinny. My stomach is super tight and swollen. I've lost a lot of weight, so it looks even more weird that my stomach is poking out so much farther than everything else. I eat a lot of yogurt but stay away from dairy elsewhere. This is because I find it irritates my stomach. I'm in shape, but lately, when I've been running with my stomach so tight, I feel like I'm running after I've just eaten. This also makes me get cramps in my stomach just like I have a full stomach. I can't go to the doctor's because of my situation right now. Any suggestions on what might be wrong?

• Answer:

  Many times stomach problems have been pinned on some product because it seems to irritate it more while the whole problem is actually caused by tight back muscles that are pressing onto the nerves going to the organs to make them act up or go into pain. Pressure on the nerves to the stomach will make it release more gastric acid to cause stomach problems. Pressure on the nerves to the bowels will make it tense up as well which can be causing the problems with your bms. This goes undiagnosed because they don't know how to free up the back muscles which may take care of the problems you are having. The pinched back muscles can also be sending pains around your body on the nerves to become pains in your stomach area and may be causing the tightness there as well. Freeing up your back muscles would give you relief from these problems if caused this way and here's how to free them up: Back: (do from a sitting position) Place your left hand on your left leg next to your body. Place your right hand over your left shoulder, fingers over the back and the palm in the front and firmly pull down on them and hold. After 30 seconds slowly lower your body forward and to the outside of your left leg, keeping your left arm fairly straight as you do. When you reach your lap remain there for another 10 seconds, release the pressure but rest there for another 30 seconds. Then reverse your hand positions and do your right side. For best results relax your body first by taking a deep breath and exhaling then remain this relaxed.