A painful and bloated stomach is most often caused by trapped wind, which is caused by difficulties digesting food.

Difficult to digest food includes food which is high in saturated fat, like fast food, and gassy food such as beans, cabbage and broccoli.

However, a bloated tummy could also be the result of the body’s reaction to food it can’t tolerate, such as lactose.

Lactose intolerance is a common digestive problem where the body is unable to digest lactose.

Lactose is a type of sugar mainly found in milk and dairy products.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance usually develop within a few hours of consuming food and drink containing lactose.

So experiencing bloating symptoms after eating dairy products could indicate an intolerance.

The most common symptoms of lactose intolerance, aside from bloating, include flatulence, stomach pain and cramps, and diarrhoea.

It can also cause stomach rumbling and a feeling of nausea.

The severity of symptoms and when they appear depends on the amount of lactose consumed.

Symptoms also vary from person to person, on an individual basis.

Some people may still be able to drink a small glass of milk without triggering any symptoms, while others may not even be able to have milk in their tea or coffee.

The reason why some people are lactose intolerant is because they don’t produce enough lactase.

Lactase is a substance used to digest lactose. It breaks lactose down into two sugars called glucose and galactose, which can be easily absorbed into the bloodstream.

However, if not enough lactase is produced, lactose stays in the digestive system where it’s fermented by bacteria.

This leads to the production of various gases, which cause the symptoms associated with lactose intolerance.

“In most cases, cutting down on or avoiding sources of lactose and replacing them with lactose-free alternatives is enough to control the symptoms of lactose intolerance,” said the NHS.

However, avoiding or cutting down on lactose may mean missing out on certain vitamins and minerals.

A good way to avoid lactose but still get the essential vitamins and minerals is to consume lactose-free dairy products.

These contain the same vitamins and minerals as dairy products, and also have added lactase.