How To Get Rid Of Gas And Bloating & What Causes It In The First Place
Nothing can compare to the anxiety of suddenly and publicly releasing the gas that has built up inside of you. Weâve all been there. Whether you do the all-too-familiar shuffle to keep it in or you find a way to leave the room to find relief, being gassy or feeling bloated are experiences that every human can share. So, why are we so gassy? Letâs talk about gas, bloating, and what you can do about it.
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Gas: Whats Normal And What Isnt
7 min Read Time
Everyone burps and passes gas. Some do these things more often than others. It can be loud and sometimes smelly, but gas is a normal part of the digestive process even if its uncomfortable or embarrassing.
Understanding what causes gas can help you feel less self-conscious and find some relief. Its also important to recognize when gas, bloating and belly pain are actually warning signs of a more serious health condition, according to Brian van der Linden, MD, an HCA Healthcare gastroenterologist.
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What Causes Intestinal Gas
Causes of intestinal gas include:
- Food digestion: Your small intestines lack certain enzymes needed to digest and absorb carbohydrates in sweet, starchy and fibrous foods. This undigested food passes into the large intestine, where harmless bacteria break down the food, forming hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases. In some people, intestinal bacteria produce methane gas, too. This process is responsible for most gas passed in flatulence.
- Swallowing air: You swallow air without even noticing while eating, drinking, chewing gum or smoking. You can also swallow too much air if you have loose-fitting dentures. Most people expel swallowed air through the mouth by belching . But your intestines partially absorb some air, which you pass when you fart.
Get To The Root To Banish Belly Bloat For Good
Intestinal gas is a fact of life everyone deals with at some point. That being said, constant, excessive gas and painful bloating could be a sign of something deeper going on. Get tested for SIBO and/or IBS, and make sure you are not dealing with an underlying food intolerance such as gluten sensitivity or lactose intolerance. An elimination diet can be helpful for discovering your own personal food sensitivities.
Supplementing with gut-supporting vitamins and nutrients is another great way to support optimal digestive health, repair a leaky gut, and encourage a healthy balance of gut bacteria. My Gut Health Collectionfeatures a range of products that support your gut by maintaining a healthy intestinal barrier, fighting belly bloat, supporting your intestinal lining, and promoting the growth of good bacteria. By adding these supplements to your smoothies, you can supercharge their gut-repairing powers!
Getting to the root of your digestive troubles and choosing the right supplements and foods that prevent gas will help you beat belly bloating and gas for good, so you can regain your confidence and live life symptom-free!
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End The Embarrassment And Beat The Bloat For Good
Passing gas, farting, breaking wind whatever you call it, gas can be embarrassing, painful, and annoying.
And before you think youre the only one who might have a gas problem, know this: Most people produce about 1 to 4 pints of gas a day and pass gas about 14 times a day, either by farting or burping. Or they experience gas through a feeling of bloating that doesnt necessarily result in either.
And while you may feel that you get more gassy with age, the real culprit is diet, which may change as you get older.
May Help Reduce Excessive Gas
Research suggests activated charcoal may offer relief from excessive gas. A small 2003 study found that activated charcoal effectively reduced gas and bloating in men with and without excessive gas. A 2017 observational study noted that a combination of simethicone and activated charcoal helped reduce gas by 25 percent in people with small intestinal bowel overgrowth after 10 days. SIBO is associated with greater gas production. Nevertheless, participants who took the antibioticmetronidazole saw even better results, with a 67 percent reduction in gas. One limitation of this study, though, is that participants self-reported their gas incidents in a three-day diary before and after treatment, so its hard to know if incidents were accurately reported not to mention that three days is a short period of time.
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Lifestyle Changes To Reduce Gas
Some lifestyle adjustments can help reduce gas, gas pains, and bloating.
- Eat smaller portions Many healthy foods can also cause gas. Eating smaller portions may help reduce excess gas.
- Chew completely and slow down If you eat too fast, it could cause gas. Tip: put down your fork between each bite.
- sucking on hard candies
What To Know About Flatulence Excessive And Chronic
- Causes of excess gas in the digestive tract include:
- lactase intolerance, and
- malabsorption of certain foods.
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Does Constipation Cause Gas
Yes, Veloso says. Anything that slows down the digestive process, such as a low-fiber diet, use of opioid medications or an anticholinergic drug can put the brakes on timely bowel function.
Veloso says eating a diet rich in fiber, staying hydrated and exercising is a good long-term approach for beating bouts of gas and cramping. If these measures dont improve constipation and gas, a polyethylene glycol laxative can help, she notes.
How The Air Actually Gets Into The Stomach
Through Drinking, eating and talking arises daily Stomach air. Because through these activities you swallow air. Especially by eating high-fiber food and carbohydrates.
Do you drink beverages that Carbonic acid you promote a bloated stomach as well.
Too much gas in the stomach also forms when you have too much air in the intestines. It can rise into the stomach.
Are you from frequent belching you should check whether you are not suffering from reflux. It can be responsible for the Air accumulation in the stomach be responsible.
But it is also possible that there is an inflammation of the stomach lining or an infection with a certain stomach germ . If you have been suffering from air in your stomach for a long time, you should definitely seek advice from a doctor!
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How You Can Tell If There Is Air In The Stomach Or Intestines
It is often not possible to say one hundred percent whether the air is in the stomach or intestine. Generally, air is formed in the intestine only to a very small extent via air swallowing.
Slightly more gas accumulates when carbonated beverages are consumed.
Predominantly, the accumulation of air in the intestine is caused by a bacterial breakdown of non-absorbable food. This is especially common when you eat a lot of fiber.
If there is air in the bowel, then there is a feeling that your clothes are too tight. Often the discomfort is also accompanied by irregularities in bowel movements.
Relief after bowel movements is also a sign of excess gas in the bowel.
When you suffer from air in your stomach, you usually experience bloating in your mid and upper abdomen. In addition, you get full quickly.
Together with the feeling of fullness, nausea may also occur. In addition, slow digestion is also a sign of gas accumulation in the stomach.
In addition, excess air makes itself felt through stomach pressure and frequent belching. In many cases, the stomach is simply overburdened and then reacts with stomach grumbling.
Signs And Symptoms Of Gas
Commons symptoms of gas include:
- Knotted feeling in the abdomen
- Sodas and other carbonated beverages
- Fiber supplements containing psyllium husk
- Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols including sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, aspartame and others
In addition to diet, there are a number of medical conditions that can cause gas pains. These include:
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Belching As A Sign Of Air In The Abdomen
If there is too much air in your stomach, your body wants to get rid of it quickly.
For this purpose, your stomach has developed a very simple mechanism.
It pushes the excess air upwards. Through your esophagus and mouth, the accumulation of gas leaves your body again.
The process is called “burping”.
In moderation, belching is quite natural if it occurs frequently, it can become distressing for those affected.
In many cases, even small changes in the diet are enough. However, if the symptoms persist for a longer period of time, you should have possible diseases clarified.
It can also happen that not only air but also solid stomach contents come back up. You push up food mush with stomach acid.
This process can be very uncomfortable and usually occurs in the course of reflux disease.
How To Get Rid Of Gas Bubbles In Your Stomach
Bloating and gas build-up can occur after eating foods that are high in fiber, or can be a symptom of irritable bowel syndrome.The key to reducing gas bubbles in your stomach is a combination of modifying your diet and taking over-the-counter medication or trying natural home remedies. If excessive gas continues or discomfort increases contact your physician immediately.
Reduce your wheat consumption. Although wheat and dietary fiber prevent constipation and assist in lowering cholesterol, they can also cause a build-up of gas that creates uncomfortable gas bubbles. Excess gas created after eating wheat may be a sign of a wheat intolerance or allergy, according to Brian E. Lacy, author of Making Sense of IBS. Besides bread and pasta, wheat is also found in processed foods, salad dressings, soy sauce, ice cream and cold cuts 1.
Try eliminating dairy from your diet.Your upset stomach could be a sign of lactose intolerance.Lactose is a disaccharide found in milk and milk products. If you are lactose intolerant your body is unable to produce the enzyme lactase. Reduce or eliminate all dairy from your diet until symptoms subside.
Take probiotics to help balance the levels of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Probiotics can be taken as a pill or consumed in the form of yogurt, and help with digestion.
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Try Herbs For Gas Relief
Some research suggests a number of herbs may help relieve excess gas. For example, a review published in April 2015 in European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Studies found ginger helps speed digestion. This is helpful because if the stomach empties faster, gas can move more quickly to the small intestine to relieve bloating and discomfort.
A review published in 2014 in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology found that peppermint oil significantly improved symptoms of IBS, including abdominal pain.
Chamomile is thought to aid in a number of digestive issues, including upset stomach, bloating, and intestinal gas, by relaxing GI muscles and improving digestion.
How Is The Cause Of Excessive Flatulence Or Gas Diagnosed
A healthcare professional may review what the patient eats and the symptoms produced. The patient might be instructed to keep a food and drink diary for a specific period of time and track the passage of gas during the day. A careful review of diet and the amount of gas passed may help relate specific foods to symptoms and determine the severity of the problem.
The primary tests, if necessary, will likely include measuring the amount of hydrogen in the patient’s breath after the person eats suspected foods. Because bacteria are largely responsible for the production of hydrogen, an increase in exhaled hydrogen as measured by the breath test will suggest food intolerance, with the bacteria fermenting the undigested food to produce excess gas. After the patient eats a problem food, breath testing should show an increase in hydrogen in as little as 2 hours.
Another possible test is an analysis of flatus for gas content. This should help differentiate gas produced by swallowing air from gas produced in the gastrointestinal tract.
If these tests produce no diagnosis, broader testing can be accomplished to help exclude more serious disorders such as diabetes, cancer, malabsorption, cirrhosis of the liver, poor thyroid function, and infection.
If lactase deficiency is the suspected cause of gas, the healthcare professional may suggest the patient avoid milk products for a period of time. A blood or breath test may be used to diagnose lactose intolerance.
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The Side Effects And Potential Risks Of Using Activated Charcoal
In general, activated charcoal may be safe for occasional use, but tread carefully, experts say. According to a seven-year observational study published in 2010, adverse reactions to active charcoal are infrequent, but this study looked at activated charcoal use only in hospital settings not as an everyday solution you might use in your own home.
Are There Supplements That Are Good For People With Celiac Disease
A multivitamin or nutritional supplement can help you rebuild your levels of essential nutrients.
But keep in mind that some vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements may contain gluten. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any nutritional supplement to make sure it doesn’t contain gluten.
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What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor
You may want to ask your healthcare provider:
- Could a medical condition be making me gassy?
- What tests can determine the cause of intestinal gas?
- What steps can I take to cut down on intestinal gas?
- What foods or drinks should I avoid?
- Whats the best treatment for my gas symptom?
- How can I tell the difference between gas and something more serious?
- Should I look out for signs of complications?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
While intestinal gas is common, the symptoms belching, flatulence, bloating and stomach discomfort can be embarrassing and even painful. Gas is sometimes a symptom of a more serious health problem. Talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns. The right treatment can ease gas symptoms so you can go about your day in confidence.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 09/11/2020.
References
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Treatment For Gas Gas Pains And Bloating
If your gas and gas pains are caused by an underlying condition, treatment for that condition may provide relief. Usually, gas can be treated through lifestyle modifications, dietary changes, and over-the-counter medications.
Dietary Considerations
Not everyone has the same reaction to all foods. Keeping a food diary can help you determine which foods cause increases in gas and bloating. Eliminating or reducing certain foods may be necessary to reduce your symptoms.
High-Fiber Foods
Foods that can cause gas due to high fiber include whole wheat, bran, prunes, peaches, apples, pears, asparagus, artichokes, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, onions, and beans. You may try avoiding high-fiber foods for a week or two and gradually start to eat them again. You should visit a doctor or dietitian to make sure youâre getting enough fiber.
Dairy
Some people do not easily digest lactose, the sugar found in dairy products. Reducing or eliminating dairy products could help you reduce symptoms of gas and bloating. There are often lactose-free options for some products like milk.
Artificial Sweeteners
You may try eliminating sugar substitutes or trying a different type.
Fatty/Fried Food
Fat in your digestive tract can slow down digestion, allowing food to ferment longer and produce gas. Reducing fat in your diet may help lessen symptoms.
Carbonated Beverages
Fiber Supplements
Water
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