Why does flatulence appear and what to do with it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

You may be chatting too much while eating, or it may be a symptom of a serious illness.

Flatulence Everything you need to know about flatulence is a medical term for an excess of Intestinal gas Causes - Mayo Clinic in the intestines. It is often confused with bloating. These states are really similar, but there is an important nuance.

Bloating is just a symptom of flatulence. Very common, but far from the only one and not even always obligatory.

What are the symptoms of flatulence

In addition to bloating, excess gas in the intestines can manifest itself in other ways:

• belching;
• frequent need for gas release - more than 10 times Everything you need to know about flatulence a day;
• a loud sound when gas is released, which is sometimes impossible to contain;
• foul smell;
• uncontrolled gurgling, "overflow" in the abdomen;
• fast saturation.

Why flatulence is dangerous

In itself, this condition is not dangerous, except that it slightly reduces the quality of life. It's embarrassing when, at an important meeting, you suddenly make yourself felt not with a sensible proposal, but with a loud rumbling in your stomach or even a fart.

However, in some cases, flatulence can indicate a serious illness. Intestinal gas Causes - Mayo Clinic. And it's important not to miss it.

What are the causes of flatulence

Excess gas in the intestines can appear in two ways Everything you need to know about flatulence:

• exogenous, when gases come from outside, for example, if we swallow excess air while eating or drinking;
• endogenous, when excess gases are formed inside the intestine as a side effect of food digestion or the body's inability to assimilate a particular product.

Here are the most common causes of everything you need to know about flatulence of flatulence.

External (exogenous)

1. You accidentally gulped a lot of air

A small amount of it enters the intestines every time we eat or drink. The key word here is "small". Such a volume of air inside the gastrointestinal tract does not in any way affect the state of health.

But in some cases, we swallow much more air than usual. It increases the pressure inside the intestines and leads to flatulence. This happens when you:

• chewing gum;
• sucking on a lollipop;
• Sucking or biting on foreign objects, such as chewing on the cap of a pen or biting on your nails
• smoke;
• drink through a straw;
• chatting actively while eating.

2. You are very hungry and grabbed food in large pieces

This eating behavior in itself makes you swallow more air. In addition, large pieces expand the esophagus - and air enters the digestive tract in impressive volumes.

3. You have eaten a food that increases gas production

Gas And Gas Pain - Mayo Clinic foods that are high in fiber are the most common causes of increased gas production in the intestines:

• legumes, in particular beans and peas;
• hard fruits such as apples or pears
• vegetables, especially Intestinal gas Causes - Mayo Clinic different types of cabbage: white cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli;
• whole grains: cereals, bread, bran.

4. You got drunk on soda

First, the bubbles you swallow increase the amount of gas in your intestines. Secondly, carbonated drinks, especially dietary ones, contain sweeteners - sorbitol or xylitol, which increase gas formation.

Internal (endogenous)

1. You are constipated

Normally, intestinal gases, if they become too much, easily and imperceptibly leave through the anus. But with constipation, it is difficult for them to break out. The pressure in the intestines rises.

With the movement of feces, excess air under high pressure moves to the anus. This creates a rumbling in the stomach, and when the gases are released, it is accompanied by a specific loud sound.

2. You have a disturbed intestinal microflora

A change in the number or composition of bacteria in the small intestine leads to the fact that food is absorbed more slowly and worse, and begins to ferment. This creates excess gases. For example, taking antibiotics can lead to this condition.

3. You have food intolerances

This means that the intestines cannot break down and assimilate certain foods, such as milk lactose or gluten protein contained in grain foods (cereals, bread, pasta). Fermentation begins, foul-smelling gases are released.

4. You have diabetes

Diabetes seriously interferes with Diabetes and the Gastrointestinal Tract digestive function: it impairs intestinal motility, changes its bacterial composition, and makes it difficult to absorb foods. Flatulence is just one of the consequences of these violations.

5. You may be developing a gastrointestinal disease

Here are some Intestinal gas Causes - Mayo Clinic diseases, the symptom of which may be flatulence (and sometimes, in the early stages, the only one):

• gastroenteritis and other intestinal infections;
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• stomach ulcer;
• duodenal ulcer;
• gastroparesis - a condition in which the muscles of the stomach walls weaken;
• autoimmune pancreatitis;
• gallstones;
• cholecystitis;
• diverticular disease.

What to do if you have flatulence

Flatulence caused by external causes is most often safe and goes away quickly enough by itself. Therefore, if gas only torments you from time to time and you can associate it, for example, with drinking soda or chatting while eating, there is nothing to worry about.

But if flatulence began to haunt you regularly - every day or several times a week, consult a gastroenterologist.

The doctor will ask you about your symptoms, take an interest in lifestyle and eating habits, and conduct a Gas and Gas Pain examination. Diagnosis and Treatment - Mayo Clinic, listen to the abdomen with a stethoscope. Perhaps he will offer to undergo an additional examination - to pass blood and urine tests, to do an ultrasound of the abdominal organs.

If the test results show that the causes of increased gas production are internal, associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, it will be necessary to treat or correct the specific disease. When therapy is over, the intestinal gas problems will disappear.

However, most often flatulence is a consequence of an improper lifestyle, irregular or unhealthy diet. Your doctor will advise you on how to overcome this.

Here are some general tips:

• Eat slowly, chewing food thoroughly. It is important not to swallow air with large chunks.
• Avoid gum and hard candy.
• Drink carbonated drinks less often.
• Try to avoid dietary foods and drinks with sweeteners and monitor your condition. Perhaps the flatulence in your case is caused by artificial sweeteners.
• Divide food into small portions. Many foods that cause gas production are an important part of a healthy diet. In order not to deprive yourself of, for example, fiber, try to consume it in small portions. Perhaps this will fix the problem.
• Quit smoking or do it as little as possible.
• If wearing dentures, see your dentist and check if they fit well. Poorly fitting may result in excess air being swallowed while eating or drinking.
• Move more. Physical activity reduces the risk of constipation.