Gas

What is flatulence?

Bloating is the purely subjective feeling of a bloated stomach . They must be differentiated from flatulence, the so-called meteorism , which can occasionally occur in healthy people, but occurs more frequently in people with digestive disorders. Gas builds up in the large intestine and causes severe pain. Bloating can come with or without flatulence (farting), and usually improves with the loss of air. Aerophagia , increased swallowing of air, rarely leads to flatulence, since the air taken in is often pushed back directly.

Symptoms of bloating

Bloating can differ from person to person and can also occur without an increase in abdominal circumference. Some of the accompanying ailments may include:

• flatulence
• stomach pain
• Frequent belching
• constipation

Causes of bloating

Bloating can have many causes. Acute flatulence can occur, for example, as part of a stomach flu or after a heavy, high-fiber meal . After eating, it is possible for an imbalance to develop between the amount of food eaten, the gases produced by fermentation in the colon, and the passage of gas, which can lead to the uncomfortable feeling of bloating. In general, flatulence is caused by various factors that can occur together or independently of one another:

1. Increase in absolute volume
A feeling of fullness can occur not only through a large meal. Rapid weight gain can also lead to a bloated feeling due to the fatty tissue stored in the abdominal wall. The volume of the intestine can be expanded by solids, liquids or gases. Bloating is often caused by “trapped” gases. In a healthy person, the gases that are swallowed and formed in the intestine can be absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestinal wall. Everything that is not absorbed is released through the anus. In chronic constipation, not only can the passage of these gases be made more difficult, but the long residence time in the intestine can also lead to increased fermentation of the solids in the colon, which releases additional gases.

2. Decrease in abdominal wall muscle activity
People suffering from meteorism often have flabby abdominal muscles, which can lead to a subjective feeling of bloating.

3. Objective increase in abdominal circumference
Even if a measurable increase in abdominal circumference is often accompanied by flatulence, it can also occur without any abdominal distension at all.

4. Increased abdominal sensitivity
Bloating can occur without any apparent cause. Bloating that occurs without flatulence may be due to an isolated perceptual disorder. After accidents and operations, the sensitivity of the abdominal wall can be increased and lead to the feeling of being bloated.

Other causes of bloating can include:

• Celiac disease (gluten intolerance)
• Lactose/fructose intolerance, or other digestive disorders
• irritable stomach
• irritable bowel syndrome
• narrowing of the intestines
• liver diseases
• Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine
• tumors of the rectum
• bile acid wasting syndrome

Diagnostic procedures for flatulence

Since flatulence can be caused by a variety of causes, it is very important that new flatulence is diagnosed conscientiously so that organic diseases are not overlooked. A detailed patient consultation is the most important diagnostic procedure to identify the triggering and aggravating factors of flatulence. In addition, a physical examination with an examination of the rectum should be carried out after the interview . In individual cases, functional tests of the gastrointestinal tract can be helpful in finding and eliminating the cause of the flatulence.

When should I go to the doctor?

While bloating is normal, if you bloat more than 20 times a day , or have painful bloating, you should see a doctor. If you have recurring flatulence, for example, a food intolerance can be behind it.

What can you do yourself against flatulence?

Once digestive problems and food intolerances have been ruled out, the best way to prevent bloating is to watch your diet. There are some foods that greatly increase the volume of gas in the intestines. You should avoid these or consume them in smaller amounts to prevent unpleasant flatulence. They include:

• Legumes such as lentils, peas and beans
• Cabbage vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, red cabbage
• onions and garlic
• Plums, apricots, bananas, raisins
• Whole grain bread
• sweetener
• Carbonated Beverages

You should also avoid hasty, high coffee consumption, such as espresso, and chewing gum. Eating irregularly and overly large meals can also lead to bloating. To minimize the amount of air swallowed, it can be a good idea to eat slowly, in stress-free conditions, and to chew your food well. Smoking can make bloating worse.

Fiber is a double-edged sword in the treatment of bloating. On the one hand, dietary fiber helps to keep the contents of the intestine soft and to enable it to pass through the intestines more quickly. On the other hand, dietary fiber is not digestible for humans and is only fermented by bacteria in the large intestine, which leads to increased gas formation. If you suffer from constipation, regardless of fiber, you should make sure to drink enough, because also a high fluid intakeleads to a softer stool consistency. Since incorrect colonization of the intestine can lead to increased gas production and thus to flatulence, it can make sense to take probiotics. Unfortunately, the effect of probiotics has not yet been sufficiently researched, which is why an effect on flatulence is not certain. A lot of exercise helps to ensure sufficient intestinal movement and thus counteracts flatulence.

Some foods help relieve the symptoms of bloating. These include:

• Tea preparations made from caraway, fennel and anise: they have a digestive and antispasmodic effect. Small children particularly benefit from this.
• Peppermint oil: Peppermint oil not only counteracts foul-smelling intestinal wind, but also has an antispasmodic effect.

Flatulence therapy

In the case of flatulence without a known cause, the first priority is to change your diet. Talking to a nutritionist can also help. In addition, medication can reduce bloating. Your treating doctor can determine whether these make sense for you after a conversation and a physical examination.

Here’s how Med-Healths can help

Via Med-Healths you can speak directly to a doctor about your symptoms. Not only can he/she help you assess the urgency of the bloating, but they can also advise you on possible measures to relieve the symptoms. Via Med-Healths you can get a direct referral to a doctor in private practice in order to also get a physical examination.