| What Are Gas and Gas Pains? |
Gas can strike at the worst possible moment — during an important meeting, on a crowded elevator or on a first date. Although passing intestinal gas (flatus) usually isn't serious, it can be seriously embarrassing.
It might help to know that everyone passes gas — a combination of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane — at least twelve or more times a day. But some people have excessive gas that bothers them most of the time. In some cases gas you can't expel or that accompanies irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), lactose intolerance, malabsorption conditions such as celiac disease or a gastrointestinal infection, can cause intense temporary pain.
The good news is that although you can't stop gas from forming, a few simple measures can go a long way toward reducing the amount of gas you have and relieving your discomfort and embarrassment.
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| Signs and Symptoms |
For most people the signs of excess gas and gas pains are all too obvious. They include:
- Abdominal bloating (distension)
- The voluntary or involuntary passing of gas, either as belching or as flatus
- Sharp, jabbing or crampy pains in the abdomen. These pains may occur anywhere in your abdomen, and may change locations quickly. You may also have a "knotted" feeling in your stomach.
| Causes |
You swallow air every time you eat or drink. You may even swallow air unconsciously when you're nervous. Some of that air finds its way into your lower digestive tract where it contributes to gas. But most lower intestinal gas is produced when bacteria in your colon ferment carbohydrates that aren't digested in your small intestine. Unfortunately, healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans and peas) are often the worst offenders.
That's because these foods are high in fiber. Fiber has many health benefits, including keeping your digestive tract healthy, regulating blood sugar and cholesterol levels and helping prevent heart attacks and other heart problems. But it can also lead to the formation of gas. Fiber supplements such as psyllium or Metamucil may also cause problems, especially if added to your diet too quickly.
Excess gas may occur with certain acute illnesses, such as stomach flu or food poisoning. It may also be one of several symptoms of a more serious chronic condition such as diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
In some cases, antibiotic use may be a factor — antibiotics disrupt the normal bacterial flora that live in your bowel. Excessive use of laxatives or constipating drugs may also contribute to the problem.
If your gas and bloating occur mainly after eating dairy products, your body may not be able to break down the sugar (lactose) in dairy foods. About 70 percent of people aren't able to process lactose efficiently after age 6. Yet even infants can be lactose intolerant. Other food intolerances, especially to gluten, a protein food in wheat and some other grains, may also cause gas, diarrhea and even weight loss.
It's also possible you might not be able to tolerate the artificial sweeteners sorbitol and mannitol found in some sugar-free foods, gums and candies. In fact, up to half of all healthy people develop gas and diarrhea when they eat these sweeteners.
Anything that causes intestinal gas or is associated with constipation or diarrhea can lead to gas pains. These pains generally occur when gas builds up in your intestines and you're not able to expel it. Once the gas is gone, your pain usually disappears too.
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| Risk Factors |
You're more likely to have problems with gas if you are lactose or gluten intolerant, eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes or have a chronic intestinal condition such as irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis or inflammatory bowel disease.
| When to Seek Medical Advice |
Call your doctor if you have severe, prolonged or recurrent pain in your abdomen, especially if you also have nausea, vomiting, bleeding, weight loss or fever. In addition, talk to your doctor if your gas or gas pains are so persistent or severe that they interfere with your ability to live a normal life. He or she may be able to help you reduce or relieve the problem.
| Screening and Diagnosis |
Your doctor will likely diagnose your problem based on your medical history and a physical exam. During the exam, your doctor may check to see if your abdomen is distended and listen for a hollow sound (tympany) when your abdomen is tapped (percussion). A hollow sound usually indicates the presence of excess gas.
Depending on your other symptoms, your doctor may recommend further tests in order to rule out more serious conditions.
| Prevention |
One or more of the following suggestions may help prevent excessive gas:
- Try to identify and avoid the foods that affect you the most. Some of the worst offenders
for many people include beans, peas, lentils, cabbage, radishes, onions, broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, cauliflower, sauerkraut, apricots, bananas, prunes and prune juice, raisins,
whole-wheat bread, bran cereals or muffins, pretzels, spicy foods, beer, sodas and other
carbonated beverages, milk, cream, ice cream and ice milk.
- Try cutting back on fried and fatty foods.
- Temporarily cut back on high-fiber foods. Add them back gradually over weeks. If you take a
fiber supplement such as psyllium or Metamucil, try cutting back on the amount you take and
build up your dosage gradually. Be sure to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day if you
use fiber supplements.
- Reduce your use of dairy products. Try substituting low-lactose dairy foods such as yogurt
or cheddar cheese for milk. Or try using products that help digest lactose such as Lactaid or
Dairy Ease. Eating small amounts of milk products at one time and eating them with other foods
may also make them easier to digest.
- Try adding products such as Beano to high-fiber foods to help reduce the amount of gas they
produce. For Beano to be effective, you need to take it with your first bite of food. It works
best when there's no gas in your intestines.
- Eat several small meals throughout the day instead of two or three larger ones.
- Eat slowly, chew your food thoroughly and don't gulp. If you have a hard time slowing down,
put down your fork between each bite.
- Don't eat when you're anxious, upset, or on the run. Try to make meals relaxed occasions.
Eating when you're stressed can interfere with digestion.
- Take acidophilus capsules or liquid. If your symptoms are the result of antibiotic use, you
may get relief with acidophilus capsules or liquid. These supplements may help replace the
beneficial intestinal bacteria that antibiotics sometimes destroy. You can find them in natural
food stores and some drug or grocery stores.
- Try a cup of peppermint tea. Peppermint oil contains menthol, which appears to have an
anti-spasmodic effect on the smooth muscles of your digestive tract. You may find that a warm
cup of peppermint tea can provide relief from gas and gas pain. Remember, though, that
peppermint may also contribute to
heartburn and acid reflux.
- Try using one of the many over-the-counter (OTC) products that contain simethicone. Simethicone helps break up the bubbles in gas.