Flatulence – Common causes and treatment options

Commonly called as having gas or farting, flatulence is a medical term that is used for the buildup of gas in the digestive system. Farting is quite normal when it is limited to five to fifteen times during the day and when it is odorless. Nevertheless, foul-smelling and frequent flatulence can result in social embarrassment, especially at important meetings and crowded elevators.

Gas generally collects in two different ways within the digestive system.

What are the main causes of flatulence?
Prior to understanding how to stop flatulence, it is important for you to know that there are different ways in which excessive gas gets accumulated within the digestive system. They are as follows:

• Swallowing excessive air can result in flatulence. This air gets swallowed by chewing food at a very fast pace, smoking, chewing gum, swallowing large food chunks
• Sucking objects such as pen tops, hard candies and pencils, wearing loose-fitting dentures, intestinal fermentation and digestion.
• Gases get produced within the digestive system as a by-product of food fermentation and digestion. These gases are further pushed into the bowel.
• The intake of different food and drink rich in carbohydrates that cannot be properly absorbed can also result in flatulence. These include artificial sweeteners, foods that are high in -fiber, vegetables such as cabbage, beans, broccoli and onions, carbonated drinks, dry fruits such as raisins; fructose-containing juices and fruits such as pear, apricot and apple.
• Different health conditions of the digestive system such as malabsorption, constipation, indigestion, lactose intolerance, coeliac disease, giardiasis, gastroenteritis and irritable bowel syndrome might be the cause of flatulence.
• Flatulence can also be the side effect of different medicines such as antifungal medications, pain medicines such as ibuprofen, cholesterol-lowering medicines such as statins and laxatives.

What are the symptoms of flatulence?
The main symptoms of flatulence are as follows:

• Loud and smelly passing of wind
• Abdominal bloating, discomfort, and swelling
• Passing gas frequently
• Rumbling in the lower abdomen
• Weight loss
• Bowel incontinence
• Blood-stained stools
• Symptoms of underlying infections such as vomiting, fever, chills and joint pain

How to treat flatulence?
The following are some options for flatulence treatment.

• Watching one’s diet can serve as one of the best ways of doing away with flatulence. Avoid consuming a diet that has a lot of indigestible carbohydrates. This is because they can result in excessive gas formation. Replace them with carbohydrates that can be digested very easily and these include bananas, rice and potatoes.
• Maintaining a food diary can also be useful. This will help you in identifying the triggers or the foods that cause flatulence. Further, you can avoid these foods or limit their intake.
• Eating less and more often can also help in treating flatulence. Try having five to six meals during the day instead of the mandatory three-meal per day practice. This helps the digestive procedure of the body.
• Chewing food properly and avoiding smoking and chewing gum can decrease the amount of air that goes into your body.
• Proper exercises can also help in promoting digestion and in avoiding flatulence.
• Over-the-counter medicines such as antacids and dietary supplements such as galactosidase are perfect options for flatulence treatment.

How to prevent flatulence?
It is important to note that normal flatulence tends to vary from one person to another. Abnormal flatulence can itself be observed by an individual. If flatulence gets troublesome and excessive, it is important to consult a doctor. Understanding the symptoms of this condition can help in prevention.

There are long-term consequences of leaving flatulence untreated. The problem might get worse if it is due to digestive problems or food intolerance. There are other symptoms that might also develop. It is important to seek flatulence treatment as soon as possible because prolonged flatulence can result in other problems such as changes in eating habits and discomfort.