How To Cure Excessive Gas Problem Or Flatulence?

By Author: Dr Easton Patrick
Total Articles: 531
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Flatulence is a condition characterized by the occurrence of excessive stomach gas or intestinal gas in one's digestive tract. The term 'flatulence' comes from the word 'flatus' meaning gas. Excessive gas in digestive tract can lead to symptoms like abdominal pain, belching or burping, bloating or emission of gas through rectum. Emission of gas may be soundless or may take place with sound. If gas is emitted in wrong place or at wrong time, it can cause much social embarrassment. People, at times pass odorless gas but at other times may also pass foul odorous gas. The unpleasantness of odorous flatus comes from the trace gases like indole, skatole, and sulfurous compounds produced by certain bacteria.

Flatulence is caused by the following factors:

1. Swallowing of air or aerophagia (This usually takes place due to over anxiety or during activities like drinking rapidly, sucking hard candy, chewing gum, drinking carbonated drinks, use of tobacco, loose dentures and hyper-ventilation).
2. Breaking down of undigested food by the bacteria normally occurring in everyone's colon.
3. Lactase deficiency
...
... 4. Mal-absorption syndrome
5. Slow and sluggish transit of food through colon (as when you are constipated).
6. Narcotic drug use
7. Irritable bowel syndrome
8. Consumption of diet low in fiber
9. Diverticulosis
10. Presence of parasites
11. Intestinal obstruction.

Ways to cure flatulence, excessive gas:

1. Reduce the consumption of flatulence causing food items like beans, broccoli, cauliflower, fructose rich onions, starchy food items such as potatoes, wheat, corns etc, sorbitol rich fruits like apple, pears, peaches, prunes etc, dark bear and red wine.

2. In case of lactose intolerance, curb the intake of dairy products. You can also use over the counter lactase enzyme liquid in your milk or other dairy products or chew lactase tablets if lactose intolerance is the cause of your flatulence

3. Regulate your bowel function and check your constipation by using laxatives or eating a diet high in fiber. This will reduce flatulence, excessive gas problem.

4. Avoid gulping your food; rather chew it well.

5. Go for counseling if you are swallowing air because of your anxiety. This will temper your anxiety and control your flatulence.

6. Put on charcoal filter undergarments if the offensive odor of your flatus is irritating all around you.

7. Do not overeat and do not grow overweight.

8. If a parasitic infection or bacterial overgrowth is the cause of your flatulence, you have to be treated with antibiotics.

9. Medicines like Beano, Di-gel, Mylanta ll, Maalox ll, Activated charcoal tablets, Metoclopramide etc may be taken as a cure for flatulence.

10. You can try out the following home cures for flatulence:

a) Dip few slices of ginger in a bowl of lemon juice. Chew them after every meal to get rid of flatulence.

b) Drinking of peppermint tea relieves flatulence problem.

c) Mix a combination of half teaspoon ginger powder, a pinch of asafetida and a pinch of rock salt in to a cup of warm water and drink the mixture to get cured of flatulence.

Read about Herbal Treatment for Flatulence. Also know Herbal Treatment for Constipation. Read effective Herbal Treatment for Indigestion.