Gas
Everyone comments sometimes on the digestive
problem of gas. When people complain of gas, they usually
mean one or more of the following:
- Frequent belchling of air from the stomach
- Bloating of the abdomen after eating
- Frequent passing of gas from the rectum
It may be uncomfortable or inconvenient, but
only rarely is gas associated with a serious illness.
Gas is usually just the result of certain habits or diet
choices. It occurs in one of two ways: as a result of
swallowed air, or it is produced in the intestinal
tract. Reclining after eating, inactivity, and stress
may contribute to the problem. If the physician
suspects gas is the result of some other illness, tests
will be ordered to diagnose the problem.
Belching
Everyone belches occasionally, especially after
eating. However, some people belch frequently,
and it becomes annoying and embarrassing.
Belching is the result of too much air in the
stomach. It gets there by being swallowed with
food or liquid. The stomach releases it by forcing
it up the windpipe in a belch. The more a person
swallows, the more air goes into the stomach and
the more belching. Some people are known as air
swallowers. They gulp iarge amounts of air when
eating or drinking; they may produce larger
quantities of saliva that requires frequent
swallowing; or they just have a nervous habit of
swallowing more often.
Occasionally, it is necessary to treat excessive
belching with medicine. In most cases, however,
patients can reduce belching by following simple
lifestyle changes to correct the causes.
Hints for Reducing Belching
- Air swallowers should concentrate on trying to reduce the number of times they swallow.
- Avoid pipes, cigarettes, and cigars; chewing gum and hard candy; sipping through straws and bottles with narrow mouths; and dentures that do not fit properly. They can increase saliva or air swallowing.
- Avoid foods that contain air, such as carbonated beverages or whipped cream. Fizzy medicines, such as bicarbonate of soda, also add air to the stomach.
- Eat slowly. Gulping food and beverages adds large amounts of air to the stomach.
- Do not deliberately swallow air to force a belch.
Bloating
For unknown reasons, bloating-that feeling
of swelling in the abdomen-occurs most often in
females. For many people it is simply a sensation
of stuffiness. However, for some it can feel
downright painful. It is not necessarily caused by
too much gas. Usually bloating is a result of poor
motility. Motility refers to the contractions that
automatically move food throughout the digestive
tract. Poor motility slows the movement of food
through the stomach and intestinal tract. Eating
fatty foods can also delay stomach emptying,
leading to bloating.
Bloating is often a part of irritable bowel
syndrome, a condition in which there is
organized motility and spasm of the bowel.
Sometimes bloating is caused by a disease or a
disorder in the stomach or upper part of the
digestive system. For this reason, the physician
may perform tests, including x-rays and
endoscopy. Endoscopy is a visual examination of
the esophagus and stomach with a thin, flexible,
lighted tube.
When bloating happens frequently, the
physician may prescribe medications to stimulate
contractions in the stomach and upper intestine.
Usually however, bloating is not serious. It may
be caused by certain foods or simply by eating too
fast. So, a change in eating habits is often all
that is needed to control this condition.
Rectal Gas
Excessive flatus (rectal gas) is most often
produced by bacteria in the colon (the large
intestine). There are literally hundreds of
different bacteria normally present in the colon.
Most are harmless. In fact, they are even
beneficial to digestion. However, bacteria rely on
carbohydrates and sugars for their nutrition. In
the process of breaking down these nutrients,
bacteria generate gases such as hydrogen, carbon
dioxide, and methane. Under normal conditions,
many of these gases are reabsorbed and do not
cause excessive flatus.
Carbohydrates and sugars are normally
digested and absorbed in the stomach and small
intestine. Some people have disorders that
interfere with the normal digestive process. For
example, lactose is a sugar found in milk. It
requires the enzyme lactase for digestion. A person
with lactase deficiency may not he able to digest
lactose properly. These abnormalities in digestion
allow carbohydrates and sugars to pass undigested
into the colon, where gas forming bacteria thrive
on them. Some foods, such as legumes, cabbage or
certain types of bran contain carbohydrates that
the body cannot digest. However, bacteria in the
colon can use them for food, and as they are
digested by the bacteria, gas is produced.
Everyone reacts to foods differently. For
instance, two people can eat the same amount of a
carbohydrate. One forms large amounts of rectal
gas; the other forms little. For those people
frequently bothered with excessive gas, a special
diet may be recommended to identify and
eliminate the offending foods. The accompanying
chart lists those foods that most often contribute to
abdominal gas and flatulence.
Gas Elimination Trial Diet
First, check with a physician to rule out any
other medical causes for excess gas. The physician
can also give advice on maintaining adequate
nutrition. This trial diet may be conducted in one
of two ways:
- Eliminate one category of gas producing
foods for at least a week. If there is no Iessening of
gas, put the foods back in the diet and go on to
eliminate another category. Follow this procedure
until reaching a level of gas that is tolerable.
- Eliminate all categories from the diet for
three or four days. Then add one food at a time
back to the diet. Continue to include this food in
the diet for three or four days. If the selection
causes no problems, it may be kept in the diet. If it
does, eliminate it and go on to the next food.
Sometimes the food may not have to be
completely eliminated; smaller amounts may be
tolerated. For example, many people complain
that adding fiber to the diet causes gas. Yet, this
problem seems to be reduced if the fiber is added
gradually over a period of several weeks. These
procedures require time and persistence, but can
be very effective in controlling an uncomfortable
problem. Regardless of results, remember that
rectal gas is not harmful to the body.
Foods That Contribute to Gas Production
- Legumes: Especially dried beans and peas,baked beans, soy beans, lima beans
- Milk Products: Milk, ice cream, cheese
- Vegetables: Cabbage, radishes, onions, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower,cucumbers, sauerkraut, kohlrabi, asparagus
- Root Vegetables: Potatoes, rutabaga, turnips
- Fruits: Prunes, apricots, apples, raisins, bananas
- Cereals & Breads: Cereals, breads, pastries, and all foods containing wheat and wheat products. Check labels.
- Fatty Foods: Pan-fried or deep-fried foods, fatty meats, rich cream sauces and gravies, pastries, and any high-fat food. Check labels.
- Liquids: carbonated beverages, fizzy medicine
Summary
Gas means different things to different people.
It may refer to belching, abdominal bloating, or
rectal gas. For some it may be simply an
embarrassment, while for others it can be quite
uncomfortable. However, it is rarely a serious
medical problem. Working with a physician, a
person suffering from gas can usually find simple
solutions to significantly reduce the problem.
This material does not cover all information and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care.
|
