Abdominal gas is quite typical. Often, certain home remedies and supplements can help you release it from your stomach. But if you’re still experiencing discomfort, you may want to see a doctor.
The average adult passes gas between 13 and 21 times a day. Gas is a healthy part of the digestion process. But if gas builds up in your intestines and you’re unable to expel it, you may start to feel pain and discomfort.
Gas pain, bloating, and flatus frequency can be exacerbated by anything that causes diarrhea or constipation. Gas can also be caused by: overeating, swallowing air while you eat or drink gum chewing smoking cigarettes eating certain foods. Takean appointment with your doctor if your gas symptoms:
10 tips to get rid of gas and accompanying symptoms
If changing your diet doesn’t completely do the trick, you have several options to try.
1. PEPPERMINT
Research has shown that peppermint tea or peppermint supplements can help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, including gas.
Talk with your doctor before you start using supplements. Peppermint can interfere with iron absorption and certain medications. It may also cause heartburn in some people.
Supplements will have directions about how much you should take on the bottle. For peppermint tea, drink one cup before each meal for the best results.
2. CHAMOMILE TEA
Chamomile tea can also help reduce indigestion, trapped gas, and bloating. Drinking chamomile tea before meals and at bedtime may reduce symptoms for some people.
3. ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
Activated charcoal is another type of over-the-counter medication that helps eliminate gas trapped in your colon. You take tablets right before and one hour after meals.
4. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Drinking apple cider vinegar may help fight against bacteria that can cause abdominal gas accumulation and discomfort. Dilute a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a beverage, like water or tea. Drink right before meals or up to three times daily as long as needed to reduce symptoms.
5. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Exercise can help release trapped gas and gas pain. Try walking after meals as a way to avoid gas. If you have gas pain, jumping rope, running, or walking may help you expel it.
6. LACTASE SUPPLEMENTS
Lactose is a sugar in milk. People with lactose intolerance can’t digest this sugar. Lactase is the enzyme the body uses to break down lactose. Lactase supplements are available over the counter and can help your body digest lactose.
7. CLOVES
Cloves are an herb used in cooking. Clove oil may help reduce bloating and gas by producing digestive enzymes. Add two to five drops to an 8-ounce glass of water and drink after meals.
8. OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS
Simethicone (Gas-X. Mylanta Gas, Phazyme) is an over-the-counter medication that works by consolidating gas bubbles in your stomach, allowing you to expel them more easily.
Follow dosing instructions, and make sure to discuss this medication with your doctor if you’re taking other medications or pregnant.
Another option is Beano, which is an OTC digestive aid containing an enzyme that breaks down sugars in beans and certain vegetables, which can help reduce abdominal gas. It comes as a liquid or a pill. People with galactosemia should ask their doctor before using it.
9. PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS
Depending on the cause of your abdominal gas, there are many medications that your doctor may prescribe.
This includes medications for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
10. DIET
If your gas isn’t caused by an underlying medical condition, it may be caused by what you eat. Food is digested primarily in your small intestine. What is left undigested is fermented in your colon with bacteria, fungi, and yeast as part of digestion. This process produces methane and hydrogen, which are expelled as flatus.
For many people, changing dietary habits is enough to alleviate gas and its accompanying symptoms. One way to determine which foods are giving you gas is by keeping a food diary. Common culprits include high fat or high fiber food, carbonated beverages, and beans and lentils.
Here are 10 foods that can CAUSE GAS. Once you figure out what food is causing the gas, you can modify your diet to avoid the culprit.
Conditions that cause gas, pains, and bloating
Some conditions can cause excess gas. They include:
gastroenteritis
lactose intolerance
celiac disease
Crohn’s disease
diabetes
peptic ulcer
irritable bowel syndrome
Preventing gas
If no medical condition is causing the problem, preventing gas may best be accomplished by altering lifestyle habits and diet:
Sit down during each meal and eat slowly.
Try not to take in too much air while you eat and talk.
Stop chewing gum.
Avoid soda and other carbonated beverages.
Avoid smoking.
Find ways to work exercise into your routine, such as taking a walk after a meal.
Eliminate foods known to cause gas.
Avoid drinking through straws.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get rid of gas quickly?
One thing that may help abdominal relieve gas a bit faster is to change your body position. Positions to reduce gas can include , for example, which can help push the gas out of the body. Other than that, medications and remedies may take some time to work, depending on the cause of your gas.
HOW LONG CAN TRAPPED GAS LAST?
Usually, trapped gas is released within a few hours. If it’s not, you should seek medical treatment in case you have another more serious medical condition.
WHAT DOES TRAPPED GAS FEEL LIKE?
Typically you would feel some discomfort and even pain in your stomach. It can affect the left, the right, the upper, or the lower part of your abdomen.
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Gas can be painful, but it typically isn’t dangerous. If gas pain or bloating are issues for you, look to your diet and lifestyle to see what changes you can make. In many cases, lifestyle and diet modification may be able to eliminate the issue completely.
Make an appointment with your doctor if you don’t notice a difference after several weeks of lifestyle and diet changes. They can run tests to see if your symptoms are caused by a medical condition.
