| Definition: | Gas, also called flatus or flatulence, is air in the intestine that is passed through the rectum. Air that is passed from the digestive tract through the mouth is called belching.
| | Alternative Names: | Flatulence (flatus)
| | Considerations: | Gas is formed in the intestines by the action of bacteria as food is being digested. Gas can make you feel bloated, which may cause crampy or colicky abdominal pain.
| | Common Causes: | Gas can be caused by any of the following: - Air swallowed while eating.
- Eating foods that are difficult to digest, such as fiber. If you recently introduced fiber into your diet, having gas may be temporary. Give it a little time. Your body may adjust and stop producing gas.
- Eating foods that you cannot tolerate -- for example, if you have lactose intolerance and eat dairy products.
- Irritable bowel syndrome -- a chronic form of stomach upset that gets worse from stress.
- Malabsorption (when your body cannot absorb or digest a particular nutrient properly, often accompanied by diarrhea).
- Antibiotics.
| | Home Care: | - Eat more slowly.
- Chew your food thoroughly.
- Avoid gum chewing.
- Relax while you eat.
- Avoid beans, cabbage, and carbonated beverages.
- Try Beano, a product sold over-the-counter at most drugstores, if you eat a lot of beans, fruits, vegetables, and other high-fiber foods.
- Walk for 10 to 15 minutes after eating.
- Drink peppermint or chamomile tea after a meal.
| | Call your health care provider if: | Call your doctor if:
- Your have other symptoms in addition to gas, like abdominal or rectal pain, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or weight loss.
- You have oily, foul-smelling, or bloody stools.
| | What to expect at your health care provider's office: | Your doctor will perform a physical examination with special attention to your abdomen, and ask questions about your symptoms, such as:
- What is your diet like?
- Has it recently changed?
- What foods do you eat commonly?
- What foods have you eaten recently?
- Have you increased the fiber in your diet?
- How fast do you eat, chew, and swallow?
- Would you say that your gas is mild or severe?
- Does your gas seem to be related to eating milk products or other specific foods?
- What seems to make your gas better?
- What medications do you take?
- Do you have other symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, early satiety (premature fullness after meals), bloating, or weight loss?
Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:
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