Digestive System
How to Treat Gas Symptoms
Experience has shown that the most common ways to reduce the discomfort of gas are changing diet, taking medicines, and reducing the amount of air swallowed.
Diet
Health professionals may tell people to eat fewer foods that cause gas. However, for some people this may mean cutting out healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, [...]
What Testing is Available to Determine the Cause of My Gas?
Because gas symptoms may be caused by a serious disorder, those causes should be ruled out. Health professionals usually begin with a review of dietary habits and symptoms. The health professional may ask the patient to keep a diary of foods and beverages consumed for a specific time period.
If lactase deficiency is the suspected cause [...]
Common Symptoms of Gas
The most common symptoms of gas are flatulence, abdominal bloating, abdominal pain, and belching. However, not everyone experiences these symptoms. The type and degree of symptoms probably depends on how much gas the body produces, how many fatty acids the body absorbs, and a person’s sensitivity to gas in the large intestine.
Belching
An occasional belch during [...]
Which Foods Cause Gas?
Most foods that contain carbohydrates can cause gas. By contrast, fats and proteins cause little gas.
Sugars
The sugars that cause gas are raffinose, lactose, fructose, and sorbitol.
Raffinose
Beans contain large amounts of this complex sugar. Smaller amounts are found in cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, other vegetables, and whole grains.
Lactose
Lactose is the natural sugar in milk. It [...]
What Causes Gas?
Gas in the digestive tract—the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine—comes from two sources:
Swallowed Air
Aerophagia, or air swallowing, is a common cause of gas in the stomach. Everyone swallows small amounts of air when eating and drinking. However, eating or drinking rapidly, chewing gum, smoking, or wearing loose dentures can cause some people to [...]
Running Out of Gas
Everyone has gas and eliminates it by burping or passing it through the rectum. However, many people think they have too much gas when they really have normal amounts. Most people produce about 1 to 4 pints a day and pass gas about 14 times a day.
Drawing of the digestive system with parts labeled: mouth, [...]
