Causes, Symptoms and Treatments of Excessive Gas Problems
Each individual experience excessive gas and bloating in different ways. Sometimes you might have excessive belching or burping. For some, an excessive passing of gas or flatulence is more common. For a lot of other people, excessive gas and bloating are synonymous with a sensation of extreme fullness in the stomach and abdomen. Whichever be the case, we all experience excessive gas and bloating at some point in our lives, and we all know it is not a very great experience. Belching or burping is when you release gas from the body through your mouth. When you swallow excess air while eating, chewing gum or drinking through a straw, you end up burping or belching.
Flatulence is the passing of gas through the rectum. This takes place when the body cannot digest all the food you eat. Sometimes when you consume certain sugars, fibers, or starches, your body finds it difficult to digest them, and the result is excessive gas and flatulence.
Bloating is when there is an accumulation of excess gas, making you feel uncomfortable and full.
What Causes Excessive Gas And Bloating?
Here is a list of the most common factors of excessive gas and bloating:
- When you eat certain foods, increased burping, flatulence, bloating, feeling full and uncomfortable is inevitable. A few common triggers of gas are certain sugars, artificial sweeteners like sorbitol, starches, and carbohydrates when taken in excess, oily and processed foods.
- Eating too fast or swallowing too quickly can cause belching, flatulence, and bloating.
- Taking in too much air when drinking through a straw or always chewing gum can be another cause of excessive gas and belching.
- Your colon has certain bacteria that help with the digestion of food. Sometimes, these bacteria have a greater ability to produce gas, which in turn results in excessive gas and bloating.
- Sometimes, digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be the causal factors of excessive gas, flatulence, burping, and bloating.
- Bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine.
- If you are lactose intolerant, your body will not agree with certain sugars present in milk and other dairy products. Consuming this when you are lactose intolerant can cause excessive gas and bloating too.
- Food poisoning can cause excessive gas and bloating too. If you have eaten foods that are unclean, then make sure you visit the doctor as soon as possible, as food poisoning can be fatal sometimes.
- In some cases, stress and anxiety can cause excessive gas and bloating too.
What are the symptoms and signs of excessive gas and bloating?
The symptoms of excessive gas and bloating are:
- A feeling of fullness in the stomach and abdomen.
- The constant need to pass gas or flatulence.
- Burping is a normal occurrence, but excessive burping is a sign of too much gas in your system.
- Stomach pain and cramps and a feeling of your stomach being in knots.
- The urgent need for a bowel movement.
- Swelling of the abdomen and the stomach.
- In some cases, you might experience heartburn or acid reflux.
What are the remedies for excessive gas and bloating problems?
Excessive gas and bloating can not only be uncomfortable. It can be embarrassing as well. Try these inexpensive and easily available excessive gas and bloating remedies to relieve yourself.
- Ginger
The medicinal properties of ginger are endless. From cold to nausea, ginger gives an instant relief. The two chemicals present in ginger are gingerols and shogaols. These two chemicals relax the intestinal tracts and help deal with and ease out inflammation. Ginger also acts as a carminative, which means it prevents the excessive formation of gases and helps expel it too. Have a glass of ginger root tea or simply boil some ginger in a glass of water and drink it slowly. - Chamomile Tea
Like ginger, chamomile tea has a wide number of medicinal properties and is a great excessive gas and bloating remedy. It has antispasmodic properties which will relax your abdomen and ease out your cramps. The anti-inflammatory and relaxing properties of chamomile tea help relieve gas, treat heartburn, and helps with better digestion. - Peppermint Tea
Great for soothing your stomach and ease any pain caused by excessive gas, peppermint tea has essential oils which contain menthol. Menthol has an antispasmodic effect, which means it will soothe and ease out the muscles of your digestive tract. Peppermint tea also helps deal with your stress. Have a cup of peppermint tea before your meals or when you feel bloated. - Lemon Water
Squeeze half a lemon into a glass of warm water for a great excessive gas and bloating remedy. Lemons stimulate the production of hydrochloric acid or HCL in your stomach. HCL helps in breaking down and digestive foods. When you consume lime, excess hydrochloric acid is produced in your stomach, which in turn aids digestion. This means less gas formation and bloating. The water that your drink helps flush out your system, keeping your digestive tract moving smoothly and easing out any discomfort.
Lemon water also acts as a great detoxifying agent, so any unhealthy consumption of foods like artificial sweeteners or fat can be cleaned out.