Does Beano really work? Are there any natural methods to decrease the gas you pass? At first, try to take some preventive steps. If they appear not to be effective, then learn how to move gas through your intestines more readily.
Whereas there are a few causes of being gassy, there are various solutions for decreasing belching, flatulence, abdominal bloating and pain.
Surplus gas is frequently associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Other severe gastrointestinal disorders normally bring about other symptoms, not just being "gassy."
Healthcare professionals normally suggest a plan to help move gas through the intestines more easily, together with preventive steps, including: eliminating particular foods from your diet or avoiding chewing gum.
Even though a lot of many products on store shelves promise to provide help, it is not guaranteed that they will appear to be successful. It frequently depends on the person. Moreover, there are prescription medications and several alternative methods of therapy.
Maintaining a diary of the foods and beverages you eat can help you methodically eliminate one food or group of foods at a time to find out which of them is the one hat is most responsible for your problems.
According to John R. Saltzman, M.D., associate director of endoscopy at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, this ought to be the first tactic to get rid of extreme gas symptoms.
"One of the first questions at the top of the list would be ‘Could this be connected with dairy products?’ If the answer is positive, the first step should be to do away with these products from your diet for about one week," Dr. Saltzman explains. "If you feel better, then try to add dairy products back to your diet in smaller amounts to see if you are able to tolerate them."
Below you can find the suggested home remedies and lifestyle changes from Harvard Medical School’s Family Health Guide:
* Chew more slowly and carefully. Due to the act that gas can constitute a symptom of undigested food, the enzymes in saliva start the first phase of breaking down food in the body’s absorption process.
* Eat in a stress-free only in places that are free of stress. Relaxation is believed to decrease flatulence and burping.
* Avoid foods that cause indigestion. Common food sources of gas include: Brussels sprouts, bran, beans, milk products, cabbage, artificial sweeteners, carbonated beverages and alcohol.
* Go for a short walk after your meal in order to prevent gas accumulation. Having a regular physical activity schedule in the form of walking, jogging and calisthenics will help encourage the passage of gas through the digestive tract.
* Perform chest-to-knee stretches. Lying on your back, bring your right knee to your chest. Hold for 10 seconds and, then repeat with the other knee.
If the remedies mentioned above do not offer relief, your physician may suggest that you should take an over-the-counter antacid, activated charcoal, or a lactase or bismuth product.
Antacids
Antacids contain aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide (known as Milk of Magnesia), calcium carbonate, or other ingredients individually or in different combinations.
"In general, antacid drugs do not constitute a treatment for excessive gas. Nevertheless, some patients have excessive gas that is part of gastroesophageal reflux disease," Dr. Saltzman explains.
Antacid medications help control the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, a disorder in which the stomach’s juices (acid and digestive enzymes) flow backward, or reflux, into the esophagus.
There are also antacid drugs that contain simethicone, a foaming agent joining gas bubbles in the stomach so that gas is more easily burped away. Simethicone is suggested for the treatment of gas in the upper intestine.
"People use simethicone by itself, even without the antacid drugs," Dr. Saltzman adds. "It’s secure, worth trying, however not always beneficial."
Here are several frequently used antacid drugs available on store shelves. (See labels for recommended dosages.)
Brand-name antacids not containing simethicone:
* Maalox
* Mylanta Gas
Brand-name antacids containing simethicone:
* Di-Gel
Products containing simethicone as the main ingredient:
* Equalize Gas Relief Drops
* Flatulex Drops
* Gas-X
* Little Tummys
* Maalox Anti-Gas
* Micon-80
* Mylanta Gas
* Mylicon
* Mytab Gas
* Phazyme
Activated Charcoal
Pills of activated charcoal can bring relief from gas in the colon. According to research, when taken before and after a meal, lower-intestinal gas is decreased.
Nonetheless, activated charcoal may ring about black stools and constipation. Whereas these are side effects are not dangerous, black stools may be confusing to a doctor, due to the fact that color changes in stool can be a symptom of a serious disease.
"During an interview with a patient, a healthcare professional may ask if their stool color changes. If a patient describes a black color of the stool, this may suggest gastrointestinal bleeding," Dr. Saltzman explains. "It ought to be mentioned if you are taking activated charcoal, therefore we can assess the importance of stool color properly. "
However, there is contradictory evidence concerning the benefit of activated charcoal. Its result in relieving symptoms of intestinal gas has been supported by some research yet refuted by others. As a consequence, healthcare providers may suggest that patients should consider trying activated charcoal to find out whether its use provides some symptom relief. The normal dose is two to four tablets taken just before meal and one hour after meals.
Products: CharcoCaps, CharcoAid
Lactase
Gas is a frequent symptom of lactose intolerance, which makes digesting of dairy products rather hard. It happens when the body has too little of the enzyme lactase in the small intestine to break down lactose, the major sugar found in milk and milk-based products.
Even though intolerance of lactose can occur at any age, it usually strikes the majority of people as they grow older.
"Basically the only adults in the world who are able to digest milk products into adulthood are those who descend from northern Europe," Dr. Saltzman explains. "The vast majority of patients with descendents from Asia, Africa and Native America experience trouble."
However, in many cases, the shortage of lactase means that you may lose only some of your enzyme. This means that your intestine may tolerate several dairy products.
"So, if you have yogurt, you may be able to tolerate it well, however if you have two slices of pizza you are having problems," he says.
Lactase appears in the form of liquid or tablet. Adding several drops to milk before drinking or chewing lactase tablets just before consuming helps individuals who experience difficulty breaking down lactose.
But be careful: Make sure to take calcium supplements if you avoid dairy products.
Products: LactAid, Lactrase, and Dairy Ease
Beano
Beano is an over-the-counter preparation of alpha-galactosidase, an enzyme metabolizing specific complex carbohydrates. It facilitates the process of digesting the sugar in beans and various vegetables.
"We do not have the ability to digest beans well, which in some people produces a lot of gas," Dr. Saltzman explains.
He also adds that beano is useless for gas wreaked by foods other than beans. The product comes in the form of liquid. Three to ten drops are added to a serving of food just before eating to break down the gas-producing sugars.
Bismuth
This chemical substance has salts to alleviate inflammatory conditions of the stomach and intestines and may from time to time ease gas. It also decreases the odor of unpleasant smelling gas resulting from hydrogen sulfide, a sulfur-containing compound.
"It’s secure for gas if the suggested dosage on the box is followed, and it’s worth trying," Dr. Saltzman explains.
Like activated charcoal, bismuth may lead to black stools. Take it before or after your meal, on either an empty or full stomach.
Product: Pepto-Bismol
Prescription Medicines
Your healthcare provider may prescribe drugs if you have a motility disorder or irritable bowel syndrome.
Pro-motility medications (also known as pro-kinetic drugs, such as metoclopramide, brand name Reglan) may help gas move through the digestive tract quite fast. Nevertheless, metoclopramide may produce considerable side effects.
"One of the great problems I see is that anxiety leads to unintentional air swallowing," Dr. Saltzman explains. Treating anxiety makes it possible to reduce air swallowing and the symptoms of excess stomach gas.
Smoking cigarettes and chewing gum belong to the group of the hard-to-break habits that lead to accumulation of gas. However, the good new is that this sort of discomfort is only temporary. "Those symptoms are present in the course of the day and they disappear at night," he explains.
It is possible that you have harmless bacteria producing gas in the intestines, or sluggish bowels that slow the body’s ability to eliminate air. Your physician may recommend antibiotic therapy if ha/she has diagnosed bacterial overgrowth.
Herbal Therapies
Some people are provided with relief from the discomfort of excess gas by drinking a cup of water with a drop of peppermint extract. Moreover, relief can be provided by chewing fennel seeds, or sipping teas containing peppermint, anise or chamomile after a meal.
Summing up, stomach and intestinal gas is normal. Excess gas may be very stressful, however is it caused by a severe medical problem rather seldom. If your symptoms cannot be easily managed or you have some more problems including abdominal pain, change in bowel habits, or rectal bleeding, you have to consult your healthcare provider immediately.
