Topic Overview
Gas
(flatus), burping, and bloating are all normal conditions. Gas is made in the
stomach and intestines as your body breaks down food into energy. Gas and
burping may sometimes be embarrassing. Bloating, which is a feeling of fullness
in the abdomen, can make you uncomfortable. Although many people think that
they pass gas too often or have too much gas, it is rare to have too much gas.
Changing what you eat and drink can sometimes cut down on gas and relieve
discomfort caused by gas.
Belching or burping (eructation) is the
voluntary or involuntary, sometimes noisy release of air from the
stomach or
esophagus through the mouth. Burping 3 or 4 times
after eating a meal is normal and is usually caused by swallowing air. Other
causes of burping include nervous habits or other
medical conditions, such as an
ulcer or a
gallbladder problem. In some cultures, a person may
belch loudly after eating to show appreciation for the meal.
All
people pass gas, but some people produce more gas than others. It is normal to
pass gas from 6 to 20 times a day. Although this may embarrass or annoy you,
excess intestinal gas usually is not caused by a serious health condition.
Common causes of gas and bloating include:
Dyspepsia is a medical term that is used to describe a vague
feeling of fullness, gnawing, or burning in the chest or upper abdomen,
especially after eating. A person may describe this feeling as "gas." Other
symptoms may occur at the same time, such as belching, rumbling noises in the
abdomen, increased flatus, poor appetite, and a change in bowel habits.
Causes of dyspepsia can vary from minor to serious.
Occasionally, a person may dismiss serious symptoms, such as
symptoms of a heart attack, as "just gas or
indigestion."
Check your symptoms
to decide if and when you should see a doctor.
Check Your Symptoms
Home Treatment
Gas, bloating, and burping
Gas, bloating, and
burping are usually harmless and go away without any treatment. If gas,
bloating, or burping is making you uncomfortable, take the following steps to
help manage your symptoms:
- Increase the amount of fluid you drink,
especially water. Avoid carbonated drinks and alcoholic
beverages.
- Take a medicine that you can buy without a
prescription. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label.
- Activated charcoal tablets, such as
CharcoCaps, may decrease odor from gas. Charcoal is usually taken after meals
or at the first sign of gas discomfort.
- Antacids, such as Maalox Anti-Gas, and Mylanta Gas, allow gas to be belched away more easily.
But these medicines often have no effect on gas that is already in the
intestines.
- Food enzymes, such as Beano, which help break down the
sugars found in vegetables and grains, can be added to foods that cause you to
have gas.
Hiccups
Hiccups are
usually harmless and go away without any treatment. But if hiccups are making
you uncomfortable, the following safe and easy home remedies may help you
manage your symptoms.
- Swallow a teaspoon of dry granulated sugar. Do
not use this remedy if you have been diagnosed with
diabetes.
- Hold your breath, and count
slowly to 10.
- Breathe repeatedly into a paper bag for a limited
period of time.
- Quickly drink a glass of cold water.
Symptoms to watch for during home treatment
Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home
treatment:
- Hiccups don't go away as expected or they return frequently.
- Symptoms
become more severe or frequent.
Prevention
You may be able to prevent
gas, bloating, burping, and hiccups.
- Avoid
foods that cause gas, such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, and bran. The amount
of gas that different foods cause varies from person to
person.
- Take steps to avoid swallowing air:
- Eat slowly. Avoid gulping food or
beverages. When you rush through meals or eat on the run, you are more likely
to swallow air.
- Chew your food thoroughly before you
swallow.
- Avoid talking while you chew.
- Avoid drinking through a straw.
- Avoid chewing
gum or eating hard candy.
- Do not smoke or use other tobacco
products.
- Do not drink
alcohol.
- Avoid sudden changes in stomach
temperature, such as drinking a hot beverage and then a cold
beverage.
- If you wear dentures, check with a dentist to make sure
they fit properly.
- Keep calm. Tension and anxiety can cause you to
swallow air.
- Keep a food diary if you suspect that gas is
caused by certain foods. Write down what you eat or drink and when symptoms
occur to help you identify foods or drinks that may cause gas. After these
problem foods are identified, avoid or limit them to reduce or prevent
symptoms.
- Talk with your doctor or a
dietitian about ways to maintain a balanced diet if you want to permanently
eliminate certain foods or drinks. For more information, see the topic
Healthy Eating.
- If you suspect that milk or
other dairy products are causing your symptoms, try limiting or eliminating
these foods. For more information, see the topic
Lactose Intolerance.
- If you cook with dry
beans, soak them in water overnight, then pour off the water and cook the
soaked beans in fresh water. This may reduce the amount of natural sugars in
the beans after the cooling process and help prevent gas and bloating.
- Do not overeat. Large meals can make you feel
bloated. Try eating 6 small meals a day rather than 3 large
ones.
- Avoid constipation, which is a common cause of bloating. For
more information, see the topic
Constipation, Age 12 and Older or
Constipation, Age 11 and Younger.
- Avoid
laxatives.
- Use an antigas product that you can buy without a
prescription.
- Food enzymes, such as Beano, which help
break down the sugars found in vegetables and grains, can be added to foods
that cause you to have gas.
- If you have
lactose intolerance, lactase enzyme supplements, such
as Dairy Ease and LactAid, can be taken with dairy products to help break down
lactose in food.
- Peppermint and other herbs (carminatives) that soothe the digestive tract may
permit belching and decrease bloating after large meals.
- Exercise regularly.
Preparing For Your Appointment
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
You can help your
doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to
answer the following questions:
- What is your main symptom? How long have you had
this symptom?
- How long do symptoms last when they
occur?
- What do you think is causing your symptoms?
- Have
you tried any home treatment? If so, what measures have you tried? Have they
helped?
- Have you been treated for this problem in the past? What
was the treatment? Did it help?
- Do you think your symptoms are
caused by what or how you eat?
- Do symptoms seem to begin after you have
certain foods or drinks? If so, which ones?
- Do you chew gum, eat
rapidly, drink carbonated beverages, or drink through a straw?
- Do you wear dentures? Do they fit
properly?
- Do you smoke or use other tobacco
products?
- Do you drink alcohol? If so, how much?
- Do any
other symptoms occur along with burping, gas, or bloating, such as a change in
your bowel habits, heartburn, vomiting, or abdominal pain?
- Have you
had any recent illness or changes in your health?
- Have you lost or
gained more than a few pounds in the past month?
- Did you drink lake
or stream water or untreated well water?
- Have you recently visited
a foreign country or taken a ship cruise?
- Does anyone in your
family have
celiac disease,
inflammatory bowel disease, or
intolerance to lactose or other food
products?
- Have you had a mental health problem, such as
depression or an
anxiety disorder?
- Do you have any
health risks?
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine |
|---|
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
|---|
| Last Revised | July 12, 2011 |
|---|