Severe gas formation in the intestines: what to do?

What is flatulence

Flatulence is an increased accumulation of gases in the gastrointestinal tract, the release of which occurs in the form of belching or flatulence (gas release through the anus).
Flatulence itself is not a disease and is characterized as normal functioning of the digestive system. In addition to the usual release of gases, flatulence may be accompanied by heaviness in the stomach and distension in the abdomen, hiccups, nausea and an unpleasant taste in the mouth. There are problems with stool.

In a healthy person, acts of flatus (involuntary or voluntary release of gases) can occur from 5 to 15 times a day.

There are a number of diseases that can cause increased gas production.

Associated symptoms

Most known gastrointestinal diseases are accompanied by excessive gas formation. Most people are embarrassed by the problem and put off visiting the doctor every time, which is extremely unwise. However, it may also be accompanied by other symptoms:

• cramping pain in the epigastric area;
• bloating;
• belching, rumbling;

• nausea;
• bowel dysfunction in the form of constipation or diarrhea.

A sudden release of gases from the rectum may be accompanied by a loud sound and a specific smell. The clinical picture is sometimes supplemented by rapid heartbeat and arrhythmia. Such symptoms are caused by pinching of the so-called vagus nerve by intestinal loops. Patients may be plagued by constant insomnia due to intoxication of the body. Due to incomplete absorption of nutrients, some patients complain of weakness and a feeling of weakness. All this leaves an imprint on a person’s psycho-emotional mood.

Causes of increased gas formation

There are many reasons for increased gas formation. They are associated both with the physiological characteristics of a person and the presence of diseases or physical abnormalities that affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Flatulence is a symptom, and the amount of gases released returns to normal in the absence of factors destructive to the body.

Physiological conditions

Aerophagia is the swallowing of air in the process of life. A person swallows air while eating or talking while eating. A large amount of air is swallowed during smoking. Some of the swallowed air is removed from the body by belching. The rest of the air enters the intestine where it is partially absorbed.

With increasing age (after 50 - 60 years), the intestines lengthen and its walls atrophy, the efficiency of digestive juices decreases, the absorption of gases worsens, resulting in bloating and increased flatulence.

Eating certain types of food also causes flatulence.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, women produce the hormone progesterone, which performs many functions, one of them is reducing the contractility of the uterus. At the same time, progesterone relaxes the intestinal muscles, which can lead to impaired peristalsis and the accumulation of gases.

Pregnancy affects the production of pancreatic hormones, which disrupts the digestion of food, and is accompanied by belching and heartburn.

Also during pregnancy, the uterus expands, which leads to mechanical compression of the intestines.

Infectious diseases

Gastrointestinal infections represent a broad group of diseases. They can be caused by viruses, bacteria or parasites. They are united by a negative impact on the digestive process. The main symptoms of such diseases are diarrhea or constipation, accompanied by mucus or blood in the stool.

As a result of disruption of the movement of intestinal contents, accumulation or increased formation of intestinal gases occurs.

Infectious diseases that disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract:

• Amoebiasis;
• Giardiasis;
• Infection caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli.

Pathologies of the large intestine

Changes in the structure of the large intestine directly affect the quality of digestion. Abnormal intestinal morphology can be acquired or congenital.

Possible pathologies of the colon:

• Changes in the intestinal wall. Sac-like protrusions and air cavities form in the intestinal walls, which disrupt peristalsis and cause constipation. A good example is pneumatosis intestinalis, in which air chambers form between the layers of the intestinal wall.
• Megacolon is an acquired or congenital disease in which an enlarged condition of the entire colon or a separate section of it is noted. The modified area is characterized by muscle hypertrophy and atrophy of the intestinal mucosa, as a result of which the pushing of feces is disrupted and intestinal gases are retained.
• The development of tumors in the intestines can lead to constipation and blood in the stool. Progressive constipation and severe flatulence may indicate the development of an intestinal tumor.

Diseases of the esophagus and stomach

Flatulence may indicate the presence of diseases not only of the large intestine, but also of other parts of the gastrointestinal tract as a whole:

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is characterized by the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus due to disruption of the lower esophageal sphincter. Manifests itself in the form of heartburn, belching, chest pain, and flatulence.

Develops as a result of the formation of a hiatal hernia, pregnancy, and excess weight. Factors that increase the risk of GERD: diabetes, alcoholism, hormonal disorders, medications that affect the functioning of the esophageal sphincter.

Biliary reflux gastritis - in which inflammation of the gastric mucosa occurs due to the flow of intestinal contents back into the stomach and an imbalance in the acid balance.

It manifests itself in the form of heaviness in the abdomen immediately after eating, belching with bitterness, abnormal bowel movements, and increased flatulence.

Dumping syndrome is a disease that occurs as a result of surgery on the stomach or esophagus. It is characterized by the rapid release of stomach contents, especially sugar, into the intestines.

Symptoms appear 30-40 minutes after eating: abdominal cramps and diarrhea.

Maldigestion and malabsorption

Maldigestion syndrome is a violation of the secretion of gastric and intestinal juices or low levels of digestive enzymes, as a result of which the efficiency of food digestion decreases. Manifests itself in the form of nausea, rumbling or heaviness in the stomach, flatulence. Closely associated with malabsorption syndrome.

With malabsorption syndrome, a low degree of absorption of nutrients and disruption of their transport in the intestine are observed. Manifested by diarrhea, abdominal pain, sudden weight loss.

This problem occurs, for example, in people with problems digesting gluten. In them, these conditions arise due to a deficiency of specialized enzymes that can digest gluten.

Abdominal purulent processes

Purulent-inflammatory processes occur when the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted as a result of injury or surgery. The result may be intestinal obstruction, accompanied by nausea, vomiting and constipation, high fever and abdominal pain.

Purulent processes can be caused by chronic appendicitis and an interintestinal abscess (abscess) formed between the intestinal loops. Accompanied by pain in the abdominal cavity and swelling of the abdominal wall.

Flatulence of functional origin

Bloating, pain and changes in stool may be associated with increased intestinal motility, which is caused by disorders of nervous regulation and psycho-emotional instability.

These violations manifest themselves:

• Irritable bowel syndrome, which is characterized by multi-day abdominal pain and bowel dysfunction.
• Functional diarrhea is a disorder of stool without pain.

Incompetence of the abdominal wall

Abdominal bloating, impaired intestinal motility and flatulence can be caused by a violation of the morphology of the abdominal wall, limiting the internal organs. The abnormalities are swellings, protrusions and stretches that increase the space in the abdominal cavity, which causes displacement of the internal organs.

Common causes of violation of the integrity of the abdominal wall:

• Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles is a stretching of the intermuscular aponeurosis connecting the longitudinal muscles of the abdominal press.
• Postoperative hernias are tumor-like protrusions into which internal organs, in particular the intestines, can prolapse. A hernia can cause constipation, acute abdominal pain, nausea, and flatulence.

Genitourinary diseases

The close location of the intestines and genitourinary organs, as well as their functional relationship, can contribute to the manifestation of symptoms in one system while the disease develops in another.

Genitourinary diseases that may cause flatulence:

• Acute pyelonephritis. Inflammation of the kidney parenchyma, which can lead to weakness, chills, profuse sweating, tachycardia and flatulence.
• Renal colic. They are an acute painful attack resulting from difficult urine drainage. The result is frequent urination, pain in the urethra, nausea and flatulence.

Bloating is observed with prostatitis (swelling and inflammation of the prostate gland) and salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes).

Endocrine pathology

Endocrine pathologies include hypothyroidism, a disease characterized by dysfunction of the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism is characterized by a slowdown in all processes occurring in the body. Including, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted.

It should also be noted the effect of the hormone progesterone on the intestinal muscles during pregnancy.

When to see a doctor

By itself, intestinal gas rarely indicates the presence of a serious illness. They can cause discomfort and embarrassment, but are usually just a sign of a normally functioning digestive system. If you experience frequent attacks of flatulence, you should work with a nutritionist to find a more suitable diet.

However, you should see a doctor if flatulence is persistent or severe, or if the flatulence is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, unintentional weight loss, blood in the stool, or heartburn.

At first glance, flatulence may not cause serious discomfort in everyday life, but increased gas production may indicate the development of a dangerous disease.

Diagnostics

Since flatulence can occur as a result of normal body function, attempting to diagnose causes may not be practical. Diagnosis is required for prolonged, intense flatus with a strong unpleasant odor and constant bloating.

Due to the fact that flatulence is a symptom of many diseases, it becomes difficult to diagnose its origin. First of all, you need to consult a gastroenterologist, since flatulence, in most cases, occurs as a result of damage to the gastrointestinal tract. Only after this, if necessary, the patient can be referred to other specialists.

Basic diagnostic methods:

1. Physical examination. An external examination of the patient is carried out, a medical history is examined, an anamnesis is collected from close relatives for the presence of possible hereditary diseases. The doctor will also carefully examine your diet and lifestyle.
2. Laboratory research. In this case, the patient undergoes a blood test (for the content of enzymes), feces (for the presence of blood and helminth eggs), microflora of the stomach and intestines, and urine. Additionally, a biochemical study of the liver is performed.
3. Instrumental research. Common methods in gastroenterology are colonoscopy, ultrasound and abdominal radiography.

Treatment for increased gas formation

Symptomatic therapy

It is based on the selection of a diet that excludes foods that cause increased gas formation. Prescribed drugs that normalize the functioning of the gastric tract.

For example:

• Carminatives. A group of medications that reduce the formation of intestinal gases and promote excretion from the body during flatulence.
• Surfactants. They have antimicrobial properties and influence the enzymatic properties of microorganisms.
• Adsorbents. Promote the absorption of gases and liquids.
• Probiotics. Substances or microorganisms that maintain normal microflora in the intestines.

Etiotropic and pathogenetic treatment

Etiotropic treatment is aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease. Depending on the disease that caused flatulence, the method of treatment is selected. He may limit himself to a special diet that normalizes the functioning of the body. Some diseases require drug or surgical treatment.

Traditional methods of treating flatulence

The consumption of certain foods has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Their use does not require a doctor's prescription, they are widely available, and can increase the effectiveness of basic treatment.

Important! It is recommended that you consult your physician before taking any supplements, especially if you have already been diagnosed with a medical condition and are being treated for it. Some supplements may conflict with medications, cause allergic reactions, or reduce their effectiveness.

The most effective folk remedies:

• Lemon soda solution (1/1). Used for bloating and increased gas formation accompanied by heartburn. Not recommended for people with stomach diseases.
• Mint - used as a decoction. The effect is observed from simply chewing or inhaling the smell. Used for flatulence or heartburn.
• Dill water. Useful for both adults and children. Consumed in the form of brewed dill seeds 10 minutes before meals.
• Collection of valerian, fennel and mint. Useful for flatulence and bloating.

The use of folk remedies does not replace normal drug treatment. Their use should be agreed with a doctor, and act as a prevention of gastrointestinal diseases.

Help from traditional medicine

Traditional recipes are often used for excessive gas formation in the intestines. Your doctor should tell you how to get rid of this problem. Most often, various decoctions and infusions based on medicinal herbs are used. The most popular and at the same time cheapest remedy is Fennel. The plant is characterized by a mild carminative effect.

Therefore, decoctions based on it can be given to children and women during pregnancy. An infusion of caraway seeds and anise has a similar effect. To prepare it, you will need to pour a teaspoon of the ingredients into a glass of boiling water and leave for no more than 15 minutes. Take the medicine one third of a glass before meals.

Peppermint tea is beneficial for excess flatulence.

To prepare it, you can take different varieties of plants: pepper, spike or cat. Pour a glass of boiling water over a teaspoon of pre-crushed leaves and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. The finished product is consumed as regular tea.

To combat constipation, you can make a mixture of senna herb and dried fruits. 400 g of dried apricots and prunes should be poured with warm water and left overnight. In the morning, pass the mixture through a meat grinder, add 200 g of honey and a tablespoon of senna herb. Take 2 teaspoons of the mixture before bed.

Diet

Eliminating certain vegetables and carbohydrate foods such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, and certain artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol (found in chewing gum, candy, and some soft drinks) may reduce the amount of gas produced.

Avoid or limit consumption:

• carbonated drinks;
• fried and fatty foods;
• sugar;
• alcohol;
• lactose and gluten (if intolerant or allergic).

Preventing stomach rumbling

Men and women can experience stomach rumbling, regardless of age and type of food consumed. To avoid the appearance of an unpleasant symptom, it is necessary to give preference to healthy foods, adhere to a meal plan, and avoid overeating.

To reduce the amount of gases in the intestines that provoke strong rumbling, it is enough to follow a number of rules:

• follow the regimen of taking medications that were prescribed by your doctor after a medical examination;
• After meals, you can drink natural mint tea to calm your stomach;
• Fermented milk products should be present in the daily diet to normalize the intestinal microflora;
• The diet should contain cereals; wheat sprouts and chickpeas are especially useful for rumbling;
• The last meal in the evening should be at least 4 hours before bedtime.

You can reduce stomach rumbling with herbal teas. Doctors advise giving preference to teas with the addition of chamomile, ginger, oak bark, St. John's wort, mint and valerian.

Tea can be drunk immediately after meals, or during the course for prevention.

People fight rumbling during the day with the help of a clove of garlic, which should be eaten before the first morning meal.

It is necessary to resort to treatment with folk remedies only after consultation with your doctor.