Fact Checked
Excess gas in the stomach is due to excessive drinking, not properly chewing food, stress, eating gas-forming foods and spicy foods and bacterial infection or digestive disorders. Anything that can cause intestinal gas like constipation or diarrhea can result to gas pains and usually happen when gas accumulated in the intestines which are not expelled. Some people pass out gas at least 1o times every day.
Symptoms
- Sharp and sudden pain or cramp can be felt anywhere in the abdomen, it changes locations and can get better quickly.
- A voluntary or involuntary passing out of gas either as flatus or belches.
- A ‘knotted feeling’ in the abdomen.
- Bloating or swelling and tightness of the abdomen
- Sometimes, gas pains can be constant or severe that feels like something is wrong or mistaken for gallstones, heart disease and appendicitis.
Sharp and sudden pain or cramp can be felt anywhere in the abdomen - It is normal to pass gas in the form of flatus between 10-20 times every day and varies from day to day. If passing out of gas results to prolonged abdominal pain, blood in stools, changes in the color of stools, weight loss, persistent and recurrent vomiting or nausea and chest pain, there is a need to seek medical help immediately.
Causes
- Gas pains can be caused by eating high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, peas or legumes and whole grains.
- Swallowing air when eating or drinking. When a person is nervous, eating too fast, sucking on candies and chewing gums can result to gas pain because some of the air can go down into the lower digestive tract.
- Gas pains can be caused by symptoms of certain conditions such as diverticulitis and inflammatory bowel disease. Excess gas and bloating can be symptoms of overgrowth of bacteria found in the small intestines from conditions such as diabetes.
- Food intolerance especially to gluten which is a protein that is found in wheat and other grains can also cause gas pains
- Artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol
- Constipation
Treatment
- Eat smaller portions of the food to prevent excess gas in the stomach.
- Eat slowly, chew food properly and avoid gulping. If there is difficulty in slowing down, take a rest between each bite.
- Avoid poor fitting dentures to help avoid swallowing excess air when eating and drinking.
- Avoid sucking on hard candies, chewing gum and drinking through a straw in order to prevent swallowing excess air.
- Avoid smoking to minimize the amount of air that is being swallowed.
- Perform exercises regularly helps moving gas through the digestive tract.
- Prepare 1 cup of warm milk and mix it with ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Stir well until completely dissolved and then add a few drops of honey. Cinnamon helps relax the stomach and minimizes the development of gas in the stomach.