Flatulence treatment facts

Gas can collect in the human digestive system either from swallowing some air along with food, water or saliva or from digestion of consumed food. There is some difference in these gases, since the air we swallow usually gets out as the combination of oxygen and nitrogen, while gas released after the digestion contains carbon dioxide, hydrogen and also methane. Having gases in the body is not pleasant, so people have to get rid of it. Two most common ways to do that are burping and farting (flatulence).Is Flatulence Common Problem?

There is no one who did not have gases once in a while, so, yes, flatulence is a very common condition. Actually, it should not be considered as a problem, since this is a normal physiological process in the body and everyone does it, several times a day.

Men pass about 14 to 25 winds every day, while women may notice about 7 to 12 wind passes in 24 hours. The reason we do not remember these is the lack of smell and small quantity of air released this way. Smelly flatulence is usually caused by undigested food in the intestine, which starts to release sulphur gases after a while.

What Can be Done?

Excessive flatulence can be managed with a proper diet and lifestyle changes. However, make sure you do not have some other medical problem as the primary cause of flatulence. If you do suffer from constipation or irritable bowel syndrome, your doctor will probably tell you that these might be associated with flatulence and you need to take care of these conditions in order to resolve gases.

Changes of your diet should go in direction of easily digested food. Choose rice, potatoes, yogurt, lettuce, bananas, citrus fruits and grapes, but keep the track what makes you have gases. If it is something from this list or anything else, stay away from these foods, but try to incorporate 5 or more portions of fruits and vegetables into your daily menu. Also, try to eat more frequently and have smaller meals. 6 smaller meals per day are much more easily digested than 3 big ones.

Quit smoking and engage in some physical activity, for these should alleviate gases from your system. Avoid chewing gums but take some peppermint tea or probiotics instead.

Charcoal tablets are frequently used over-the-counter (OTC) medication for people suffering from excessive flatulence. However, people using some other medications should be very careful and consult their doctor about charcoal tablets and possible drug interactions.