Flatulence

Flatulence is a medical term for releasing gas from the digestive system through the anus.



Causes;

Intestinal gas is composed of varying quantities of exogenous sources and endogenous sources.[13] The exogenous gases are swallowed (aerophagia) when eating or drinking or increased swallowing during times of excessive salivation (as might occur when nauseated or as the result of gastroesophageal reflux disease). The endogenous gases are produced either as a by-product of digesting certain types of food, or of incomplete digestion, as is the case during steatorrhea. Anything that causes food to be incompletely digested by the stomach or small intestine may cause flatulence when the material arrives in the large intestine, due to fermentation by yeast or prokaryotes normally or abnormally present in the gastrointestinal tract.

Food which cause flatulence;



Those foods include beans, lentils, dairy products, onions, garlic, spring onions , leeks, turnips, swedes, radishes, sweet potatoes, potatoes, cashews, Jerusalem artichokes, oats, wheat,and yeast in breads. Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables that belong to the genus Brassica are commonly reputed to not only increase flatulence, but to increase the pungency of the flatus.



Over 99% of the volume of flatus is composed of non-smelly gases.These include oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane. Nitrogen is not produced in the gut, but a component of environmental air. Patients who have excessive intestinal gas that is mostly composed of nitrogen have aerophagia. Hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane are all produced in the gut and contribute 74% of the volume of flatus in normal subjects. Methane and hydrogen are flammable, and so flatus can be ignited if it contains adequate amounts of these components. Not all humans produce flatus that contains methane. For example, in one study of the faeces of nine adults, only five of the samples contained archaea capable of producing methane. The prevalence of methane over hydrogen in human farts may correlate with obesity, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome, as archaea that oxidise hydrogen into methane promote the metabolism's ability to absorb fatty acids from food.

The remaining trace (<1% volume) compounds give flatus its smell. Historically, compounds such as indole, skatole, ammonia and short chain fatty acids were thought to cause the smell of flatus. More recent evidence proves that the major contribution to the smell of flatus comes from a combination of volatile sulfur compounds. Hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan (also known as methanethiol), dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide are present in flatus. The benzopyrrole volatiles indole and skatole have a mothball smell, and therefore probably do not contribute greatly to the characteristic smell of flatus.

In one study, hydrogen sulfide concentration was shown to correlate convincingly with perceived bad smell of flatus, followed by methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide.

If your diet doesn’t contain a large amount of carbohydrates or sugars, and you don’t swallow excessive air, your excessive flatulence may be due to a medical condition.

Potential conditions underlying flatulence range from temporary conditions to digestive problems. Some of these conditions include:


Your doctor will discuss your symptoms with you, including when the problem started, and if there are any apparent triggers. They’ll also do a physical examination.

A blood test may be necessary to ensure that your body isn’t fighting an infection, to identify any possible food intolerances, and to make sure there isn’t another medical condition causing your flatulence.

Your doctor will likely advise you to follow the steps above, including keeping a food diary and changing your eating habits. Depending on the cause, you may also benefit from seeing a dietitian.

In addition, you may receive medication for a specific condition. If your doctor has been able to identify an underlying condition, you’ll receive treatment for that. You may also have to undergo further tests to get a conclusive diagnosis for your excessive flatulence.

Treatment and Preventions:

What Are the Treatments for Gas?

Gas problems are treated by changing your diet and by training yourself to swallow less air. There are also prescription and over-the-counter medications that can help.

Changing your diet will mean getting rid of the foods that cause gas. Unfortunately, this may also result in you having fewer nutritious foods. Ask your doctor to help you build a diet that’s healthy but doesn't cause much gas.

Over-the-counter medications include:

  • Antacids -- especially those that contain simethicone
  • Probiotics -- used to help kill bad bacteria and add good bacteria to the digestive tract
  • Lactase products such as Lactaid and Dairy Ease -- may help people with lactose intolerance
  • Beano -- contains the enzyme that helps digest sugars in beans and many other vegetables

Your doctor may prescribe drugs to help move food through your digestive system. Medicines that do that may also move gas through quicker.

What Can I Do to Swallow Less Air and Reduce Gas?

To swallow less air, you can try:

  • Cutting out gum or hard candy
  • Eating more slowly
  • Making sure any dentures you wear fit properly
  • Not drinking through straws

There are no long-term consequences for not treating flatulence. If the flatulence is due to a food intolerance or digestive issue, the problem may get worse. Other symptoms may also develop.

In some cases, prolonged excessive flatulence can lead to other issues, such as social discomfort and changes in eating habits. If it affects your lifestyle a lot, it may also affect your mood. It’s important to maintain a healthy diet and to see your doctor if the problem begins to negatively affect your life.