The Best Treatments For Gas And Bloating
Did you know that lemon is a natural detoxifier? It acts as a cleansing agent, which, Taz explains, helps to eliminate unwanted bloat from the body. She recommends sipping on hot lemon water in the morning. Or try balancing your digestive system with this caffeine-free herbal tea.
Additional reporting by Amy Schlinger
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What Causes Excessive Wind And Bloating
Most gas is produced by swallowing too much air or when undigested food moves into the intestines and is broken down by bacteria and converted into gas. Other causes can include:
- Eating foods with artificial sweeteners
- Drinking fizzy drinksâ¯
- Eating food that produces gas
- Food intolerances, such as dairy, gluten and soy
Amcal can help to soothe bloating, cramps, excessive wind and other digestive health problems with our range of gas-relief medication, laxatives, and fibre supplements by leading brands.â¯
How Is Bloating Treated
Bloating will usually go away by itself if you adjust your diet for a while. Cut down on salty foods, carbohydrates and fizzy drinks. For some people, it can help to avoid foods that contain onion or garlic, wheat, rye, lactose products or stone fruit.
Bloating caused by constipation can be treated by eating more high-fibre foods, increasing the amount of water that you drink, and exercising regularly. Some people may need laxatives to treat constipation.
If you have a medical condition such as coeliac disease, you will need to follow a strict diet to prevent bloating and other symptoms. If you have IBS, following a high-fibre diet and the low FODMAP diet may help. This involves cutting out some dairy products, wheat and other grains, and some fruits and vegetables. Talk to a health professional such as your doctor or a dietitian before starting this diet to make sure it is right for you.
If you have a food intolerance, you may need to try an elimination diet to find out which food or foods are causing your problems. Your doctor or dietitian will advise you.
Some people find that probiotics containing lactobacillus and bifidobacterium can help with bloating by reducing the production of gas in the gut.
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It Could Be Constipation
While youre spending a lot of time at home, you may not be moving as much as you usually do. You may also be eating different foods. This can lead to constipation. You may be constipated if you experience:
- Fewer bowel movements than normal for you
- Stool that is lumpy or looks like pebbles
- Difficulty passing stool or a feeling that you still need to go after youre finished
Fortunately, you can make a number of at-home changes to help relieve your constipation. These include:
How To Get Rid Of Trapped Wind Quickly
Trapped wind happens when gas has trouble moving through the digestive system and becomes stuck in the intestines. This can cause pain, bloating, and discomfort. Here are some ways you can help relieve trapped gas quickly:
- OTC medication, such as De-Gas or Gasbusters
- Gentle exercise
- Do some gentle yoga poses
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How Long Can Trapped Wind Last
While gas is typically expelled from the body through burping or flatulence, it can sometimes get trapped in the abdomen and cause bloating, pain and discomfort. Trapped wind can last for days and come and go. You can help manage uncomfortable symptoms with our range of OTC medications, including De-Gas capsules, Gasbusters capsules, and Charcocaps capsules for flatulence and trapped wind.
Change The Pressure Settings On Your Cpap Machine
Perhaps one of the most common reasons why you are experiencing CPAP related stomach bloating is because the pressure on your CPAP machine is either too high usually its too high or too low. In this case, you want to speak with your physician about adjusting the CPAP pressure. Additionally, your CPAP machine could accidentally be set to the wrong pressure setting all you have to do is change it back. So, make sure that the pressure settings are correct on your CPAP machine.
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Can Bloating Be Prevented Or Avoided
There are many ways to prevent and avoid bloating:
- Avoid the foods that are known to cause gas. These include cabbage, Brussels sprouts, turnips, beans, and lentils.
- Avoid chewing gum.
- Avoid using straws for drinking.
- Reduce or avoid drinking carbonated drinks .
- Reduce or avoid eating and drinking foods that include fructose or sorbitol. These artificial sweeteners are often found in sugar-free foods.
- Eat slowly.
- Eat more foods high in fiber to prevent constipation. If foods alone dont help, consider taking a fiber supplement.
- Avoid dairy products if you notice they cause gas and bloating.
- Quit smoking.
Is Stomach Bloating Normal
People often say bloating is normal, isnt it? and I ask them these following question:
- Does this bloated belly makes you feel uncomfortable
- Does this bloating come with pain
- Does this abdominal bloating make you look different than before like a swollen stomach?
- Does this feeling of bloating come with excessive burping or feeling gassy all the time
- Does this bloating increase after eating food or liquids
- Does this bloating makes you nauseous
- Does this bloating gets better after you throw up
- Does this bloating makes you feel anxious
- Does this bloating comes with a feeling of tiredness and rundown
- Does this bloating comes with a headache
If the answer to any of these questions is a YES then this bloating you are experiencing is pathologic and there might be an underlying reason for you to feel bloated.
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Take Digestive Enzyme Supplements
Certain over-the-counter products may also help with bloating, such as supplemental enzymes that can help break down indigestible carbohydrates.
Notable ones include:
- Lactase: An enzyme that breaks down lactose, which is useful for people with lactose intolerance.
- Beano: Contains the enzyme alpha-galactosidase, which can help break down indigestible carbohydrates from various foods.
In many cases, these types of supplements can provide almost immediate relief.
If youre interested in trying a digestive enzyme supplement, a wide .
Summary
Many over-the-counter products can help fight bloating and other digestive problems. These are usually digestive enzymes that help break down certain food components.
How Long Does Alcohol Bloating Last
The bloating duration can vary from one person to the other, experts explain. It often depends on the severity of alcohol consumption and whether the patient also has a chronic health condition. It may take somewhere from a couple of days to a few months.
The only thing that will have a heavy impact on the bloating duration timeline is the type of drinking habit. People who are occasional drinkers are still vulnerable to bloating. However, their body is more capable of flushing out the toxins from the system.
Since their organs are still working at full steam, they will need less time for the bloating to subside. In many cases, their stomach goes back to normal in just 2 to 3 days.
Chronic alcoholism is different.
Heavy alcohol abuse can severely damage multiple organs. So, its normal for people to need weeks or months to manage the bloating. The constant drinking will have already taken a toll on every part of their body. Therefore, its imperative that they detox their system to get the organs back on track.
According to research published in Science Daily, moderate alcohol consumption can cause small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Thats why people experience mild bloating, pain, constipation, and gas.
In individuals with alcohol-related weight gain, the bloating length will depend on their calorie intake, activity, and fitness level. Overall, if they are physically active or their digestive system works well, the bloating can disappear in less than a week.
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Remedies And Treatments For Bloated Stomachs
While stomach bloating will often resolve on its own, the following measures may help reduce bloating or address its underlying causes:
Exercise and Posture
Physical exercise can help reduce bloating and clear gas from the body. Posture adjustment can also help. The body retains more gas when you are lying on your back, so try to stay active throughout the day.
Over-the-Counter Medication
Both simethicone and activated charcoal are marketed as gas-reducers. The two have proven ineffective and/or inconsistent when used on their own in clinical trials. However, there is some evidence to suggest that they may work when combined or when used with magnesium oxide or loperamide .
Probiotics
The use of probiotics to help with digestive issues is common but little studied. Still, there is some evidence that using probiotics can help reduce stomach bloating. The formula in VSL#3 proved to reduce bloating in both adults and children in clinical studies.
Digestive Enzymes
One common cause of stomach bloating is the inability to digest certain foods. Most digestive enzyme supplements are effective only for people who cannot produce enzymes for medical reasons. However, over-the-counter enzymes have proven to help with the digestion of two commonly problematic foods: dairy and legumes .
If you have a hard time digesting the sugars in these foods, you might benefit from lactase supplements for dairy or alpha-galactosidase supplements for legumes.
Herbal Remedies
Diet
Get More Active Every Day
Exercise helps your body move stool and gas out of the colon and may make bowel movements more regular. Exercise also releases extra sodium from the body through sweating, which can help to relieve water retention.
It is vital to drink plenty of water before and after exercising to stay hydrated, as dehydration can make constipation worse.
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Hold Off On Drinking Alcohol
Alcohol can directly damage the digestive tract and research has also found it to mess with the good bacteria in your gut. But more importantly for when you’re trying to reduce bloating in 24 hours or less, alcohol inhibits digestion, as well.
“Alcohol inhibits digestion and causes dehydration, causing the digestive tract to slow downwhich results in constipation,” says Rebecca Scritchfield, RDN. When you drink alcohol, your body switches to processing the alcohol out of your system first before digesting any food, which can leave you with a bloated stomach. It may be tough, but avoid the hard stuff while you’re trying detox.
Food Intolerance And Bloating
Food intolerance can lead to bloating when:
- your bowel does not empty properly
- the food causes gas to be trapped
- too much gas is produced as a reaction to the food
The most common foods to cause problems are wheat or gluten and dairy products.
The best approach if you have a food intolerance is to eat less of the problem food or cut it out completely.
Keep a food diary for a couple of weeks, noting everything that you eat and drink and when bloating troubles you most. But do not get rid of food groups long-term without advice from your GP.
Find out more about food intolerance.
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Eat More Fiber And Avoid Refined Flour
Foods made with white flour like white bread, white pasta, and white rice are relatively low in fiber and may cause you to get a little, uh, backed up. Instead, opt for whole-grain varieties. A simple switch from white bread to whole wheat or from white rice to brown will keep things moving along smoothly.
High fiber foods that are free of indigestible fibers mentioned before include:
- Whole grain bread
/76 Easy And Effective Home Remedies To Treat Stomach Bloating
Abdominal bloating causes discomfort and is a condition that may seem not-so-easy to treat. Here, we are not talking about stomach fat but bloating, which is a temporary abdominal distention. According to health experts, the real cause of stomach bloating is intestinal gas. Unless bloating is caused by a medical condition like liver or heart disease, it is easy to treat it by applying home remedies. Here we have mentioned a few remedies that may help you to get rid of stomach bloating.
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When Should I Be Worried About Abdominal Bloating
See your healthcare provider if your bloated stomach:
- Gets progressively worse.
- Persists for more than a week.
- Is persistently painful.
- Comes with symptoms of illness, such as fever, vomiting or bleeding.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
A bloated stomach is not a pleasant feeling. While its a common experience and usually temporary, you may become weary of the cycle. Spending a little focused attention on the problem to identify the cause can be well worthwhile. Try recording your symptoms and possible triggers in a journal. Note diet, hormonal and stress factors. When in doubt bring your notes to a specialist for professional guidance. The different factors that contribute to bloating can be complex and difficult to parse, but medical testing can help. As always, seek medical attention if your symptoms are persistent or severe.
How To Get Rid Of A Bloated Stomach
One of the most effective bloated stomach remedies is improving your diet, since the foods you eat play a huge part in regulating how much air and poop is trapped inside your digestive tract.
To keep things flowing smoothly, you want to make sure to eat a high-fiber diet, aiming for about 2530 grams every day or even more.
This isnt too difficult when you eat plenty of whole foods, including veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes and ancient grains. It can certainly help you to track your symptoms after eating certain foods known to cause bloating, but remember that a bloated stomach is caused by your entire lifestyle, not just the food on your plate.
Some of the best foods for helping to battle stomach bloating include:
Now that you know what you should eat, lets look at some of the foods that might make your bloating even worse. More often than not, some of these foods might be the culprit:
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Over The Counter Treatments Available
Over-the-counter medications can be an effective way of treating the signs of gas, bloating and trapped wind. Amcal stock a wide range of laxatives, suppositories, fibre supplements, and more to help you find relief and improve your digestive health.
Charcoal can absorb gas that has collected in the bowel and bind substances together to move them out of the body. Our Charcocaps are a natural way to help reduce flatulence and ease related symptoms. You can also shop Mintec Peppermint Oil capsules for IBS Relief to help relieve abdominal cramps, wind and bloating.
We have capsules for flatulence, including De-Gas, Gasbusters and Dulcogas dissolvable crystals with Simethicone to decrease gas bubbles. If constipation is a problem, we have a selection of fibre supplements to help move things along, including Normacol, Senokot tablets, and Movicol powder for kids and adults. For a natural solution, try Prunelax in gel or tablet form to help you maintain regular bowel movements.
We also stock Lacteeze tablets to replace lactase enzymes in the body and relieve bloating, wind, cramping, and diarrhoea associated with dairy intolerance.
Don’t Multitask When Eating
“I’m almost never just eating a mealI’m also on my computer or watching television or scrolling through my phone,” admits Lindsey Metrus, Byrdie’s senior editor. After a lifetime of bloat, she decided to try traditional Chinese medicine to ward off some of her discomfort. It turns out, the distraction was part of the problem. “Multitasking with some sort of digital distraction leads to overeating or scarfing down food hurriedly, which translates to poor digestion. It’s also one of the main reasons people face spleen qi deficiency,” according to Emma Suttie, D.Ac., AP.
Metrus continues, “I made it a point to enjoy as many meals as I could peacefully and undistracted, focusing on chewing each piece of food since breaking down foods before they get to the spleen means the spleen has less work to do.” Not only will chewing slowly encourage healthier digestion and, in turn, less bloat, but it will also speed up your metabolism .
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Eat Several Small Meals
To keep your metabolism revving throughout the day, focus on small, protein- and fiber-packed snacks or small meals every 3 to 4 hours. You will not only burn more calories eating a series of smaller meals, but also avoid the afternoon crash and end of the workday slump.
Eat This! Tip: Use your smartphone or computer to remind you of these intervals. Some go-to healthy snack ideas include:
- Apple with peanut butter
Getting The Right Diagnosis
Gastroenterology is a complex topic and one that covers many different conditions and disorders affecting gut health. Certain symptoms may be a result of an underlying medical condition that requires further treatment and diagnosis. To ensure you get the right treatment for your symptoms, speak to a healthcare professional about your gastrointestinal health.
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Left Side Of The Abdomen
Upper left:
This part of the abdomen contains a portion of the body of your stomach, the tail of the pancreas, and your spleen.
The spleen is an organ that filters blood and supports the immune system.
Center left and center middle:
The transverse colon and the small intestine make up the center left and center middle of the abdomen. The small intestine is where most food digestion occurs.
The transverse colon is the upper part of the large intestine, where unabsorbed food is carried after going through the ascending colon. The small intestine is the organ that takes up most of the abdomen.
Lower left:
The descending and sigmoid colon portions are the part of the digestive system that stores unabsorbed food remains and waste before they leave your body.