We all have gas . The problem arises when the flatulence that we produce physiologically during the digestion process, and which in most people is just another process of the body that has no symptoms, becomes something bothersome.
To fully understand this common problem called meteorism, you need to know where the gas comes from . As Antonio M. Moreno García, spokesperson for the Spanish Digestive System Foundation (FEAD) and a specialist in the Digestive System at the Puerta del Mar University Hospital (Cádiz), points out, it has a fourfold origin: it comes from food intake (when we eat food with it we swallow air), from the diffusion of gases from the blood, from the gas released in the chemical reactions of digestion and, finally, from the intestinal flora.
Considering the origin of the gas, knowing the causes of flatulence can be very useful to avoid untimely gases at the most unexpected times . Moreno García indicates that the origin of the problem may be due to:
It may be a symptom of other digestive tract problems, such as functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, fructose intolerance, celiac disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease, among others.
Unnoticed intake of extra gas, such as chewing gum, drinking carbonated beverages, smoking, etc.
A symptom secondary to a psychological pathology: cases of anxiety, eating disorders, where the patient is not aware that he or she voluntarily swallows air that causes the symptoms.
Consumption of medications, such as antibiotics, which affect the intestinal flora, changing its balance and possibly increasing gas production.
What are the symptoms and what causes them?
The most common symptoms are:
Feeling of heaviness in the stomach
Abdominal swelling
Bowel sounds
Colic
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Bellyache
These symptoms may or may not be accompanied by the emission of gas in the form of belching or flatulence.
There are people who are unable to expel gas in either of these two ways and this can cause intense pain that can be confused with some abdominal disease.
Excessive intestinal gas can occur due to different causes or a combination of factors, such as the consumption of certain foods and lack of exercise.
In general, its cause is due to:
Presence of food residues in the colon
Changes in small intestine bacteria
Insufficient absorption of carbohydrates
Constipation
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Digestive disorders such as lactose intolerance or celiac disease.
Other causes that can produce flatulence include:
Taking antibiotics
Have Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Poor digestion or absorption of nutrients
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