Flatulence is usually not pathological and occurs when air escapes from the intestine through the anus. Often these gases smell of sulphur, which is produced by the body's own intestinal bacteria.
Many people find flatulence unpleasant. Nevertheless, unless they occur with other symptoms, such as abdominal pain, cramps, meteorism (flatulence), diarrhoea or constipation, they have no medical value.
The reason for flatulence can be aerophagy (swallowed air), this happens especially when eating too fast. Another possibility is that, for example, bacteria in the stomach or intestines form too much gas. Usually it is because you eat too fast, have a lot of stress or eat the wrong foods.
Foods that are particularly conducive to bloating are:
- Onions, leeks
- beans, lentils, peas
- cabbage
- chocolate
- coffee
- very fatty, heavy food
- Switching to whole grain foods (because the intestinal bacteria first have to get used to "more work")
Sometimes illnesses are also responsible for flatulence:
- Irritable bowel, irritated stomach
- Diseases of the pancreas (pancreas)
- food allergies
- But it can also be undesirable drug effects.
One should try to exclude possible diseases. If the suspicion exists, further diagnostics can be carried out with the help of sonographies (ultrasound) and examinations of the stool.
Most of the time, even small lifestyle changes help, for example:
- Watching what you eat and avoiding flatulence.
- Add foods that counteract flatulence (caraway, turmeric, fennel, coriander, chamomile) to meals.
- Eat small portions at a leisurely pace and frequently
- Exercise
If bloating still does not improve, the following medications may also be added to the therapy:
- Antispasmodic medications, for example, butylscopolamine,trospium chloride and mebeverine, are recommended for painful abdominal cramps because they calm the intestinal muscles.
- Defoaming medications, such as dimeticone and simethicone work to counteract the air bubbles that enter the gastrointestinal tract when food is ingested.
- Digestive enzymes can help when the body's own enzymes, which are responsible for the digestion of fats, proteins or carbohydrates, are too few or not present at all in the organism.
Danilo Glisic
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