Can Gas Cause Stomach Pain

Overeating And Back Pain

Exercises for Relieving Constipation, IBS Bloating and Abdominal Pain

Dumping large amounts of food in your stomach puts enormous strain on the digestion.

The tell-tale signs of digestive distress as a result of overeating are stomach aches, bloating and indigestion.

As the stomach bloats and expands it puts stress on the spine and back muscles causing discomfort and pain.

But you can easily remedy the problem with a simple lifestyle change.

Rather than sitting down to 3 heavy meals a day or binge eating at the down town all you can eat buffet

You can still eat as much as by eating smaller quantities frequently throughout the day.

Your digestion will thank you for it as its better able to cope with smaller quantities of food and liquid.

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How Is Gas In The Digestive Tract Treated

Your healthcare provider will make a care plan for you based on:

Your age, overall health, and past health
How serious your case is
How well you handle certain medicines, treatments, or therapies
If your condition is expected to get worse
What you would like to do

You can reduce some of your gas pain by:

Changing your diet. Dont have soda or other fizzy drinks. Dont take any foods that might give you gas. Lactose-free dairy products and a low FODMAP diet are often helpful.
Taking medicines. There are many over-the-counter medicines for gas. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for suggestions.
Reducing the amount of air you swallow. Dont chew gum or suck on hard candies. Try to eat more slowly. If you wear dentures, have your dentist make sure they fit well.
Depending on the cause of your gassiness, prescription medicines may be used.

Lifestyle And Home Remedies

Making lifestyle changes may help reduce or relieve excess gas and gas pain.

Try smaller portions. Many of the foods that can cause gas are part of a healthy diet. Try eating smaller portions of problem foods to see if your body can handle a smaller portion without creating excess gas.
Eat slowly, chew your food thoroughly and don’t gulp. If you have a hard time slowing down, put down your fork between each bite.
Avoid chewing gum, sucking on hard candies and drinking through a straw. These activities can cause you to swallow more air.
Check your dentures. Poorly fitting dentures can cause you to swallow excess air when you eat and drink. See your dentist if they aren’t fitting correctly.
Don’t smoke. Cigarette smoking can increase the amount of air you swallow. Talk to your doctor if you need help quitting.
Exercise. Regular exercise reduces the risk of constipation, which can prevent the release of gas from your colon.

If the odor from passing gas concerns you, limiting foods high in sulfur-containing compounds such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, beer and foods high in protein may reduce distinctive odors. Pads, underwear and cushions containing charcoal also may help absorb unpleasant odors from passing gas.

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Key Points About Gas In The Digestive Tract

Everyone has gas in their digestive tract.
Gas in your digestive tract is created when you swallow air. It’s also caused by the breakdown of some foods by good bacteria in your colon.
Your body gets rid of gas by burping or by passing it through your rectum.
Most foods with carbohydrates cause gas.
The most common symptoms of gas are burping, passing gas, belly or abdominal bloating, and abdominal pain.
You can reduce gas pain by changing your diet, taking medicines, and reducing how much air you swallow.

What Causes Gas In The Digestive Tract

Gas in the digestive tract comes from two sources:

Aerophagia . This is usually caused by eating or drinking rapidly, chewing gum, smoking, or wearing loose dentures.

Belching is the way most swallowed air leaves the stomach. The remaining gas is partially absorbed into the small intestine and a small amount goes into the large intestine and is released through the rectum.
Breakdown of certain undigested foods by harmless bacteria naturally present in the large intestine Some carbohydrates are not digested or absorbed in the small intestine because of a shortage or absence of certain enzymes. The undigested or unabsorbed food then passes into the large intestine, where harmless and normal bacteria break down the food. This process produces hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and, in about one-third of all people, methane gases, which are released through the rectum.

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Simple Steps To Help Reduce Excessive Wind And Flatulence

Keep a food diary to identify foods that cause wind and avoid them.

Eat smaller meals, more often and chew food slowly. This gives the amylase in saliva more time to start breaking down carbohydrates which can help prevent excess wind.

Drink plenty of water this reduces the risk of constipation and keeps things moving.

Drink peppermint tea it contains essential oils which have been shown to reduce flatulence and bloating.

Exercise to improve digestion studies confirm light exercise, such as walking or a gentle bike ride, will reduce symptoms. Its believed exercise helps matter move through the intestine so it may aid constipation too.

Check your fibre intake most of us dont eat enough fibre. Around 30g a day is recommended. Fruits, vegetables and wholegrains such as wholemeal bread, oats and quinoa are good sources.

Speak to a doctor if you have other symptoms such as bloating, pain, diarrhoea, constipation, chronic belching or theres blood in your poo these could be a sign of something more serious.

This article has been medically approved by Dr Rhianna McClymont, Lead GP

Avoid Swallowing So Much Airseriously

Downing some water can be counterproductive if youre doing it in a way that will only lead to more gas. Until the pain abates, avoid habits that can lead to swallowing a ton of air, like taking big gulps of water at a time, using straws, drinking fizzy beverages, sucking your food down too quickly, talking a lot while eating, and chewing gum, Dr. Wakim-Fleming says.

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When To See A Doctor

While most cases of stomach pain and gas can be treated at home, you should talk to your doctor if you are worried. You should also consult your doctor if:

Your pain lasts more than a couple days
Stomach gas and pain remain well after an immediate cause, such as constipation, is relieved

Potential causes of more enduring gas pain include celiac disease and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth . If you suspect you may have celiac disease, pay attention to your gluten intake to discover whether pain changes accordingly.

SIBO is generally seen in people who have:

Had abdominal surgeries

How Is Intestinal Gas Diagnosed

The REAL Cause of Abdominal Pain and Bloating – Dr. Berg

Your healthcare provider may ask you to keep a food diary for a week or more to see if certain foods or drinks make you gassy. Because excessive gas can be a sign of a health problem, you may need one or more of these tests:

Blood tests: These tests detect certain conditions like celiac disease that cause gas.
Breath test: A hydrogen breath test identifies lactose intolerance or abnormal bacterial growth in the intestine.
Colon screening: A flexible sigmoidoscopy lets your provider view the lower part of your colon and rectum . With a colonoscopy, the provider views all of the large intestine. These tests help identify digestive disorders like Crohns disease as well as colon cancer.
Food elimination: Your healthcare provider may suggest removing certain foods to see if gas symptoms improve. For example, if youre less gassy after cutting out dairy, you might be lactose intolerant unable to break down lactose, a sugar in milk.
Gastrointestinal tract exam: If you belch a lot, your provider may perform a gastrointestinal exam called an upper GI test or barium swallow. You swallow a solution that coats the esophagus, stomach and part of the small intestine with barium for easier viewing on X-rays.

Who Is At Risk For Gas In The Digestive Tract

Some health problems can cause you to make more gas in your digestive tract. These include:

Being unable to digest sugar in milk products, called lactose intolerance
Irritable bowel syndrome, an intestinal problem
Having inflammation in the intestines, such as inflammatory bowel disease
Stomach disorders such as peptic ulcer disease and heartburn or GERD
Health problems that cause constipation

Commit To Keeping Your Fiber Intake In Check

Fiber is a key part of a healthy diet and digestive system. It bulks up your stool, which helps you stay regular instead of getting constipated. But on the flip side, having too much fiber can make you gassy as the bacteria in your colon works to break this tough nutrient down, Dr. Farhadi says.

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If you find that youre always in pain after you eat a salad with both broccoli and Brussels sprouts, its really best to avoid those foods until you feel betterand to try to space out when you eat them in the future.

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Have A Low Fodmap Diet

As we previously saw, if you suffer from IBS specifically, you can have trouble digesting foods high in fructans.

To reduce your bloating symptoms, the best thing you can do is follow a low FODMAP diet.

Ive seen this work with hundreds of clients. Its helped them gain control of their eating habits without causing those unwanted gastric issues.

I recommend checking out this article on getting started with a low FODMAP diet.

When To Contact A Medical Professional

Get medical help right away or call your local emergency number if you:

Are currently being treated for cancer
Are unable to pass stool, especially if you are also vomiting
Are vomiting blood or have blood in your stool
Have chest, neck, or shoulder pain
Have sudden, sharp abdominal pain
Have pain in, or between, your shoulder blades with nausea
Have tenderness in your belly, or your belly is rigid and hard to the touch
Are pregnant or could be pregnant
Had a recent injury to your abdomen
Have difficulty breathing

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Gas Pain In Chest Vs Heart Problems

Feeling pain in your chest can be alarming, especially if youre not sure whether your pain is being caused by gas or a more serious heart problem. Knowing the difference between gas-related chest pain and heart pain can help you avoid hospitalization or death.

Chest pain that is caused by gas will usually be accompanied by additional symptoms, including abdominal pain, flatulence, and heartburn. Chest pain caused by a heart attack will usually feel like a large, gathering pressure in the center or left side of your chest near your heart. This pressure may gradually build and intensify before it goes away on its own or until it progresses into a heart attack.

Symptoms of a heart attack include:

Shortness of breath
Chest pressure or pain that comes and goes
Discomfort in other areas throughout the upper body, such as in the neck or back

Contact emergency medical services right away if you think you are having a heart attack. A heart attack is a serious medical emergency that requires prompt treatment.

Common Causes Of Stomach Pain

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Stomach pain is common and can be caused by several causes, including a simple upset stomach or gas trapped in the digestive tract. The pain may also be accompanied by rumbling or gurgling noises and a loss of appetite. You should always consult a doctor to find out the exact cause of your pain.

Kidney stones

When kidney stones are present, the pain can be severe and comes in waves. This pain will increase and decrease in intensity as the stone moves through the urinary tract. At first, you may think that you’re just having a blip, but as the stone moves further down the urethra, the pain will increase. This is a sign that you should seek medical attention.

If your pain is severe, your health care provider may prescribe stronger pain medication to help you tolerate the pain. They may also prescribe stronger painkillers for you to take at home. The painkillers prescribed will depend on the type of stone. You can also try drinking plenty of water to help the stone pass.

Gallstones

Gallstones can cause pain in the upper right quadrant and may last for hours. These symptoms are usually sharp or crampy and usually occur after eating a meal. In some cases, the pain can radiate to the upper back. Other symptoms of gallstones include bloating, fullness, and nausea.

GERD

Constipation

Hernias

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Belching: Getting Rid Of Excess Air

Belching, or burping, is your bodys way of expelling excess air from your upper digestive tract. Most belching is caused by swallowing excess air. This air most often never even reaches the stomach but accumulates in the esophagus.

You may swallow excess air if you eat or drink too fast, talk while you eat, chew gum or suck on hard candies, drink carbonated beverages, or smoke. Some people swallow air as a nervous habit even when theyre not eating or drinking. This is called aerophagia.

Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease can sometimes cause excessive belching by promoting increased swallowing. Chronic belching may be related to inflammation of the stomach lining or to an infection with Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium responsible for some stomach ulcers. In these cases, the belching is accompanied by other symptoms, such as heartburn or abdominal pain.

You can reduce belching if you:

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Sip A Glass Of Water Slowly

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Drinking water does two things, says Dr. Wakim-Fleming: It can help move any gas-causing foods in your system through the digestive process, and it makes it harder for your intestines to contract in a way that gasses you up. See, your intestines contract to move food, and if they contract too strongly or for too long, that can lead to or exacerbate gas.

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Identify The Signs Of Gas

There are noticeable differences between the feeling of gas and a heart attack. When its gas, youll likely experience the following:

Passing gas through your backside
Quick, sharp pains that suddenly come and end

If its heartburn, itll happen soon after eating or it can awaken you from sleep after a couple of hours. Youll feel the burning stomach acid moving up from your stomach into your throat. Youll probably taste something sour in your mouth as well.

Taking antacids is one of the best home remedies of chest pain due to gas.

Causes And Solutions For Chest Pain With Bloating

in the afternoon,rnMy name is Arifn, I am 26 years old.rnI want to ask for the past 1 week sometimes when riding a motorcycle in the morning there is tightness in the chestrnThe stomach often catches cold, discomfort and symptoms of bloating are painful. stomach, sometimes headache accompanied by kliyengan. I already have an ECG, the results are normal, so according to my doctors diagnosis, what is the solution? Thank you

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What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor

You may want to ask your healthcare provider:

Could a medical condition be making me gassy?
What tests can determine the cause of intestinal gas?
What steps can I take to cut down on intestinal gas?
What foods or drinks should I avoid?
Whats the best treatment for my gas symptom?
How can I tell the difference between gas and something more serious?
Should I look out for signs of complications?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

While intestinal gas is common, the symptoms belching, flatulence, bloating and stomach discomfort can be embarrassing and even painful. Gas is sometimes a symptom of a more serious health problem. Talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns. The right treatment can ease gas symptoms so you can go about your day in confidence.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 09/11/2020.

References

You Have Gastric Problems

Know your Abdominal Pain : Human N Health

Another reason you can get bloated or gassy after you eat garlic is that you have a diagnosed digestive issue.

Irritable bowel syndrome, SIBO, or Chrons disease can make it hard for your body to digest certain foods, which are called trigger foods.

If you get gassy and bloated from all sorts of foods, not just garlic, this may be a sign that you have one of these digestive issues.

However, each case is unique, so its best to speak with your doctor if you suspect theres something bigger going on with your gut health.

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Diagnosing Gas Gas Pains And Bloating

Even though gas and bloating are common, a medical evaluation may sometimes be necessary. If you experience blood in the stool, diarrhea, fevers, anemia, or weight loss, you should talk to a doctor.

Medical History & Physical Exam

First, your doctor will review your medical history and ask questions about your symptoms and dietary habits.

The doctor may also examine your abdomen for tenderness or anything that feels abnormal. A stethoscope may be used to help the doctor determine how well the digestive tract is working.

The results of these preliminary tests will help determine the next level of diagnosis if necessary.

Additional Tests for Gas, Gas Pains, and Bloating

Breath tests Breath tests can help determine problems of malabsorption or intestinal bacteria overgrowth.
Colonoscopy In patients 50 or older, or who have a family history of colorectal cancer, the possibility of colon cancer may be considered.
Imaging If chronic belching is a problem, x-rays may be used to inspect the small intestine, stomach, and esophagus. This is known as an upper GI series