Flatulence is passing gas from the digestive system out of the back passage. It's more commonly known as "passing wind", or "farting". Farting is often laughed about, but excessive flatulence can be embarrassing and make you feel uncomfortable around others. However, it can usually be controlled with changes to your diet and lifestyle.
Flatulence is a normal biological process and is something everyone experiences regularly. Some people pass wind only a few times a day, others a lot more, but the average is said to be about 5 to 15 times a day. When you swallow food, water or saliva, you also swallow small amounts of air, which collects in the digestive system. Gases can also build up when you digest food. The body needs to get rid of the build-up by farting flatulence or burping belching.
Sometimes you may not notice you have passed wind because most of the gases are odourless and often released in small quantities. Flatulence usually only has a bad smell if it contains gases that smell, such as sulphur. However, it's important to remember it's normal for the gas you pass to sometimes smell a bit.
Excessive flatulence can be caused by swallowing more air than usual or eating food that's difficult to digest. It can also be related to an underlying health problem affecting the digestive system, such as recurring indigestion or irritable bowel syndrome IBS.
Read more about the causes of flatulence. There are no medical guidelines defining the normal frequency or volume of flatulence. You're probably the best person to assess your own symptoms. See your GP if your flatulence is particularly troublesome — for example, if you're frequently passing smelly gas.
These symptoms could be an indicator of a more serious health problem and may require investigation, such as a blood or stool test to look for an infection. Excessive flatulence can usually be controlled by making changes to your diet and lifestyle, such as:. There are also some over-the-counter medications that can help if your flatulence is troublesome, such as charcoal tablets or simethicone.
If your flatulence is related to an underlying health problem, treating the condition may help resolve it. Read more about treating flatulence. There are several natural causes of flatulence. Flatulence can also be caused by some health conditions related to the digestive system, or as a side effect of certain medicines. It's perfectly normal to swallow air while breathing and eating.
However, it's easy to swallow a lot more air than usual without realising it. You also produce more gas as you age due to slowing down of your metabolism and slowing down of the movement of food through the colon.
Yes, even the intestinal tract naturally slows down over time. Excess gas buildup is also likely more of a problem if you have medical conditions such as diabetes , scleroderma, thyroid dysfunction, small bowel bacterial overgrowth, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulosis, or if you have a sedentary lifestyle, Dr. Lee says. Ultimately, Dr. Passing gas is natural and normal.
When food is broken down and digested in the intestines, some gases are created — that is normal. The average person creates more than 2 litres of gas every day. The amount of gas you create is influenced by what you eat and drink. Several high-fibre foods, carbonated drinks and artificial sweeteners can cause excessive flatulence.
It can also be caused by:. A useful approach is to work out which foods seem to cause the problem for an individual, and either to avoid them altogether or cut back. But be aware that high-fibre foods form part of a healthy diet. You can also decrease flatulence by avoiding chewing gum, fizzy drinks, foods with artificial sweeteners and smoking.
Relaxing when you eat and eating slowly can also help. You could discuss with your doctor or pharmacist whether to take over-the-counter antacids or activated charcoal tablets. This may benefit some people. You should see your doctor if you have severe flatulence, especially if you also have other digestive problems, such as constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating, weight loss or blood in the stool.
Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Flatulence, or wind, is an excess of gas in the stomach and intestines. It is normal for gas to be passed as flatus times a day, depending on diet.
Read more on myDr website. Passing wind is necessary and usually normal. Some methods may work better for one person than another, so if one does not work, try another. Methods include:. Much of the gas that farts release comes from eating, as people swallow a bit of air with each bite. Eating in a rush may make matters worse. People who eat in a hurry may not chew their food completely and may swallow bigger chunks of food as well, making the food harder to digest.
Chewing is an integral part of the digestive process. Thoroughly chewing food makes it easier for the body to break it down. Taking the time to chew food slowly before swallowing may help the body digest this food and reduce the air that enters the intestines. Chewing gum may cause a person to swallow air along with their saliva.
This may lead to more gas in the intestines and therefore, more flatulence. Getting moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes per day may help prevent gas buildup in the body. It may also stimulate the digestive system, which could help with other issues, such as constipation.
Many foods that cause gas are a vital part of a complete diet. For instance, fiber is essential for digestive health, but eating too much of it may cause flatulence. Following a healthful, balanced diet is unlikely to cause long term gas. However, any dietary changes can cause short term gas while the body gets used to the new foods.
People with digestive disorders could keep a food journal to help them identify the possible trigger foods that are causing their reactions, such as lactose or gluten. Once they identify these trigger foods, avoiding them may help prevent excessive farting. Carbonated drinks add gas to the digestive system. This generally comes back up as a burp but can also continue through the intestines and cause flatulence. People who have difficulty digesting certain food groups but want to continue eating them might try taking digestive enzymes specific to those foods.
For instance, people with lactose intolerance could take the enzyme lactase before eating dairy products to help them digest it. There are different digestive enzymes for each food type, so be sure to get the correct enzymes to help with digestion.
People can buy digestive enzymes in drug stores or choose between brands online. Probiotics are supplements containing similar healthful bacteria to the ones in the digestive system. Adding more of these bacteria to the body might make it easier for the body to break down certain foods, which may reduce flatulence in some people.
Probiotics are available in supermarkets, drug stores, and online. In most cases, excessive farting is the result of eating too much of a food that the body does not agree with or eating too quickly.
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