Preventing and treating bloating

Brief overview

  • What is flatulence? Too much air in the stomach – the stomach is distended (meteorism). There is often an increase in intestinal wind (flatulence).
  • Causes: high-fiber or flatulent foods (cabbage, pulses, onions, etc.), carbonated drinks, etc. Causes: high-fibre or flatulent foods (cabbage, pulses, onions, etc.), carbonated drinks, alcohol, coffee, swallowing air due to hasty eating or talking while eating, stress, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, food intolerance (such as lactose intolerance, coeliac disease), food allergy, intestinal flora disorder (e.g. as a result of antibiotic therapy), pancreatic insufficiency, intestinal obstruction, bowel cancer, liver cirrhosis; in babies: three-month colic
  • Treatment: defoaming agents, digestive and antispasmodic agents, home remedies; treatment of the underlying disease if necessary
  • Prevention: avoid foods and drinks that are difficult to digest and cause flatulence (e.g. fatty foods, cabbage, beans, carbonated drinks), use spices that aid digestion (caraway, aniseed, marjoram, etc.), eat slowly and chew thoroughly, eat several small meals a day instead of a few large portions, get enough exercise and sport (e.g. digestive walk, swimming, cycling)

Flatulence: Causes

However, how people perceive flatulence varies. Some people find even small amounts of gas in the stomach disturbing, others are less sensitive in this respect. Flatulence that occurs sporadically and without any other accompanying symptoms is not considered a disease. In some cases, however, they are symptoms of an illness.

How intestinal gas develops

Intestinal gases are mainly produced during digestion – especially when high-fiber food or large amounts of carbohydrates or protein are broken down by the intestinal bacteria. The microbes produce hydrogen, methane and carbon dioxide, among other things. The majority of these gases enter the bloodstream and are exhaled through the lungs. The rest escapes via the intestines.

What causes flatulence?

In the vast majority of cases, bloating is harmless and can be attributed to poor dietary and lifestyle habits. However, it can also be caused by illness.

Bloating foods and drinks

For example, cabbage, pulses and onions can cause severe flatulence. Excessively rich, fatty or sweet foods also lead to increased gas formation in the stomach. The enzymes present there are then unable to break down the nutrients completely and bacteria become active.

Carbonated drinks, alcohol and coffee can also cause flatulence.

Swallowing air (aerophagia)

People who devour their meals in a hurry swallow about twice as much air as slow eaters – and this collects in the intestines.

Lack of exercise

People who spend most of their day sitting down are also more susceptible to bloating: A lack of exercise makes the intestines more sluggish and promotes flatulence.

Psychological triggers

Knots in the stomach, stones in the abdomen – a negative psychological state has a significant effect on digestion. Stress and anxiety disrupt digestion and can also cause flatulence.

Pregnancy

Flatulence during pregnancy is not uncommon. The expectant mother’s body produces the hormone progesterone. It relaxes the muscle tissue of organs including the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract. This slows down digestion. This can lead to bloating more easily.

Diseases

Flatulence is rarely caused by illness. These include, for example, food allergies and food intolerances. Life-threatening illnesses very rarely cause flatulence. The most important disease-related causes of bloating are

  • Irritable bowel syndrome: In irritable bowel syndrome, the function of the digestive tract is disturbed. In addition to bloating, there is pain, cramps and discomfort as well as changes in the stool.
  • Fructose intolerance (fructose intolerance): A transport protein transports the sugar into the blood. If the amount is too large, the same symptoms occur as with lactose intolerance.
  • Sorbitol intolerance: Sorbitol (sorbitol, glucitol) is a sugar alcohol that is mainly found in certain fruits. As E 420, it is also added to many industrially produced or processed foods – for sweetening, as a humectant and for preserving. The symptoms of sorbitol intolerance are the same as those of lactose intolerance.
  • Gluten intolerance (coeliac disease): With gluten intolerance, the body reacts hypersensitively to the gluten protein found in cereals. Typical symptoms of this form of food intolerance include bloating, weight loss, chronic diarrhea and nausea.
  • Food allergies: Some people are allergic to certain foods such as nuts, fruit or milk. Eating these allergens can cause bloating, itching, swelling in the mouth, diarrhea and eczema on the skin.
  • Disturbance of the intestinal flora: Flatulence can also occur if the intestinal flora is out of balance, for example as a result of taking antibiotics.
  • Colorectal cancer (colorectal carcinoma): Colorectal cancer is a malignant growth in the intestine. In addition to chronic flatulence and irregular digestion, a change in the stool and the presence of blood in it can be an indication of colorectal cancer.
  • Liver cirrhosis: Severe flatulence also occurs with liver cirrhosis. Other symptoms include tiredness, poor performance, loss of appetite, nausea, constipation and pressure under the right costal arch.
  • Intestinal obstruction: Intestinal obstruction usually initially manifests itself as constipation, abdominal pain and flatulence. It can be caused by paralysis of the intestinal movement (peristalsis), scarred adhesions after an operation, Crohn’s disease and tumors or foreign bodies in the intestine.

Position of the small and large intestine:

Flatulence in babies and children

Especially in the first three months of life, babies often suffer from flatulence. Gases painfully inflate the baby’s stomach. In some cases, air enters the digestive tract simply by swallowing when drinking. For this reason, babies should burp after drinking. This allows the air to escape from the stomach.

Food intolerances

Keyword: Three-month colic

Some babies cry excessively, especially in the early evening hours. The most common crying babies are found in the 0 to 3 month age group. The affected children suffer from so-called three-month colic. This outdated term illustrates what was previously thought to be the cause of excessive crying fits – lots of air in the stomach, which causes colicky abdominal pain and bloating.

It is now assumed that the air in the baby’s stomach is the result and not the cause of the excessive crying (air swallowing during violent, prolonged crying!). Instead, it is assumed that the reason for the crying fits is that the affected babies still have problems calming themselves down. They may also be more sensitive than their peers and therefore more easily overwhelmed by environmental stimuli.

In any case, three-month colic is now considered a regulatory disorder (as are feeding and sleep disorders in babies) – the affected babies have not yet made the developmental step of regulating their behavior appropriately in certain contexts (self-soothing, crying, sleeping, etc.).

Remedies for flatulence

Flatulence: Home remedies

There are various home remedies for flatulence. Tea, heat and massage – you can find out what can help you here.

Home remedies have their limits. If the symptoms persist over a longer period of time, do not improve or even get worse, you should always consult a doctor.

Tea for flatulence

Various medicinal plant teas have a decongestant effect and relieve abdominal pain. Suitable medicinal plants are

  • aniseed
  • caraway
  • lemon balm
  • sage
  • Fennel
  • Turmeric
  • ginger
  • Camomile
  • Wormwood

You can also crush a mixture of 50 grams each of aniseed, fennel and caraway, pour 150 milliliters of boiling water over a teaspoon of this mixture, cover and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Drink a cup of tea like this several times a day to relieve flatulence.

Heat against flatulence

Another thing that helps against flatulence is warmth. It relaxes the bowels. A hot water bottle or a grain pillow (cherry stone pillow) are suitable. If you want to intensify the effect, you can place a damp washcloth between the hot water bottle and your stomach (moist heat).

Abdominal compress with camomile: A moist, hot abdominal compress with camomile has a pain-relieving, antispasmodic and relaxing effect. To do this, pour half a liter of boiling water over one to two tablespoons of chamomile flowers, cover and leave to infuse for five minutes.

Potato wrap: The warmth of a potato wrap (or potato topping) has a relaxing, pain-relieving effect and promotes blood circulation. Boil the potatoes until soft, drain and allow to steam. Place on a cloth and mash with a fork. Place an intermediate cloth on your stomach, close the overlay to form a small pack and lay it on top. Secure with an outer cloth (e.g. towel) and leave for 30 to 60 minutes. Then rest.

As soon as the heat becomes uncomfortable, remove the wrap or compress immediately.

Abdominal massage and rubbing

Gentle massages are also a tried and tested home remedy for flatulence.

Abdominal massage: A gentle abdominal massage activates the natural intestinal movement, relieves tension and often helps against flatulence. To do this, stroke the abdomen clockwise for several minutes using both hands and gentle pressure. This home remedy is particularly suitable for children.

Belly rub: A belly rub with diluted fennel, lemon balm, camomile or caraway oil warms, relieves cramps and pain and stimulates digestion. To do this, warm a few drops of the diluted oil in your hands and gently rub the abdomen in a clockwise direction for a few minutes. Do not apply too much pressure! Then cover tightly and leave to rest for about half an hour. Repeat several times a day as required.

Medication for flatulence

Various over-the-counter and prescription medications are available to treat severe flatulence. They have a decongestant, antispasmodic or digestive effect. They are available in various preparations, for example as drops or capsules.

Defoaming agents: They reduce the surface tension of the foam bubbles in the chyme in which gases are trapped. This allows the gases to escape, be absorbed into the body or pass through the anus. Defoamers have a purely physical effect and do not enter the bloodstream. They should be taken with meals or in the evening before going to bed. Well-known representatives of this group of active ingredients are simeticone and dimeticone.

Digestive enzymes: Some people are unable to digest food containing fat, protein or carbohydrates properly. The reason for this is that the glandular cells of the digestive tract (in the stomach, pancreas and liver) do not produce the corresponding digestive enzymes in sufficient quantities. Flatulence is the result. Medication containing the missing enzymes can help here. They should be taken with meals so that the food is better digested.

Flatulence: Prevention

In most cases, flatulence is harmless and caused by poor lifestyle and eating habits. You should therefore be aware of the following:

  • Avoid flatulent foods: Every little bean makes a little sound, as the saying goes. Flatulence is usually caused by “explosive” foods. These should then be avoided. Die-hard bean fans can also soak the pulses for twelve hours and cook them for a long time before eating them. This reduces the gas-forming properties. Care should also be taken with onions, cabbage, unripe fruit, freshly baked bread and coarse (heavy) wholemeal bread as well as carbonated drinks.
  • Light food: Eat mainly food that is easy to digest. High-fat, heavy and sumptuous meals are enormously challenging for the digestive tract and can easily lead to bloating.
  • Helpful spices: Use digestive spices such as caraway, aniseed, marjoram or coriander in the kitchen as often as possible to prevent bloating and indigestion.
  • Enjoy instead of gulping: Take your time to eat, chew thoroughly and speak very little while eating. This prevents so much air from entering the intestines. Incidentally, eating several small meals throughout the day is better than eating a few large ones.

When should you see a doctor?

As mentioned, flatulence is usually harmless. Only in rare cases is there a serious illness behind the annoying symptoms. However, you should see a doctor in the following cases:

  • The flatulence is accompanied by severe abdominal pain, vomiting and altered bowel movements.
  • They recur in certain contexts.
  • They persist over a longer period of time.

What does the doctor do?

To get to the bottom of the cause of the flatulence, the doctor will first ask questions about your medical history (anamnesis): He will ask you to describe the flatulence or meteorism in more detail and inquire about any other complaints (abdominal pain, stool changes, nausea, etc.). He will also ask about your dietary and lifestyle habits and any underlying illnesses.

The doctor will then palpate your abdomen and check your bowel sounds with a stethoscope. If he suspects that an organic disease is the cause of the bloating, he will arrange further examinations. These include, for example, an ultrasound examination (sonography) of the abdomen, stool examinations or tests for food intolerances such as a lactose, fructose or sorbitol tolerance test.

Frequently asked questions

You can find the answers to the most frequently asked questions on the subject in our article Frequently asked questions on flatulence.