Introduction
Flatulence is the uncontrolled expulsion of intestinal gases from the rectum. This is known in medical terminology as flatulence. An accumulation of intestinal gases in the abdomen can also lead to a painful flatulence.
In this case we speak of meteorism. Usually this accumulation of air leads to cramping abdominal pain. The causes of flatulence are very varied and are often related to the food ingested.
On the one hand, the composition of the food or individual foods can lead to increased gas formation in the intestine and thus to unpleasant flatulence, but eating habits themselves can also cause this symptom. If flatulence occurs more frequently or in connection with certain foods, food intolerance or functional gastrointestinal problems should be considered. Flatulence can also occur without any disease value.
This occurs mainly after large meals and is harmless as long as the person concerned does not feel any pain. Abdominal pain due to flatulence can manifest itself in many different forms. On the one hand, it can lead to a generalised feeling of fullness, which is sometimes accompanied by nausea.
In addition, stomach and intestinal cramps can occur. Often the abdomen bulges far forward in the sense of a bloated abdomen. The causes of a distended abdomen and the associated abdominal pain can be roughly divided into two groups.
On the one hand, there may be an increased absorption of air, as a result of which there is more air in the intestine, which is expelled again through flatulence. This can happen, for example, due to rapid food intake, in which more air is swallowed and in addition, the food is often not sufficiently broken down by chewing. Bloated stomach after eating On the other hand, increased gas formation can occur in the intestine itself.
There are many reasons for this. In general, a high-fibre food causes delayed and difficult digestion. However, spoiled food, food intolerances such as lactose intolerance or celiac disease can also lead to flatulence.
Due to the lack of certain enzymes, the food cannot be absorbed in this case, so that the intestinal bacteria decompose it, producing gas. Psychological factors, infections and inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, as well as the side effects of some drugs can lead to flatulence and associated abdominal pain and should therefore be examined by a doctor if the symptoms persist. (
Treatment/What to do?
Before any treatment of the flatulence and the resulting abdominal pain, the trigger for it should be sought and treated if possible. If it is only a single occurrence of abdominal pain during a food intake, the abdominal pain and the associated flatulence can be controlled with medication. An antispasmodic drug such as Buscopan® is suitable for this purpose.
Dimeticon can also relieve flatulence in particular by dissolving the gas accumulations in the intestine. Teas, light exercise and, as a preventive measure, the consumption of smaller meals can also help to avoid flatulence. However, if the symptoms occur more frequently, a doctor should be consulted.
He or she can, for example, use certain tests or diets to find out whether or not a person has food intolerance. It is also possible to have a gastroscopy and colonoscopy performed by a specialist in internal medicine, for example to rule out inflammatory bowel diseases. Pregnancy leads to various changes in the organism, which can also affect the balance in the gastrointestinal tract.
The most significant changes are the shifts in the hormone level of a pregnant woman. The increase in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy is important for the intestine. Its function is actually to maintain the pregnancy by, among other things, preparing the muscles of the uterus for the growth of the embryo.
However, progesterone does not only have an effect on the female reproductive organs, but it also relaxes various organs, including the intestines. Although this leads to a better utilisation of food, it also increases the gas production of the intestinal bacteria, which can cause unpleasant flatulence and the resulting abdominal pain. This effect is further intensified by the increase in size of the embryo in the mother’s abdomen and, in addition, the intestine becomes more and more constricted.
This can lead to increased flatulence during pregnancy. If the expectant mother suffers from severe symptoms, the flatulence can also be treated with certain medications that are compatible with the pregnancy. Dimeticon, for example, is suitable for this.
