All About Nasty Gas Pains, Their Causes, And Relief

Almost all of us have experienced jabbing abdominal pain that results from trying to hold a fart in. It has been estimated that an average human can release intestinal gases 13–20 times in a day. Although gas buildup in the gut is a totally natural process that occurs during digestion of food, the expulsion of gas has to be done with care so that you avoid a major embarrassment.

Causes Of Gas Pain

Gas forms inside your intestines as a byproduct of carbohydrate digestion. High-fiber containing foods are the worst offenders for gas production as the gut bacteria ferment the indigestible fiber to produce a lot of gas. Following are the common causes of gas buildup.¹

• Swallowing air while eating or drinking fast.
• Having a past history of irritable bowel disease.
• Following the ingestion of a food allergens like dairy, peanuts, gluten-containing grains or eggs.
• Consuming foods with a lot of artificial sweeteners like sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol.
• Having irregular bowel movements due to constipation or diarrhea.²

Typical Signs Of Trapped Gas In The Abdomen

Being an extremely fine-tuned machine, your body will send signals of discomfort and pain whenever you have gases trapped in your stomach. The common signs include:

• A sudden release of gas from the mouth or anus in the form of burps or farts respectively.
• Sharp pain in the abdomen that keep changing positions.
• A feeling of tightness in the abdomen.
• Extreme discomfort and tiredness with abdominal swelling due to bloat.

Natural Remedies To Relieve Gas Pain

Rather than rushing for an antacid, you could just grab stuff from your pantry to get rid of that nagging gas pain. Try any of the tips below to relieve bloating before it becomes too painful to bear.

• Sip on herbal teas that have anise seeds, chamomile, and peppermint as they are scientifically proven to provide relief from bloating.³
• Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water or tea and drink it right after meals to improve digestion and help relieve trapped gases.
• Perform debloating yoga asanas like the” pavanamuktasana” or the wind-relieving pose to encourage expulsion of trapped gases as farts.
• Never lie down after a meal and go for a brisk walk or a short jog to remove trapped gases from the gut.

Ways To Prevent Gas Pains

In the absence of a any medical condition like irritable bowel disease or other digestive illnesses, all you need to do is practice mindfulness to prevent gas pains from developing. Trapped gases are the cause of gas pain and you can adopt the tips below to prevent them:⁴

• Eat each morsel of your meal slowly and mindfully.
• Avoid foods that are carbonated, sugary or spicy as they could irritate the gut.
• Quit drinking alcohol and smoking.
• Identify and eliminate foods that can cause gas.
• Don’t drink using straws.
• Engage in moderate physical activity after finishing a meal.
• Steer clear of all food groups that you are allergic to as they can cause excess gas buildup.

Gas pain is one of the frequently confused symptoms of the human body. However, abdominal discomfort like bloating and pain could arise in conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), kidney stones, gallstones, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, gastric ulcer or appendicitis.

These conditions are usually accompanied by characteristic symptoms too. If gas pain persists for too long and is increasing in intensity, seek medical help immediately.