Everyone knows the feeling of a “swallowed balloon” in the stomach. The modern world is characterized by a huge number of technologies that simplify a person’s life, but he is still forced to exist in a frantic rhythm. People eat less and less normally and more often prefer "fast food" on the run. That is why many suffer from flatulence symptoms.
However, this problem is not only physiological. With the constant manifestation of signs of malaise, a person experiences psychological depression. To get rid of the causes and symptoms of flatulence in adults and not feel uncomfortable in the society of other people, you need to monitor your health. If necessary, you need to visit a specialist and undergo a routine examination.
What is flatulence?
This condition is characterized by the accumulation of excess gases in the human intestines. The most common symptom of flatulence is severe bloating. In this case, a person has abundant gas removal. This process in medicine is called flutulence.
If we talk about whether flatulence is an independent pathology, then in this case this statement is not accurate. The fact is that bloating is most often a symptom of a disease that occurs in the human body. For example, with a stomach ulcer, a patient often has symptoms of flatulence. Treatment and timely diagnosis of the primary ailment help to get rid of bloating.
Also, this symptomatology can begin to manifest itself in the event that about 3 liters of food gases accumulate in the stomach. Similar to the pathologies of the digestive organs. In addition, increased gas removal and bloating can be a signal of many other ailments.
Symptomatology
Speaking about the causes, symptoms and treatment of flatulence, it is worth considering some features of the manifestation of the ailment. Despite the fact that bloating is a symptom, it has certain signs by which you can independently diagnose the appearance of this problem.
It is recommended to consult a doctor if a person suffers from:
- A constant feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
- Bursting stomach.
- Gas colic. At the same time, unpleasant sensations appear in the form of so-called contractions. The patient's condition improves after the withdrawal of gases.
- Discomfort in the stomach.
- Vomiting, dizziness, and headache.
- Nausea
- Insomnia.
- Constipation or diarrhea.
- Strong burping.
- Lack of appetite.
- The appearance of shortness of breath.
- Arrhythmias.
- Not passing feelings of weakness.
All this leads to the fact that a person is constantly in an irritated or depressed state. Among the symptoms of flatulence in adults, discomfort in the heart and severe muscle pain are often noted.
Diagnostics
Very often flatulence is not a symptom of something serious and, as a rule, goes away on its own. If the malaise lasts about 3-4 days, then in this case there is no reason for serious concern.
However, if a person has been observing symptoms of flatulence for more than 7 days, and treatment at home does not give results, then in this case, you must necessarily consult a specialist.
At the first stage, the doctor communicates with the patient and clarifies all the details of the appearance of unpleasant symptoms. After that, the doctor carefully examines the patient’s nutrition. Very often, gas formation and bloating leads to the fact that a person does not consume a normal amount of liquid food and eats on the run. That is why a specialist may ask the patient to start a food diary. In it, he must write down everything that he eats or drinks during the day.
In some situations, it is suspected that the causes and symptoms of flatulence are a manifestation of chronic pancreatitis. To refute or confirm this diagnosis, it is necessary to undergo an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.
Additionally, blood, feces and urine tests will be required. If an elderly patient seeks help, then in this case there is a risk that he suffers from cancer of the colon or rectum.
After the specialist receives all the diagnostic data, he draws up a personal menu based on the indicators of a particular person.
Flatulence: a symptom of a disease?
Bloating and gas may be symptoms:
- Pancreatitis
- Intestinal infection.
- Neurosis.
- Bowel obstruction or constipation.
- Dysbacteriosis.
- Colitis and enterocolitis.
- The presence of helminths in the human body.
In some situations, the increased gas content in the human body is the result of surgical operations performed on one of the organs of the digestive tract. Also, symptoms of flatulence may well be caused by stressful conditions, or frequent neuroses.
Flatulence appears with prolonged spasms of the intestinal tract. Protozoal infections also lead to the disease. In this case, we are talking about the defeat of the internal organs of a person by simple parasites.
Depending on the specific disease that causes the symptoms of flatulence, appropriate treatment is prescribed. For example, in patients with neurosis, relaxation therapy and sedation are recommended.
Which doctor to contact
If a person is constantly suffering from bloating, nausea and other symptoms associated with flatulence, you should immediately consult a specialist to avoid unpleasant consequences.
First of all, it is worth visiting a gastroenterologist. If there is a suspicion that the symptoms of flatulence are caused by the presence of parasites (for example, helminths) or infectious ailments, then in this case we need to contact an infectious disease specialist.
With bloating against the background of developing malignant or benign tumors, an oncologist is engaged in treatment. You should contact a psychiatrist if a person has experienced severe stress for a long time and is constantly in a nervous state. In this case, flatulence, nausea and dizziness, can be caused by this condition.
Speaking about the symptoms and treatment of flatulence in adults, it is worth considering that in most cases, patients do not need inpatient treatment or hospitalization (except in situations where bloating is accompanied by severe pain). As a rule, the doctor prescribes a course of treatment that can be taken at home.
If you do not want to see a doctor, and there is great confidence that flatulence is caused precisely by stress, then you should try sedatives. However, if after taking one tablet of the drug the symptoms do not subside, then in this case the symptoms are a manifestation of another pathology. It is also worth considering the features of nutrition.
Diet
Most often, for the treatment of unpleasant symptoms in adults and children, the doctor carefully examines the patient's diet and draws up a special menu for him. Most often, patients are encouraged to start consuming more low-fat foods that contain more protein.
Also allowed the use of:
- The meat. Lean beef, veal, turkey or chicken should be present in the diet. Meat dishes must be steamed or in the oven.
- Low-fat fish. It is worth including zander, hake, pike and perch in your diet.
- Wheat bread.
- Vegetables. Specialists allow the use of beets, carrots, spinach, cucumbers, broccoli and tomatoes.
- Some dairy products. In this case, we are talking only about low-fat products.
- Fruit. Citrus fruits, apricots, pomegranates have a positive effect on the body. Some dried fruits, such as prunes or dried apricots, are also allowed.
- Kash. Doctors recommend eating oatmeal, buckwheat, or dark rice.
During the diet, in no case should you eat foods that contain coarse fiber. This means that pearl barley, lentils and beans must be discarded. It is also worth excluding fatty meat, whole milk, smoked meats and salted fish.
Confectionery has a negative effect on the human body. It is also necessary to refrain from foods that “fasten”. In addition, spices, carbonated drinks and alcohol should be excluded from your diet.
Medicines
Speaking about the causes, symptoms and treatment of flatulence in adults, it is first of all necessary to correctly diagnose the main ailment. Most often, bloating is caused by problems in the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, as a rule, violations of the normal intestinal microflora occur. Therefore, when such symptoms occur, it is necessary to take special medications that will help restore the system. These medicines include Hilak Forte, Atzilact and others.
In some situations, experts recommend supplementing this therapy with adsorbents. Drugs of this type remove toxins and gases from the intestines. The most affordable adsorbent is activated carbon.
In some situations, flatulence is caused by an insufficient level of production of certain substances. In this case, replacement therapy may be required. It includes the use of enzymatic preparations. These include Pepsin, Mezim, and many others.
Flatulence: treatment of symptoms with folk remedies
Immediately it is worth saying that in this case we are only talking about auxiliary therapy. This means that you should first consult with a specialist and use herbs and other recipes of alternative medicine only as additional medicines.
Best of all, the symptoms of flatulence in adults help to cope with dill seeds, from which the tincture is made. To cook it, you need to finely chop (preferably in a blender) 1 tablespoon of the product. The resulting mixture is poured with 1 liter of boiling water and infused for about 4 hours. The finished drug is taken 1 tablespoon several times a day. It is advisable to use the prepared product several hours before a meal.
With increased gas formation, a lovage tincture will also help. With the help of this plant, patients are able to quickly remove toxins from the intestines. To prepare the therapeutic composition, it is necessary to grind 15 g of the root of the lovage and mix it with 20 g of chamomile extract. The resulting ingredients are mixed until a homogeneous mass and poured 1 liter of boiling water. Tincture is taken several times a day for 1 teaspoon.
Speaking about the symptoms of flatulence and treatment with folk remedies, it is worth considering that some products can have an irritating effect on the intestines. Therefore, it is best to consult with a specialist first.
Flatulence Myths
There are so many false facts that people often take for clean water. For example, some argue that with flatulence, a rotten smell necessarily appears. However, it must be understood that the gas released during seizures, in fact, does not have a smell at all. In some situations, methane may be present. This is caused by the fact that a person eats meat, eggs, cabbage, onions, garlic, fatty foods and much more. Unpleasant odors also appear when dairy products are consumed. Therefore, there is no connection between flatulence and the smell of gases.
There is also a claim that women suffer from gas formation much less than men. This is also not true. The fair sex have the same digestive tract in which gas is produced. Therefore, despite all the allegations, both women and men pass the same amount of gas. This myth appeared due to the fact that ladies are less likely to suffer from colorectal cancer.
There is also a theory that explosive flatulence is a sign of a serious illness. In this case, we are talking about simultaneous severe diarrhea and gas excretion. Such blasting stools may be symptomatic of standard irritations occurring inside the intestines. If we talk about the speed of passage of feces, then this in no way can be an indicator of a disease. This only indicates the amount of gas that has accumulated in the human rectum.
Some also claim that in the case of painful flatulence, there is a high risk that the patient suffers from cancer. This is actually not the case. Pain during bowel movements is most often caused by anal irritations. Tissues around the anus may be affected and cracks appear on them, resulting in pain. Also, discomfort is associated with the development of hemorrhoids.
In addition, some argue that too many gases pass through is harmful. However, it is worthwhile to understand that a healthy person performs this procedure about 13 times a day, in many cases without even knowing it. During flatulence, an unpleasant odor or sound does not necessarily appear. In some situations, the gas slowly exits through the sphincter of the rectum, without causing any additional symptoms.
In fairness, it is worth noting that gas retention has a more negative effect on the human body. Therefore, restraining such urges is not recommended. However, from an aesthetic point of view, adhering to this rule is much more difficult.
The sound volume of the gases evolved depends on the individual structural features of the body of a person. Therefore, this in no way can be a sign of pathologies.
Finally
Regardless of how pronounced one or another symptomatology is, if it is repeated with an enviable frequency, this may indicate certain pathological processes taking place in the human body. To exclude the likelihood of any of them, it is necessary to undergo a scheduled examination with a specialist in a timely manner. It is also important to monitor your diet. It is recommended to abandon bad habits and include as many natural and healthy foods in your diet as possible.