Flatulence is called bloating, when accumulations of gases formed in the intestine press on its walls, creating a feeling of heaviness, discomfort, and pain in the stomach. Normally, any person produces gases that are a product of intestinal microflora, but they do not always cause bloating. The accumulation of excessive amounts of gas can contribute to undigested and quickly swallowed food. People chewing gum, heavy smokers - also swallow more air. Many products can increase the amount of gas in the intestines, for example, carbonated drinks, brown bread, cereals, vegetables.
The causes of flatulence may be pathology. This is dysbiosis, various inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract - pancreatitis, colitis, cirrhosis, enteritis, etc. Acute food poisoning is also often accompanied by flatulence.
Bloating during pregnancy, that is, flatulence during pregnancy is a fairly common occurrence. Women have belching, a feeling of fullness of the stomach, rumbling, sometimes pain in the lower abdomen. This may be due, firstly, to a deterioration in the digestibility of food (the enzyme apparatus of the pancreas does not work enough), and secondly, to increased pressure on the intestines of the enlarged uterus, which leads to disturbances in its work. Flatulence during pregnancy can sometimes be associated with changes in the hormonal background, in particular, a high progesterone level in the blood leads to relaxation of smooth muscles, including the uterus and intestines. If the first is necessary in order for the pregnancy to proceed normally, then the second leads to frequent constipation and flatulence.
Expressed flatulence, which occurred unexpectedly, for the first time, and which does not go away for several days, should be definitely discussed with your doctor, as this can be a signal of a serious disease - pancreatitis or colitis, and not just a consequence of pregnancy.
Flatulence during pregnancy can be overcome by adjusting the diet. You should temporarily abandon legumes, brown bread, cabbage, carbonated drinks. Any fruits and vegetables to eat in small quantities. To facilitate digestion, it is advisable to eat in small portions, but more often - 5-6 times a day. Before eating, it is good to take food enzymes - Festal, Mezim-forte, Pancreatin, which are harmless to the child and help the pancreas digest food. The same measures will help with heartburn, often associated pregnancy. It is useful to consume more sour-milk and dairy products (preferably with the addition of beneficial bacteria), which significantly improve the intestines. In this case, of course, it is important to remember that living microorganisms are contained only in fresh products that are stored for only a few days, and in the refrigerator. Of the drugs that can significantly weaken flatulence during pregnancy, is Espumisan. This is the most common drug now, which reliably fights gas formation and does not affect the fetus at all.
Flatulence in children, especially in infants, is an even more common and urgent problem. Digestive, enzymatic and nervous systems of the baby are still immature and not quite ready for the full digestion of food. In addition, 2/3 of the gases are the air that they swallow with crying and eating. Flatulence in infants can also be triggered by some component from the mother’s menu, a transition from breastfeeding to milk formulas, or as a result of overexcitation in overly excitable and nervous children. Bloating is accompanied by colic, which can be short-term or long-term, and then the child is capricious, eats poorly, sleeps poorly and does not gain weight. For infants, for treatment and for prophylactic purposes, fennel (dill water) is prescribed, which helps with colic, relieves pain and bloating.