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Excessive wind is common for everyone and can be through burping, flatulence, or having a bloated stomach. It is usually not a sign of serious concern. However, it may be humiliating, frightening, and produce unsettling feelings. According to cancer research UK, people are passing wind 15 to 25 times daily on average. If you fart more than the average person, you may worry about what's wrong with your digestive system or bowel habits and if it is a sign of more severe health conditions. So if you frequently feel the excessive wind in your gut, get your health checked since sicknesses such as cancer, diet, and stress may all increase the volume of wind you pass which may cause a threat to your health.

What Are Wind, Gas, And Bloating?

There will always be some gas in the bowel. Most of this arises through the air you swallow when drinking or eating. It may also occur while swallowing saliva or smoking. If you eat rapidly, gulp down the drink, or chew gum, you may swallow larger quantities of air entering the oesophagus.

When you sit up, the air tries to return up the oesophagus and exit out the mouth through burping. Meanwhile, if you lie flat, the air tries to go downward, generating gas in your stomach. This may cause bloating after eating and a firm, bulging belly. After the gas reaches the small bowel, it exits via the anus. This is sometimes referred to as passing wind or farting.

Symptoms Of Excessive Wind

If you believe you are passing more gas than usual, your physician might ask you to keep track of the number of times you give gas each day. They may also advise you to keep a drink and food log to discover whether your diet causes flatulence or bloating.

Make a list of any symptoms you may be experiencing, such as:

• Abdominal discomfort

• Abdominal pain

• Bloated or swollen stomach

• Burping

• Passing Gas

Other symptoms:

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Constipation

• Diarrhoea

It is natural to feel these symptoms after eating, but you must notice if you experience them frequently or if they interfere with your everyday tasks.

What Causes Excessive Wind?

Everyone has gas-related symptoms occasionally. In most situations, this is a regular aspect of the body's functioning, and the symptoms subside quickly. Some individuals remark that they are always bloated. As previously stated, individuals are sometimes sensitive to typical stomach gas levels. Some disorders are linked to having more gas than usual in the stomach and intestinal tract:

Swallowing Air

This is known as aerophagia. You could be swallowing air often or in large quantities without realising it. This is common among persons who are stressed. Gum chewing and smoking might worsen it. Typically, air taken in this manner goes down the oesophagus to the stomach. Swallowing air can often cause you to burp a lot, to find out more about burping and its link to cancer click here.

Diet

The following foods are widely recognised for generating excessive wind in the gut:

• Foods with a high soluble fibre content

• Starchy foods

• Processed foods

• Brussels sprouts

• Red meat

• Broccoli

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance occurs if your body struggles to digest lactose. Lactose is found in milk and dishes produced with milk. Bloating, abdominal pains, and diarrhoea are symptoms of lactose intolerance.

Intolerance Of Food Sugars

Sugar intolerance in some meals is possible. The most prevalent is fructose intolerance. Artichokes, onions, sucrose, honey, and dried fruit are rich in fructose. Sorbitol is another sugar to which you may be sensitive. It may be present in sugar-free candy and chewing gum.

Medicines

Bloating, burping, and your medications might cause passing wind. Metformin, a diabetic medication, and lactulose, a laxative, are widely recognised to elicit similar symptoms. Although antacids like magnesium trisilicate may assist with indigestion, they can also enhance the quantity of carbon dioxide generated in the stomach and cause burping.

Cancer and its treatments may also cause extra wind in the digestive system, leading you to have excessive wind more often than usual.

Diseases Causing Excessive Wind

Most persons with gas-related symptoms have a heightened tolerance to gas or one of the reasons for enhanced gas production. However, gastrointestinal and bowel diseases might sometimes elicit similar symptoms. Sometimes the disease is just temporary. For instance, acute gastroenteritis, often induced by a viral infection, may develop into a short-term syndrome characterised by excess gas.

Celiac Disease

Celiac illness is characterised by a sensitivity to gluten, a protein in meals comprising rye, barley, and wheat. It mainly affects the small intestine of the digestive tract. It may happen anytime. Preventing gluten-containing meals helps to alleviate symptoms.

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis are the most prevalent inflammatory bowel illnesses. Ulcerative colitis is a condition that causes swelling in the large intestine. Crohn's disease, on the other hand, is a disorder that induces swelling of the gastrointestinal tract's wall. Abdominal pain and diarrhoea are the most common symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, although bloating and other gas-related symptoms may also occur.

Pylori Infection

H. pylori is a kind of bacterium that may attack the stomach or the first section of the small intestine. It may also cause inflammation and irritation of the stomach lining. Symptoms of H.pylori include bloody vomit, unexpected weight loss, and searing stomach discomfort.

Short Bowel Syndrome

This may occur as a result of intestinal surgery. Food digestion may be compromised if over half of the small intestine is eliminated during surgery which may result in frequent stomach pain and bowel obstruction.

Scleroderma

Scleroderma is a disorder that results in skin thickening and, in some instances, internal organ thickening. When the gut is harmed, it may lead to risk factors like stomach discharge, irregular bowel movements, and worst stomach cancer.

Ovarian Cancer

Although ovarian cancer is not a bowel illness, it may induce symptoms similar to bowel disease. Cancer grows characterised by feeling full quickly or losing appetite, losing weight, abdominal discomfort, and bloating. For more information on the signs and symptoms of cancer, read our article here.

Colon Cancer

Excessive gas and bloating may be early symptoms of the growth of cancer cells in colon cancer. However, typical factors include dietary stimulants, carbonated beverages, dairy products, and digestive diseases like inflammatory bowel disease.

Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer may induce digestive issues and bowel habits, such as gas and bloat. Ascites, or the accumulation of excess fluid in the belly, may also be caused by pancreatic cancer. This causes the stomach to expand and stretch.

Do I Need Any Tests For Wind, Gas, And Bloating?

The majority of persons with these symptoms don't have any testing. However, if you have more concerning symptoms, you may require testing. These are some of the warning signs:

• Dysphagia

• Features of anemia

• Vomiting

• Fever

• Lack of appetite

• Unintentional weight loss

• Blood in the stools or narrow stools

• Persistent diarrhoea

• Weight loss

• Dark urine

• Painful stomach cramps

The tests may include:

• A stool sample to check for blood, high levels of fat, and infection.

• A lactose tolerance test

• X-rays of your gut

• Examination of your stomach or lower bowel through endoscopy

• A blood test for coeliac disease.

• CT-scan

When To See Your Doctor

If your bloating and excess gas bother you, contact your healthcare provider to discuss your medical conditions. They will examine your medical and family history, symptoms, and overall health condition to determine whether they lead to a disease that might produce excessive wind. Most of these conditions are curable.

Moreover, inform your physician about any additional or unpleasant symptoms you are experiencing in addition to the gas. While assessing the patient, your doctor will check your concerns. Based on your symptoms, they could also request diagnostic testing for early diagnosis.

You have numerous therapy choices if you discover that your excessive wind is caused by cancer. What therapy is best for you will be determined by the location of your cancerous cells, if it has progressed, and your general health conditions. Cancer treatment options may include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery.

How To Reduce Excessive Wind?

It is not possible to completely eliminate farts, but there are several things that may assist in regulating them.

Consider the following:

• Prevent eating foods that aggravate it, like cauliflower, beans, onions, Brussel sprouts, maize, and cabbage.

• Eating carefully and chewing for extended periods of time minimise the quantity of air you ingest and aid in the breakdown of food.

• Activate charcoal pills or powders since they may absorb odour.

• Consume ginger because they help in easy digestion.

• Consuming peppermint tea

Eating six modest meals a day is also preferable to three big ones. Lighter meals digest more easily and may cause less wind, as per cancer research UK. Moreover, certain medications may assist reduce wind. Consult your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to determine which option is better for you.

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