Farting/Passing flatus, whether noisy or silent smelly or non-smelly, is a very common thing that almost all of us would have experienced at least once in a day. But, many people experience this almost throughout the day. The flatus could be loud enough or smelly enough to cause embarrassment. And, if you are wondering what are the causes of this discomforting condition and how to treat it effectively and safely without any side-effects, think no further. Homeopathy is at your rescue. Keep reading to learn all about it and homeopathic treatment for flatus.
Let us first understand the process behind the gas formation.
Passing gas a few times a day is considered normal. The doctors consider passing it up to fifteen times a day as normal. When we swallow food or water, we also swallow small quantities of air with it. This air is then expelled out in as a burp or escapes out of the anus as gas/flatus.
There are bacteria in our GUT that help in breaking down the food that passes into the intestines. They also release gas during this process. Therefore, passing flatus is also a sign that our bowels are working properly.
The smell of the flatus would depend on the type of food we eat. Food that takes a long time to digest, such as meat, could produce more offensive flatus as compared to that of vegetarian food with soluble fiber.
What Causes Some People to Pass More Flatus Than the Others?
- Swallowing More Air Than Normal: People who pass gas often swallow more air than others. This can happen if one is chewing on gum for a long time, eating too quickly, sucking on hard candies, simply swallowing saliva more often than others, taking carbonated drinks like soda, or smoking.
- Eating Food That is Difficult to Digest: Some food could be difficult to digest, particularly the ones containing complex carbohydrates and soluble fiber, such as beans and legumes, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, onions, whole grains, bran, oats, apples, pears, etc. These would pass into the intestines in a partially digested form. There the intestinal bacteria break them down into methane, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide resulting in increased flatulence.
- Underlying Digestive Issues: Increased flatulence could also be because of some underlying digestive issues, which are as below.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome: People with Irritable bowel syndrome have an intolerance to certain food. Also, they have altered gut bacteria population than normal, thereby leading to increased flatulence.
- Constipation: It happens if the movements of the intestines become slow causing food to remain inside the intestines for a long time. The longer the food remains in the intestines, the more the bacteria act on the carbohydrates causing them to break down and release gas.
- Lactose intolerance: Lactose is a type of sugar present in milk and its products. People who are unable to tolerate lactose experience more flatulence and bloating.
- Malabsorption Syndrome: It is a condition where the body is unable to absorb the digested nutrients from the food. The GUT bacteria act on the sugars causing breakdown and hence increased flatulence.
- Celiac Disease: People with celiac disease lack enzyme to digest gluten and hence experience more flatulence.
- Obstruction to intestines: In conditions where there is an obstruction in intestines due to strictures or tumors, the bacteria act over the accumulated food causing flatulence.
- Diarrhea and Stomach Infections: Diarrhea and stomach infections would disturb the GUT flora and cause increased flatulence.
- Postpartum Flatulence: This happens after a normal vaginal delivery. The straining of the muscles during delivery may cause them to stretch, thereby leading to a temporary loss of control over the passing of flatus. Also, there could be damage to the nerve of the pelvis due to tear in the perineum during delivery. This could also cause to lose control over the anus and hence the involuntary passing of flatus.
- High Sugar-Intake from Artificial Sweeteners: The intake of sugar from artificial sweeteners could also cause flatulence.
- A Lack of Physical Activities: Flatulence could result due to a lack of physical activities and a sedentary lifestyle.
What to Do If You are Passing Excessive Flatus?
The first step is to review your lifestyle and diet. Here are some helpful habits to follow if you are passing excessive flatus.
- Stop chewing gums.
- Chew the food slowly, and eat slowly.
- Avoid carbonated drinks
- Avoid using straws to drink
- Stop smoking
- Increase water intake
- Drink 8 glasses of water a day
- Exercise for 30 minutes a day.
- Maintain a food diary and note down the food items that you feel are causing increased gas and avoid them. (check out if you are lactose intolerant)
- Cut down the fiber in your diet, if you have suddenly increased it.
- Limit the intake of food that is normally considered as gas-forming, such as beans, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.
If, despite taking the above precautions, the flatulence problem is not relieved, visit your doctor who could medically review your case, suggest you tests to diagnose your condition, and treat you.
Does Homeopathy Have Any Solution for Gas?
Yes, Homeopathy has good medicines to help you with your gas/flatulence problem. Below are the most commonly prescribed homeopathic medicines for flatulence.
- Carbo veg: This homeopathic remedy is indicated for treating the gas present in the upper part of the abdomen and that presses upwards causing oppression in breathing. When you cannot digest the simplest food, your abdomen becomes distended with pain which is relieved by passing gas, decomposition of food occurs in the intestines, and when flatus is hot, moist, and offensive, Carbo veg can help you obtain relief.
- Lycopodium: Another routinely prescribed remedy for gas, particularly which is in the lower part of the abdomen, is Lycopodium. When the patient feels hungry but cannot eat more than a few morsels of food, the rumbling of gas in the abdomen occurs, and the patient is aggravated between 4 pm to 8 pm. Lycopodium is indicated. Usually, the patient you need this remedy likes to eat hot food and hot drinks craves for sweets, and his body disagrees with the consumption of beans and cabbage. The patient behaves very nicely with authorities but badly with people under him.
- China: When the patient has flatus all over his abdomen, the bloated feeling gets better by moving about, develops bitter taste in the mouth, turns irritable, feels exhausted by loose motions, and experiences belching of bitter fluid, China is recommended.
- Raphanus: Raphanus is indicated for severe bloating of the abdomen, when the patient is unable to pass the gas, neither upwards nor downwards. When the patient complains of a gripping pain about the navel, Raphanus can help.
- Aloes: When great accumulating of flatus in the abdomen occurs pressing downwards, fullness in the liver region occurs, a gripping pain around the navel develops, constant bearing down sensation discomforts the patient, and urge for stools is felt but patient unsure if flatus or stool will appear, Aloes is indicated.
Now that you know how effective homeopathy is in treating flatus discomfort, opt for homeopathy without a second thought if you happen to suffer from passing flatus often, and obtain relief.
