Reviewer: Yang Tao (The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University)
Farting, bloating, and constipation are really a constant battle for many people, usually diet-related, but some more serious illnesses may be the cause.
1. Common causes of gas and bloating
Most people know that eating beans, cauliflower, and onions can lead to farting, but ignore that fruit, soda, and milk can also cause farting.
Fructose (the sugar found in fruit and soda) and lactose (the sugar found in dairy products) are also common causes of gas, bloating, cramps, and diarrhea.
1, lactose and fructose
Lactose intolerance is common. An estimated 30-50 million Americans have some degree of lactose intolerance, and certain ethnic groups are more susceptible to it, including 90% of Asians and 75% of African-Americans, Jews, Hispanics Americans and American Indians.
Fructose intolerance is also common, but not well known.
University of Kansas researcher Peter Bill, who presented a study at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in Seattle, reported that nearly half of normal people who eat fructose-containing foods fart .
Fructose is commonly found hidden in fruit juices and sweeteners in soft drinks.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
Observe the relationship between food and illness:
Experts suggest keeping a diet diary to record the link between the foods you eat and your symptoms, and then give the aggregated information to your doctor.
Carefully examining the diet and the amount of gas excreted can help link specific foods to symptoms and determine the severity of the condition.
In addition, doctors do tests to diagnose lactose and fructose intolerance.
In fact, because of its ubiquity, Bill recommends that patients do a breath test to see if lactose is the source of the condition.
2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
But other researchers believe that many gasping, bloating and constipation problems are linked to another condition: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Philadelphia-based independent researcher Dr. Moog Dagor researched this question and found in a survey that more than 650 people were diagnosed with bowel disease and Most had irritable bowel syndrome and did not get any relief from medication.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
Irritable bowel syndrome can cause gas and bloating:
Dr. Gore presented her research at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in Seattle.
Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the most common bowel disorders and can be difficult to diagnose, Gore said.
For many patients, symptoms often alternate, with gas and bloating being common symptoms, along with symptoms such as abdominal pain or discomfort, and changes in bowel habits. Constipation for a week, followed by diarrhea, or a sudden urge to have a bowel movement.
Gore also said that this pattern varies from person to person.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Causes:
Experts don’t know the exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome, but it’s suspected to be triggered by stress, hormones, and confusion in nerve signals in the brain.
Many mild patients do not see a doctor for this problem. “Whether irritable bowel syndrome is a real disease is a lot of debate,” Gore said. “These are all associated with spastic colons, which for some reason start to become irregular in some populations. to operate.”
2. Drugs to relieve gas and bloating
Prescription drugs such as omeprazole, ranitidine, and famotidine can all “sedate” the muscle spasms that cause colon disease.
Gore also added that antidepressants may help with pain relief. Painkillers, antidiarrheals, and fart relievers are all available over-the-counter medications, and two other prescription drugs, alosetron and tegaserod, may be helpful for some women with the condition.
But in Gore’s study, it only worked in 1/3 of people with gas and bloating. “More patients report that these drugs are ineffective”, Gore said.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
Three, fart and abdominal distension affect the quality of life
Gore added, “If you have constipation, eat more fiber-rich foods, and if you have diarrhea, stop coffee and beans.”
“For some people, it’s a quality-of-life issue,” Gore said. “Some people have been suffering from it for a year, and some people have been bloated for a period of time. Weeks without recovery, and some people even have to take work days off, everyone is suffering, and pharmaceutical companies need to develop therapeutic products for these people.”
“In the worst case, gas and bloating can be a sign of colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease, often accompanied by weight loss, blood in the stool and anemia”, Philadelphia Dr. Radhika, an expert in gastroenterology and an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, added.
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