If you are experiencing persistent or severe gas, it can be rather embarrassing. Gas can take on many forms, from chronic belching to flatulence. While experiencing gas from time to time is normal, it shouldn't feel uncontrollable, painful or foul smelling. If you are dealing with any of these symptoms, it's time we found the cause of your symptoms and how to relieve this pesky gastrointestinal issue.
One way to alleviate gas is to avoid certain foods that could make you prone to this problem. Common foods that you will want to limit or avoid include:
- Fruits
- Certain vegetables like onions and broccoli
- Whole grains
- Dairy products
- Carbonated beverages
These foods all contain fiber, sugar and starch, which can be difficult for your intestinal system to digest. It can be a process of elimination to determine which kinds of foods are responsible for your gassy symptoms and which ones don't. Once you determine which foods are to blame it's best to avoid them whenever possible.
Other ways to alleviate your symptoms is to eat and drink slowly during meals and snack time. If you are someone who guzzles down a drink or scarfs down food as quickly as possible then you may find yourself with a serious bout of gas. To combat this problem we recommend that you eat and drink slowly so you aren't gasping in as much air, which can cause gas problems.
Besides lifestyle changes you can make to help remedy your situation, there are also over-the-counter digestive enzymes you can take, which can help the body digest natural sugars found in vegetables and beans. Just by taking the medication prior to eating you can help reduce excessive gas brought on by lactose found in dairy products and fiber found in most vegetables and whole grains.
Of course, gas symptoms can be indicative of another condition such as:
- A gastrointestinal disorder like an ulcer or GERD
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Lactose intolerance
- Colon cancer
And if your gas symptoms have appeared after a hernia, significant weight changes or gastrointestinal surgery it's always important to have the issue checked out by one of our GI specialists.
If you are dealing with gas or other gastrointestinal symptoms that are affecting your daily life, then it's time to call our Suffolk County, NY office at (631) 289-0300.