Gas and Gas pains

Diagnosis

Your doctor will likely determine what's causing your gas and gas pains based
on:

 Your medical history

 A review of your dietary habits
 A physical exam

During the physical exam, your doctor may touch your abdomen to determine if
there is any tenderness and if anything feels abnormal. Listening to the sound of
your abdomen with a stethoscope can help your doctor determine how well your
digestive tract is working.

Depending on your exam and presence of other signs and symptoms — such as
weight loss, blood in your stool or diarrhea — your doctor may order additional
diagnostic tests.

Treatment

If your gas pains are caused by another health problem, treating the underlying
condition may offer relief. Otherwise, bothersome gas is generally treated with
dietary measures, lifestyle modifications or over-the-counter medications.
Although the solution isn't the same for everyone, with a little trial and error,
most people are able to find some relief.

Diet

Dietary changes may help reduce the amount of gas your body produces or help
gas move more quickly through your system. Keeping a diary of your diet and
gas symptoms will help your doctor and you determine the best options for
changes in your diet. You may need to eliminate some items or eat smaller
portions of others.

Reducing or eliminating the following dietary factors may improve gas

symptoms:

 High-fiber foods: High-fiber foods that can cause gas include beans,
onions, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, artichokes,
asparagus, pears, apples, peaches, prunes, whole wheat and bran. You can
experiment with which foods affect you most. You may avoid high-fiber
foods for a couple of weeks and gradually add them back. Talk to your
doctor to ensure you maintain a healthy intake of dietary fiber.

 Dairy:  Reducing dairy products from your diet can lessen symptoms. You
also may try dairy products that are lactose-free or take milk products
supplemented with lactase to help with digestion.

 Sugar substitutes. Eliminate or reduce sugar substitutes, or try a different

substitute.
  Fried or fatty foods. Dietary fat delays the clearance of gas from the
intestines. Cutting back on fried or fatty foods may reduce symptoms.

 Carbonated beverages. Avoid or reduce your intake of carbonated

beverages.

 Fiber supplements. If you use a fiber supplement, talk to your doctor

about the amount and type of supplement that is best for you.

 Water. To help prevent constipation, drink water with your meals,

throughout the day and with fiber supplements.

Over-the-counter remedies

The following products may reduce gas symptoms for some people:

 Alpha-galactosidase (Beano, BeanAssist, others) helps break down

carbohydrates in beans and other vegetables. You take the supplement just
before eating a meal.

 Lactase supplements (Lactaid, Digest Dairy Plus, others) help you digest

the sugar in dairy products (lactose). These reduce gas symptoms if you're
lactose intolerant. Talk to your doctor before using lactase supplements if
you're pregnant or breast-feeding.

 Simethicone (Gas-X, Mylanta Gas Minis, others) helps break up the

bubbles in gas and may help gas pass through your digestive tract. There is
little clinical evidence of its effectiveness in relieving gas symptoms.

 Activated charcoal (Actidose-Aqua, CharoCaps, others) taken before and

after a meal may reduce symptoms, but research has not shown a clear
benefit. Also, it may interfere with your body's ability to absorb
medications. Charcoal may stain the inside of your mouth and your
clothing.
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