Causes of Gas and Flatulence

QUESTION: It is a terribly embarrassing situation to ask a question about,
and I wonder how you might answer it in a newspaper column, but I bet a lot of
people would be glad to have your advice. I suffer from gas, and break wind
at the most awkward times. Is this normal? What can I about it? Please
help.
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ANSWER: There is always an appropriate way to respond to a serious question,
even when the subject is not one frequently discussed, and I know you are
right in thinking that many people will be interested in the answer. My mail
proves that. The medical word for the problem is "Flatulence," and simply
means the passage of gas through the rectum. No one is exempt from this
occurrence as the body produces from 400 to 2400 cc of flatus (gas) each day
and must get rid of it, one way or another. Most of the gas in our intestinal
system comes from swallowed air, which frequently leaves the way it comes when
it is belched out. Air swallowing occurs when we eat rapidly, chew gum, or
have dentures that fit poorly. Additional gas comes from drinking soda or
beer, or any carbonated drink. Any gas remaining after belching travels
forward into the intestinal system to be joined by that produced during the
digestion of food. Our choice of foods may be part of the cause, since beans,
cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and the now famous bran are only
partially digested in the small intestine. When the undigested particles
reach the colon, a process called fermentation results in the production of
still more gas. All of these are normal processes that produce enough gas to
explain your problem. However, some medical conditions involving digestive
enzymes may be the cause, and your physician can help you sort that out. If
you have read all of this quite carefully, you will see that there are a
number of things you can do. Have your dentist check your dentures for proper
fit, stay away from gas producing foods, and stay away from carbonated
beverages. Eat your food slowly, chew it well, swallow it carefully, and take
chewing gum out of your daily routine. Carefully following these suggestions
can do much to help. As for medications, while simethicone may help, the
usual antacids offer little relief for your problem.