Flatulence (flatus)

• Avoid beans, cabbage, and carbonated beverages.
• Avoid gum chewing.
• Chew your food thoroughly.
• Eat more slowly.
• Relax while you eat.
• Walk for 10 - 15 minutes after eating.

Call your doctor if:

• You have other symptoms in addition to gas, like abdominal or rectal pain, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or weight loss
• You have oily, foul-smelling, or bloody stools

Your doctor will perform a physical examination with special attention to your abdomen, and ask questions about your symptoms, such as:

• What is your diet like?
• Has it recently changed?
• What foods do you eat commonly?
• What foods have you eaten recently?
• Have you increased the fiber in your diet?
• How fast do you eat, chew, and swallow?
• Would you say that your gas is mild or severe?
• Does your gas seem to be related to eating milk products or other specific foods?
• What seems to make your gas better?
• What medications do you take?
• Do you have other symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, early satiety (premature fullness after meals), bloating, or weight loss?

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

• Abdominal CT scan
• Abdominal ultrasound
• Barium enema x-ray
• Barium swallow x-ray
• Blood studies such as CBC or blood differential
• Sigmoidoscopy
• Upper endoscopy (EGD)

Images

Abdominal ultrasound

Intestinal gas

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Gas Overview

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Gas Prevention

Review Date: 04/12/2010
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)