Intestinal gas formation is a normal component of the process of digestion. Yet, if excessive gas is formed this will lead to the painful condition. In a lot of cases, this may not be a serious problem but as it continues for a long period of time, it will bring a lot of discomfort. During the digestion process, our body will be unable to digest some kinds of carbohydrates such as starch and fiber which can be found in various kinds of foods. If these undigested carbohydrates will reach the large intestine, the bacteria will then ferment them and will form gas. The severity of the symptoms of gas pain will vary from one individual to another.
If we eat or drink at an extremely fast pace, we tend to swallow large amounts of gas that will also enter the lower part of the digestive tract and cause gas. Foods which are rich in fibers are primarily responsible in causing gas formation. The intake of carbonated beverages will also lead to the symptoms of gas pain.
Other gas pain causes are the side effects of medications such as antibiotics, excessive use of laxatives, intolerance to some foods such as dairy products or artificial food additives and more.
Symptoms of Gas Pain
The gas pain symptoms will begin to show up if there is accumulation of gas inside the intestines and will not be expelled. Listed below are the most commonly observed gas pain symptoms:
Abdominal pain: The gas pain intensity will depend on the amount of gas being produced by the body. The pain can be felt mostly in the form of abdominal cramps which are sharp and jabbing. At times, if it is felt on the left area of the colon, persons will erroneously think of it as associated with heart problems. If it is on the right area of the colon, the pain can often be mistaken as related to appendicitis or gallstones. Try to read further about abdominal pain.
Belching: This is due to the swallowing of large amounts of air while a person is eating or drinking. The air which will enter the digestive tract will combine with the contents inside the stomach and begin to belch up in the form of burps. If not, this will be passed to the large intestines and will then pass to the rectum. If you belch occasionally after a heavy meal that can be considered normal. But if it will become chronic, it might an indication of acid reflux disease or peptic ulcer disease.
Abdominal bloating: This will happen if there is excess amount of gas that is present inside the digestive tract and the body will become highly sensitive to gas. A lot of doctors believed that abdominal bloating can be due to certain underlying disorders of the intestine such as irritable bowel syndromes or IBS wherein abnormality in the movements as well as contractions of abdominal muscles will take place. Learn more information about the causes of abdominal bloating.
Flatulence: This is among the most common symptoms which are associated with gas pain. This will mostly happen after eating foods such as cabbage, cauliflower, bran, beans and a lot more. When your body is not used to these foods, the carbohydrates present with these kinds of foods will not be properly digested in the small intestine and instead will be broken down by bacteria found in the large intestine. This can result to excessive flatulence.