How To Get Rid Of Gas Pains

Unfortunately, gas pains are something that can be embarrassing and sometimes a social disaster but they are something that we have to deal with from time to time. Nobody likes to talk about it and, as a result, there is a shortage of reliable information. Some people suffer even without realizing that they have pains because of gas. Still others associate gas with flatulence without realizing that it is only one method by which he body gets rid of excess gas.

Common symptoms of excess gas

The most common symptoms associated with excess gas include flatulence, belching, and distension and bloating of the area of the abdomen and pain and pressure in the abdomen. Only people who suffer from excess gas can truly appreciate the discomfort and the unpleasantness of gas pains. When you are feeling the effects, you would give anything for quick relief and there are, in fact things that you can do for relief as well as to prevent gas pains from happening in the first place.

Remedies for gas pains

There are plenty of over-the-counter medications that can help you to handle gas pains, release excess gas and control the bloating and the pressure in the abdomen. Apart from the name brands, there is generic medication available that is cheaper and works just as well. You should specifically look for antacids that contain an ingredient called Simethicone.Simethicone is a foaming agent that works on the bubbles of gas in your stomach and helps to get rid of them.

Sipping hot water is one of the simplest and most effective remedies for gas pains. This helps to build pressure on the stomach and thus get rid of excess gas. Herbal remedies have been known to be effective in easing gas pains and have the advantage of having no side-effects. Try drinking warm water with a dash of peppermint or hot peppermint tea. This will relax the intestines which makes it easier for your body to get rid of the gas. Ginger and chamomile mixed with warm water or hot tea will also work provided you drink it immediately after you have had a meal.

Another remedy that is popular in Asia is to use a teaspoonful of fenugreek seeds. Take a glass of hot water and put the seeds in your mouth. Bite down on them once or twice (they taste awful by the way) and wash down with hot water. Another popular household Asian remedy is to take one or two cloves of garlic and cook them in a pan with a spoonful of clarified butter till they have turned brown. Chew on the browned garlic and swallow. Both garlic and clarified butter at have a beneficial effect on your digestion.

Foods that cause gas pains

Obviously the best way of how to get rid of gas painsis not to have them in the first place. Try and find out what kind of foods are likely to give you gas pains so that you can avoid them altogether. Certain foods are known to give you gas pains and these include starchy foods (such as beans and corn), certain vegetables (such as cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli) as well as some kinds of dairy products such as milk and cheese. You should also increase your intake of water to help your digestion and drink at least eight to 10 glasses of water every day.

Lots of fiber can also cause gas pains. Obviously, you should not cut out fiber altogether from your diet but spread out your intake of fiber through the day instead of taking your daily portion in a single meal. Lactose intolerance is also a common cause of gas pains because your body has difficulty in digesting lactose. As a result, your intestinal bacteria feed on the leftover lactose and cause it to ferment causing the production of excessive gas. If you get gas pains regularly after ingesting milk or milk products, your body is lactose intolerant. Drink lactose free milk and cut out as many dairy products from your diet as you possibly can.

Stomach pain

Stomach pain that is experienced in the absence of an ulcer is often a term that is used to describe symptoms of indigestion for which there are no obvious cause. This pain is often referred to as functional dyspepsia or nonulcer dyspepsia. This condition is quite common in and can last for a prolonged period. The symptoms can often be similar to those of ulcers such as upper abdominal pain with bloating, flatulence, belching or nausea. The discomfort can often be relieved with antacids.

Gastritis

Important functions for the body such as the digestion and the assimilation of food are carried out in the stomach. Food is prepared for assimilation and absorption by gastric acids and enzymes that react with the food. Gastritis is one type of stomach disorder that has accompanied by stomach pain caused by an inflammation of the inner lining of the stomach. The symptoms will generally begin to show themselves after you have eaten a meal. These may include nausea, bloating, diarrhea or constipation. Gastritis is caused by persistent irritation of the stomach lining from different factors. Gastritis is, at the onset, often marked by mild symptoms such as heartburn, belching and a feeling of fullness in the abdomen. Prolonged and continued destruction of the stomach lining has the ultimate effect of developing a stomach ulcer.

Gastritis is not the only cause of stomach pains and there can be many other reasons for experiencing pain in the stomach. Stomach flu is often accompanied by pain along with stomach cramps or painful gripping sensations in the abdomen. The onset of stomach flu is sudden and often causes diarrhea. Fortunately it clears up within a few days. The presence of severe and persistent pain in the lower right abdomen is often a sign of appendicitis and requires emergency medical treatment.

Bad habits cause stomach pains

The acidity in the stomach can increase by the consumption of many different types of foods and drinks and the effect of the acidity is to increase the irritation in the stomach lining. Some of these factors include consumption of coffee and alcohol and the use of cigarettes. The irritation in the stomach lining can be increased if large quantities of food are retained in the stomach as in the case of overeating. Eating large quantities of oily or fried foods can lead to indigestion and excess gas production because these foods take long to digest.

Cramps in the abdomen

Cramps in the abdomen can quite simply be defined as painful muscle contractions in the region of the stomach, the abdomen or the intestines. The pain that you feel may be acute in that you feel it suddenly or chronic where the pain is gradual and you feel it on and off. Often, these are minor in medical terms but can sometimes be a symptom of a more serious underlying condition. The cramping itself is often caused by another condition such as excessive gas, stomach flu or diarrhea. There are several ways of how to get rid of gas pains.

You may get cramps in the abdomen even when you have problems with organs that are not actually located in the abdominal cavity but are situated close by. This kind of pain goes by the name of referred pain because the pain is being referred or transferred from another part of the body to the abdomen… One example of this kind of pain is the pain from stones in the kidney or the gallbladder that is felt in the abdomen.

Pains in the abdomens with women

For women, female organs such as the uterus or the ovaries can cause pain and cramps in the abdomen. Monthly menstruation can often cause menstrual cramps but other disorders can produce the same symptoms. A condition called Endometriosis which occurs when tissues in the uterus are affected can produce painful abdominal cramps. Other causes of cramps are fibroids and cysts. Fibroids are benign tumors that can erupt on the uterine walls while cysts which are also benign can appear on the ovaries.

Other disorders that can cause cramping in the abdomen include irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, allergies related to food and food poisoning. Infections of the urinary tract, inflammation of the pancreas and obstructions in the bowels can cause the same symptoms. These are all serious medical conditions and a physician should be consulted if there is any suspicion that one of these disorders is present. In any case, if the cramps in the abdomen and do not cleared up within a few days, there is a good chance that the condition is serious and a visit to your doctor is a must.

Uncommon causes of abdominal pains

Some of the more uncommon causes of abdominal cramps include some forms of cancer that affect the liver, stomach and the pancreas. Fortunately, these are relatively rare but extremely serious and immediate medical intervention is absolutely necessary. Another unusual cause of cramps in the abdomen is a condition known as somatization disorder which is a disorder related to the emotions. In extremely unusual cases, the cramps may be a symptom of a medical emergency because of inflammation or rupture of the abdominal organs and the most common is appendicitis. However, other organs attack on the point of rupture will show similar symptoms and medical assistance should immediately be sought.