Gas in the Abdomen

 Gas in the AbdomenGas in the Abdomen

Gas in the Abdomen

 


 

 

 

Terms You Should Know 

  • Belching : Release of excess intestinal gas through the mouth. Also call burping.

  • Bowel : The small or large intestine. 

  • Colon : A portion of the large intestine not including the rectum (see also large intestine)

  • Colonoscopy : A medical test that uses an instrument to view the inside of the large intestine. 

  • Constipation : The infrequent or difficult passage of hard, dry stools. 

  • Descending Colon : The portion of the large intestine just beyond the transverse colon that starts on the left side of the abdomen land moves down toward the sigmoid colon. 

  • Digestion : The process of breaking down foods into smaller components that the body can absorb to use for energy, growth and cell repair. 

  • Digestive System : The complex system of organs that converts food into energy. The digestive system includes the salivary glands, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, biliary tract, small intestine and large intestine. 

  • Duodenum : The first part of the small intestine. Digestive juices from the pancreas, liver and gall bladder empty into the duodenum. 

  • Dyspepsia : Upper abdominal discomfort, often due to disorders of the stomach, upper small intestine, biliary tract, liver or pancreas.

  • Dysphagia :Difficulty in swallowing..

  • Oesophagus : The muscular tube that connects the throat (pharynx) to the stomach. 

  • Fibre: The indigestible part of foods of plant origin is called fibre.

  • Flatulence : The presence of excess gas in the stomach or intestines. 

  • Gas : Gas that usually comes from swallowing of air and the breakdown of food or both. 

  • Gastric : Pertaining to the stomach

  • Heartburn : A burning sensation in the chest that results when gastric acid backflows into the oesophagus. 

  • Hepatic: Pertaining to the liver 

  •  Hiatal hernia : Upper part of the stomach bulges through the diaphragm opening ( hiatus) and into the chest cavity. 

  • Ileum : The last portion of the small intestine. 

  • Indigestion : A nonspecific term that refers to upper abdominal discomfort ( dyspepsia)

  • Intestines : The portion of the digestive tract that extends from the stomach to the anus.

  • Irritable bowel syndrome ( IBS) : A chronic condition characterized by abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhoea and constipation. 

  • Jejunum : The middle portion of the small intestine located between the duodenum and ileum. 

  • Lactose Intolerance : A condition in which a person's small intestine doesn't produce enough lactase, an enzyme that digests a sugar found naturally in milk and other dairy products ( lactose) 

  • Large intestine : A muscular tube that extends from the end of the small intestine ( ileum) to the anus. 

  • Laxative : A medicine that helps relieve constipation 

  • Liver : The largest internal organ in the body. It is located in the upper right portion of the abdomen. 

  • Nausea : An unpleasant sensation in the abdomen, which may be followed by vomiting. 

  • Nonulcer dyspepsia : A common disorder in which the upper digestive tract produces symptoms such as pain, burning or discomfort in the upper abdomen, but tests fail to reveal a specific cause such as peptic ulcer. 

  • Pancreas : An organ that lies horizontally, partly behind the lower part of the stomach.

  • Pancreatitis : An inflammation of the pancreas that may cause intense, persistent pain in the upper abdomen.

  • Peristalsis : Wave-like muscle contractions that spread or push food and liquid naturally through the digestive tract. 

  • Rectum : The lowest portion of the large intestine that stores stool until it is expelled.

  • Reflux : Backflow 

  • Regurgitation : See reflux 

  • Sigmoid colon : The lower part of the large intestine that connects to the rectum.

  • Small intestine : A long, muscular tube that breaks food into smaller components that can be absorbed through its lining into the bloodstream. Most of the digestion and absorption process takes place in the small intestine. 

  • Sphincter : A circular band of muscle that opens and closes.

  • Stomach : A muscular, sac-like organ that churns and breaks food into smaller pieces.

  • Stool : Waste products such as bacteria and food residue expelled from the body through the rectum and anus. Also referred to as faeces. 

  • Stricture : A narrowing of a passageway. Also called stenosis. 

  • Vomit : The forceful ejection of stomach contents through the mouth. 

Symptoms of gas in the digestive tract vary from belching and bloating to flatulence and abdominal pain. Belching, also known as burping, is the act of expelling gas from the stomach through the mouth. For some people excessive gas is a regular problem, causing embarrassment and discomfort, but it is rarely a sign of serious disease. 


Belching or burping consists of swallowed air, which is largely nitrogen; therefore, burping rarely smells bad. Passing gas from the rectum is known as flatulence. It depends on the food consumed and the activity of the bacteria in the colon. Undigested food that reaches the large intestine is broken down by the bacteria that are normally found in the colon. Bacteria breakdown the food into hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. Any food that doesn't get absorbed well is likely to lead to gas formation, for example artificial sweetener like sorbitol which is present in sugar-free gums. Sorbitol is not absorbed directly. Bacteria decompose it and produce gas. Some people produce methane and others do not. Methane imparts foul smell to gases coming out of the rectum. The number of times gas is passed correlates well with the total amount ( volume) of passed gas. Therefore, in cases of flatulence, the number of times gas is passed should be counted for several days. It is normal to pass gas up to 20 times a day. 

Causes
Repetitive Belching 
Treatment