Medical Questions » Gut (Intestines) Questions » Question No. 443
| Question: | You write a lot about hearts etc., but how about wind! My husband suffers badly from wind. Sometimes he is in agony, and nothing seems to relieve it. I would like to know what causes wind. |
| Answer: | Gas can leave the bowel by burping or farting. If it is unable to leave as rapidly as it should, pressure builds up inside the gut to cause severe discomfort, loud noises and loss of appetite.
Gas can enter the bowel by swallowing air with rapid eating or nervous swallowing, or by drinking fizzy drinks such as lemonade or beer.
Gas can be formed in the bowel by fermentation of food in the gut, or by the oxygen in the blood coming out of solution, and bubbling slowly into the gut.
People who suffer from excessive wind in the gut must take measutes to reduce the amount of gas entering the gut, by eating slowly and avoiding fizzy drinks. At times of anxiety, nervous swallowing can also be a significant problem, and avoiding the cause of the anxiety may help.
If excess fermentation is the problem, the wind is usually foul smelling. A course of special antibiotics can kill off the germs in the gut that are responsible for the problem.
A wide range of anti-flatulence medications are available from chemists. The simpler ones contain substances such as peppermint oil and charcoal.
If rhese do not work, doctors can prescribe drugs to prevent the gut spasms, and reduce the production of gas.
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