What Are Medications to Treat Flatulence?

Passage of gas up to 20 times a day is still considered normal, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. Flatulence has a long list of causes, not all of which are related to foods, but preventing typically requires changes in habits or diets, not medicine.

Where does the gas come from

• Causes of flatulence, the passage of excessive intestinal gas through the anus, include the amount of air that is swallowed; the movement of intestinal tracts that expel gas or air; or the actions of bacteria inside the colon that deal with foods difficult to digest completely, like beans. Sensitivity to certain foods, which varies by individual, may also increase the likelihood of gas. According to emedicinehealth.com, flatulence can also be related to constipation, or it may be a byproduct of more serious conditions like blood in the stool, abdominal pain and swelling, or bacterial overgrowth in the GI tract, which can be treated with antibiotics.

Shutting off the pipeline

• There are a number of over-the counter gas medications, including Gas-X, Flatulex, Mylanta, Maalox and Imodium Multi-Symptom Relief. A common active ingredient is simethicone, an anti-foaming agent. These medicines, however, are used to relieve pain caused by gas, not prevent the gas itself. They speed up the rate at which gas leaves the body, according to www.emedicinehealth.com.

  There is also a product called Beano, an enzyme supplement that contains sugar-digesting enzymes that could work in breaking down beans and many vegetables, according to emedicine.com. And there are over-the-counter charcoal tablets that can be taken before and after meals to reduce gas in the colon.

  But to stop the excess gas before it can begin, reduce your intake of beans and other flatulence-causing foods. Foods containing Sorbitol (slow-metabolizing sugar sweetner product) and fructose are the most common offenders, and limiting high-fat foods allows your stomach to empty faster and avoid gas buildup, according to emedicinehealth.com

  You can also monitor activities that cause you to swallow air, like chewing gum, sucking on hard candy, drinking rapidly or consuming carbonated beverages, using tobacco products, having loose dentures or hyperventilating. Swallowed air that is not removed by belching goes to the intestines and eventually the rectum, according to emedicinehealth.com

  If you suspect lactose intolerance is the cause, remove dairy foods from your diet for at least 10 days and monitor the effect the change has on your flatulence.

  If flatulence remains in your life and is the cause of social embarrassment, charcoal filter undergarments are available to combat odor, according to emedicinehealth.com