Quick Relief for Bowel Gas

Bowel or intestinal gas can cause pain, stomach bloating and flatulence; and depending on the cause, you may encounter gas on a regular basis. But fortunately, there are ways to quickly get rid of bowel gas and stop discomfort.

Considerations

• Constipation often plays a role in intestinal or bowel gas. Relieve constipation by increasing your fiber intake. This promotes soft, regular stools and quickly eliminates intestinal gas and cramping.

Effects of Activity

• In addition to increasing your fiber to stop constipation and relieve gas, physical activity can induce intestinal contractions and encourage regular movements, which reduces gas in the intestinal tract.

Prevention/Solution

• Assess your eating habits. Habitually talking while chewing your foods or eating at a fast pace can bring on intestinal or bowel gas. These habits result in the swallowing of excess air, which can trigger gas. Other triggers include drinking with a straw, chewing gum and smoking.

Warning

• Identifying foods that cause bowel gas and limiting your intake of such foods can relieve your symptoms. Keep a food journal and monitor your symptoms. Typical gassy foods include vegetables such as broccoli, onions, cauliflower, beans, wheat-products and dairy.

Expert Insight

• Taking an over-the-counter medication like Alka-Seltzer or Gas-X can alleviate bowel gas and pain. You can also prevent bowel gas by taking a digestive enzyme before eating gassy foods or milk products.