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What Are the Causes of Morning Gas Pains?

Passing gas can be humiliating if it happens at the wrong time, but it is a natural part of life. When you don't pass gas as often as your body needs to, you can end up suffering from chronic gas pains. If you are continually waking up in the morning with sharp, shooting gas pains and excess bloating, you need to look at the underlying reason for your excess gas if you want to improve your digestive health.

  1. Lactose Intolerance

    • If you find yourself suffering from gas pains in the morning after eating and drinking things such as milk or macaroni and cheese and ice cream at night, you may be lactose-intolerant. People who are lactose-intolerant can't produce enough of the enzyme needed to digest foods containing dairy. If you suspect you are lactose-intolerant, you should begin avoiding dairy products and see if your morning gas pain begins to subside. You should also make an appointment with a doctor who can give you a firm diagnosis. There are also some over-the-counter medications available that can help you to enjoy dairy-rich foods in moderation.

    Pregnancy

    • Most people associate morning sickness with vomiting, but pregnant women can also suffer from morning sickness that includes gas pains in their stomachs. Because you will go through many hormone changes during pregnancy, you may begin to produce a lot more gas even if you were not prone to a lot of gas before your pregnancy. It is also important to remember that your baby is putting pressure on a lot of your vital organs, which can make you more vulnerable to gas and bloating. If you are extremely concerned, there is no harm in mentioning your morning gas to your doctor, but most likely you will find out that it is just an unflattering but normal part of being pregnant.

    Constipation and Laxatives

    • The use of laxatives to cure constipation is a Catch-22. Although it is a popular practice, laxatives will cause you to suffer from more gas pains as they are doing their job. If you take laxatives at night, it is not uncommon to suffer from gas pains in the middle of the night or when you wake up in the morning. It is important to limit your use of laxatives and instead to eat a healthier diet rich in vegetables and fiber to cure constipation.

    Crohn's Disease

    • If you seem to be constantly suffering from morning gas pains no matter what remedies you try to relieve this symptom, it is possible that you could be suffering from a chronic illness. If your gas pains are accompanied by diarrhea and nausea, it is important to make an appointment with a specialist to be checked for Crohn's disease. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel issue. Although there is currently no cure for for this condition, your doctor can help you to manage your symptoms.

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