Trapped gas: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Trapped gas is really a very embarrassing problem. It causes a lot of pain and suffering too that can only be understood by the people who experience it. There are many different causes for developing trapped gas in the chest, stomach or abdomen.

In this article, let us discuss all the possible causes of gas get trapped in the body, the symptoms that gas trapped in chest and stomach produces and also some home remedies and other tips to alleviate the symptoms of trapped gas.

What is trapped gas?

There are many people who experience the troublesome symptoms and signs of trapped gas. Yet, many other people are completely unaware of this problem. So, let us enlighten the people who don’t know about trapped gas in the simplest possible manner.

Trapped gas can occur in the chest or the stomach or abdomen. Generally, it is caused by some medical conditions, the foods that we take and also due to the air we swallow. The gas trapped in the chest or stomach comes out as belching or burping and also flatus or flatulence.

The belching and passing of flatus occur in healthy people too, but in moderate amounts. Normal people pass gas about 14 to 15 times a day. Healthy people pass almost half a liter to one and a half liter gas every day. But, if you pass flatus or belch or burp more often and experience abdominal pain, chest pain, and other symptoms, then you are suffering from trapped gas.

Causes of trapped gas in chest and trapped gas in stomach:

There are many different causes for developing trapped gas. The majority of them are common for both gases getting trapped in the stomach and chest. Let us explore them together.

Swallowing excessive air:

We tend to swallow air normally too while eating and drinking. But, if you eat or drink very quickly, then excess air gets trapped in your chest and stomach. Smoking cigarettes can also lead to swallowing of air in excessive amounts and trapped gas. In addition to fast drinking, eating and smoking, people who chew gums or chewing gums more often also swallow a lot of air.

You need to pass flatus or burp after eating and drinking. It helps you get relieved from excess gas in the chest and abdomen. Otherwise, the trapped gas in the body causes a lot of trouble.

Gas forming foods:

We consume many different foods throughout the day. But, there are some foods that tend to cause trapped gas more easily. Some examples of such foods are Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

Excessive intake of proteinaceous foods like lentils, beans and sprouts can also cause trapped gas. Intake of aerated drinks or carbonated beverages can also increase the chances of trapped gas.

Foods with high starch content like potatoes can also lead to trapped gas. So, people with trapped gas symptoms should take these foods in a minimal quantity.

Mental stress:

In people who experience a lot of stress and anxiety, the digestive system doesn’t function efficiently. This can lead to the build of gases in the chest and stomach.

Also, if you suffer from any condition like panic attacks with or without agoraphobia, you tend to breathe more or hyperventilate and swallow a lot of air. This can lead to gas trapping in the body.

Lactose intolerance:

People who suffer from lactose intolerance cannot digest the food containing lactose easily. Due to this, they develop abdominal pain or cramps, bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, and weight loss when they eat any food product containing lactose.

Some examples of lactose-containing foods are the dairy products like cheese, milk, butter, yogurt, etc. So, these people need to avoid these foods and take alternative foods like Soya milk, etc.

Celiac disease:

Celiac disease is also called gluten-sensitive enteropathy. In people suffering from celiac disease, they are unable to digest the foods containing Gluten like wheat and rice.

Due to malabsorption of gluten, they develop symptoms like abdominal pain, cramps, steatorrhea or foul-smelling bulky pale stools, diarrhea, weight loss or failure to thrive and flatulence due to trapped gas. There is malabsorption of fats, fat-soluble vitamins, iron, etc.

These people develop anemias both iron deficiency anemia and B12 deficiency anemia, calcium deficiency, etc.

Trapped gas symptoms:

There are many different symptoms produced due to gas getting trapped in the chest and the stomach, intestines or the abdomen. Let us look at the most common symptoms:

Abdominal pain:

You might experience mild abdominal discomfort to severe abdominal pain or cramps. The pain in the abdomen might also shift from one place to the other in the abdomen. You also might experience bloating or fullness in the abdomen.

Pain in the chest:

Even in the chest, the severity of pain depends on the amount of gas trapped in the chest. It can range from mild chest discomfort or tightness to severe chest pain.

Burping:

You might pass a large amount of gas through your mouth. This is called belching or burping. Even normal people burp every day. But, people suffering from trapped gas burp or belch more frequently.

Flatulence:

You might pass large amounts of flatus and that too more often in comparison to a healthy person if you are suffering from trapped gas.

Loss of hunger:

You might lose your hunger or appetite as you are suffering from severe pain in the chest, abdomen, and your abdomen feels full or bloated.

How to diagnose trapped gas?

You need to visit your physician who will determine the exact cause of your trapped gas. He will take a detailed history regarding your food habits and other symptoms too.

He will also perform the requisite diagnostic tests. He might order you to get a test for stool sugar reducing substances to diagnose lactose intolerance. You might also need to get antibody tests like tissue transglutaminase test done if your physician suspects Celiac disease.

You also might need stool examination, stool culture and sometimes endoscopic tests like Colonoscopy if your Physician suggests them.

This will enable him to diagnose if you are suffering from trapped gas due to dietary habits or due to some disease or pathological problem. If you are suffering from any pathological disease, you will need to treatment for it. Otherwise, you can follow simple home remedies and tip to control trapped gas.

How to get rid of trapped gas in chest and stomach:

There are many different tips and home remedies for trapped gas. You can definitely treat and get rid of this troublesome gas trapped in chest and stomach. You need to have patience and follow these tips regularly.

Walk a lot:

Being sedentary and not moving or walking can lead to the accumulation of gases or air in the stomach and intestines. So, you need to walk every day at least for 30 minutes to get rid of trapped gas in the bowels. Walking helps in mobilizing the gas trapped in the body and pushing them out of the body through flatus or burps.

Drink a lot of water:

Accumulation of food substances in the intestines can lead to the bacteria breaking down these foods and leading to gas formation in excess amounts. So, to control the bacteria and gas formation, drink lots of water daily.

Drink warm water to increase digestion and to reduce the formation of gas. But, make sure that you drink water while eating. You need to have a gap of 30 minutes before and after meals to drink water. If you drink a lot of fluids during eating, it slows down digestion.

Avoid drinking aerated drinks:

Aerated drinks or Carbonated drinks are extremely popular amongst the people. But, they cause trapped gas and many other symptoms that are very troublesome. So, restrict drinking of aerated drinks. Aerated drinks also cause Gastroesophageal reflux disease and dental caries or rotten teeth, in addition to trapped gas.

Dietary modifications:

You have already seen that many food products are associated with developing trapped gas symptoms. So, restrict the intake of such foods like cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts.

Some people also develop trapped gas due to dietary products if they are suffering from lactose intolerance. If you are suffering from lactose intolerance, don’t take dietary products.

Herbal teas:

Many different herbal teas can help in promoting digestion and alleviating the symptoms of trapped gas in the chest and stomach.

Just brew up simple herbal teas like peppermint tea, chamomile tea or ginger tea to reduce trapped gas. You need to drink these herbal teas at least 3 times a day to see a significant reduction in trapped gas.

Consume pumpkin:

Consumption of pumpkin is a good natural remedy to get rid of trapped gas in the body. It reduces the amount of gas produced in the body after each meal. You can either bake, boil or steam the pumpkin before eating it. In addition to reducing trapped gas, pumpkin also helps in strengthening your immune system, beautifies your skin and nails.

Eat smaller frequent meals:

Eating large quantity of food at once also leads to excess production of gas that gets trapped and causes flatulence and other symptoms. So, change your dietary pattern and eat a higher number of meals with lesser quantity.

Lemon water:

Lemon water stimulates the digestive system and digestion and helps us to get rid of trapped gas. So, drink lemon water every day on an empty stomach in the morning.

Just warm up a glass of water and add the juice of a lemon and a spoon of honey to it. You can also add a spoon of grated ginger to it to alleviate the trapped gas symptoms more efficiently.

Fennel seeds:

Fennel seeds are really good in promoting digestion and getting rid of excess trapped gas in the stomach. So, just chew a spoon of fennel seeds after each meal to remove trapped gas.

You, people, have seen all the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of trapped gas in the chest and stomach. Do you suffer from trapped gas problems? Have you tried any such home remedy which alleviates your symptoms very fast? Do share your experience with us.