How to ease painful trapped wind

Jan 29, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – If you suffer from what many Guyanese refer to as “wind pain,” this article may be able to help you find solutions to your discomforting situation. This week, Kaieteur News will take a look at what causes wind pain or trapped wind.

wind pain

Gas pain may occur if gas is trapped or not moving well through your digestive system. An increase in gas or gas pain may result from eating foods that are more likely to produce gas. Often, relatively simple changes in eating habits can lessen bothersome gas.

Unbeknownst to many, diet plays a major key role in dealing with trapped wind. Avoiding foods that are high in saturated fat or contain artificial sweeteners can help because they are more likely to produce gas.

Your body may also produce more gas if you are lactose intolerant. Consider getting tested if you think you may have lactose intolerance, before making significant adjustments to your diet.

In addition, humans all produce gas and need to pass wind to release it on average around 15 to 20 times a day. Holding it in can lead to painful trapped wind and noticeable bloating.

Trapped wind isn’t dangerous, but the pain and bloating associated with trapped wind cause discomfort, and sometimes embarrassment.

Trapped wind can also be caused by digestion. Some people’s digestive systems may be slower at processing and clearing gas than others, this could be because they lack the required enzymes in their intestines. It may also be related to digestion in the form of:

Eating too much or too quickly
Taking in too much air when you eat
Chewing gum

Symptoms of trapped wind

Trapped wind symptoms normally appear quite suddenly, typically with uncomfortable sharp, stabbing pains. Some of the most popular symptoms of trapped wind are as follows:

A bloated stomach or abdomen
Pain or cramps in the stomach or abdomen that can move upwards as far as the shoulder
Flatulence
Burping
Loud gurgling noises coming from your stomach
An uncomfortable feeling of fullness

Ways to deal with trapped wind

Exercise

Physically moving around causes the intestines to also move around, meaning that the little bubbles of gas caused by eating and digestion can be released. You might not feel like jumping around after a meal but taking a walk soon after eating can really help with trapped wind pain.

If you still have trapped wind, you could try some gentle star jumps, touching your toes or running to help use gravity to force the trapped wind downwards.

Besides that, incorporating prebiotics in your diet could help manage flatulence and other gastrointestinal symptoms. There is a wide variety of food containing prebiotics, such as garlic, leeks, etc. that you could add to your meals every day.

Reduce your dairy intake

Dairy products can be the cause of indigestion, bloating and stomach pain in many people. Most of the time, this is caused by lactose intolerance and a change in your diet may help manage it. Lactose is a sugar found in dairy that many people cannot break down, resulting in digestive problems. To see if dairy products, including cow’s milk, cream, cheese and yoghurts are causing your trapped wind, try reducing the amount of dairy you eat.

Drink tea

Warm tea can help reduce the symptoms of trapped wind. It’s naturally caffeine-free and can, therefore, be drunk at any time of day. For the best results, drink a cup of tea before each meal. Chamomile tea is also a calming drink that many people drink before bedtime. It can also have a soothing effect on the digestive system and may help reduce the discomfort associated with trapped wind.

Increase your fibre intake

Working towards a healthy gut can help to keep trapped wind and bloating to a minimum. Eating enough fibre helps to feed the good bacteria that live in the gut. These bacteria help to break down our food and turn it into useful nutrients.

Sip warm water slowly

Gastroenterologist Dr Jamile Wakim-Fleming suggests sipping on warm water throughout the day. This will help to reduce trapped wind in two ways. Firstly, warm water helps move food along the digestive tract. The quicker the food moves, the less chance you have of gas building up. Secondly, warm water helps to calm the gut.