Excess gas is often a symptom of chronic intestinal conditions, such as diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. Small bowel bacterial overgrowth. An increase or change in the bacteria in the small intestine can cause excess gas, diarrhea and weight loss.
Health conditions
indigestion. constipation. irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – a common digestive condition, which can cause stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. coeliac disease – an intolerance to a protein called gluten, found in wheat, rye and barley.
Imodium is a common over-the-counter anti-diarrheal used to slow down the stool, and it's recommended by gastroenterologists because it's a multi-symptom relief pill. Not only does it tackle diarrhea with the loperamide, but it also relieves any gas and bloating with the simethicone, which is also found in Gas-X.
Diarrhea lasts more than two days without improvement. Excessive thirst, dry mouth or skin, little or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness or lightheadedness, or dark-colored urine, which could indicate dehydration. Severe abdominal or rectal pain. Bloody or black stools.
While gas is normal, there are times when it could be a red flag for a serious health issue. If gas occurs more frequently than usual, or if it's accompanied by other symptoms, like abdominal pain, weight loss, fever, or bloody stools, you should speak with your doctor.
Digestive disorders that cause excess gas
Excessive intestinal gas — belching or flatulence more than 20 times a day — sometimes indicates a disorder such as: Celiac disease. Colon cancer. Constipation.
Foods like beans, onions, broccoli, dairy and carbonated drinks can cause gas. Try eliminating one thing at a time to see if it makes a difference. If you suspect you have a dietary intolerance, consider a low FODMAP diet on which you avoid wheat, diary, certain fruits and vegetables and some low-calorie sweeteners.
Common causes include from foods – especially if something was spoiled or tainted – but GI viruses, food allergies and medication side-effects can also cause them. Some chronic conditions like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome can also lead to ongoing diarrhea.
Although common, chronic diarrhea is definitely not normal and is a sign of a problem. When diarrhea occurs frequently for more than two weeks, you might be dealing with a bowel disease. Here are conditions that can cause chronic diarrhea. Ongoing infections from bacteria and parasites.
While it can be hard to distinguish between the two, the main determinant is how many loose stools you have in a day. Three or more loose stools per day is considered to be diarrhea, whereas less is not. Both loose stools and diarrhea can be accompanied by symptoms of pain, cramping, and other GI discomfort.
Eating probiotic foods, taking a fiber or probiotic supplement, or eating BRAT diet consisting of bread, (white) rice, applesauce, and toast can also help make poop more solid. Loose stool is a common symptom of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), particularly diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D).
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that affects the stomach and intestines, also called the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, or both. IBS is a chronic condition that you'll need to manage long term.
IBS can also cause: farting (flatulence) passing mucus from your bottom. tiredness and a lack of energy.
Symptoms of diverticulitis are more severe and often start suddenly, but they may become worse over a few days. They include: Tenderness, usually in the left lower part of the abdomen. Bloating or gas.
Mushy and watery/liquid: Mushy stool is usually made up of very soft pieces that fall apart when they hit the water. This may be due to poor lifestyle/diet change, higher stress than what the body is used to or an intestinal disorder. It can also happen when there is a change in exercise routine.
There's no test for IBS, but you might need some tests to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms. The GP may arrange: a blood test to check for problems like coeliac disease. tests on a sample of your poo to check for infections and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Intestinal gas is a normal part of digestion. Excessive flatulence can be caused by lactose intolerance, certain foods or a sudden switch to a high-fibre diet. Flatulence can be a symptom of some digestive system disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome.
Loose stool is a symptom of many health conditions. If you have lactose intolerance, IBS, celiac disease, infection, flu, or food poisoning, it could be affecting your bowel habits. Surgery can also change your stool.
In general, the best fibers to use for treating diarrhea are soluble fiber supplements such as psyllium husk, oat bran, flaxseed meal, and glucomannan. These fibers work by forming a gel in the digestive tract, which helps to slow down digestion and increase water retention.
Prebiotics and probiotics
Probiotics help eliminate or decrease common gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, reflux and even nausea/vomiting. These foods help fill your gut with healthy bacteria that will assist in the healthy breakdown of the food you eat.
But when diarrhea lasts beyond a few days into weeks, it usually indicates that there's another problem — such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or a more serious disorder, including persistent infection, celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
You have diarrhea if you have loose stools three or more times in one day. Acute diarrhea is diarrhea that lasts a short time. It is a common problem. It usually lasts about one or two days, but it may last longer.