Also called: Also called: Belch, Burp, Eructation, Flatulence, Flatus
Everyone has gas. Most people produce about 1 to 4 pints a day and pass gas about 14 times a day. Passing gas through the mouth is called belching or burping. Passing gas through the rectum is called flatulence. Most of the time gas does not have an odor. The odor comes from bacteria in the large intestine that release small amounts of gases that contain sulfur.
Gas in the digestive tract comes from two sources: air that you swallow and the breakdown of undigested food by bacteria in the large intestine. Certain foods may cause gas. Foods that produce gas in one person may not cause gas in another. Drinking lots of water and non-fizzy drinks and chewing food more to lessen the amount of air you swallow when you eat can help reduce gas. For people with lactose intolerance, avoiding milk products will help.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Gas in the Digestive Tract
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gas/
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Belching, Bloating and Flatulence(American College of Gastroenterology) - http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/belching.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/belching_sp.asp
- Gas and Gas Pains(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/gas-and-gas-pains/DS00080/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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What I Need to Know about Gas
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gas_ez/
Also available in Spanish http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/spanish/pubs/wintka_gas/index.htm
- Excessive Gas(DSHI Systems) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.freemd.com/excessive-gas/visit-virtual-doctor.htm
- Controlling Intestinal Gas(International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders) - http://aboutincontinence.org/site/about-incontinence/treatment/gas
- Atlas of the Body: The Digestive System(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ7C4T46JC&sub_cat=511
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Your Digestive System and How It Works(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/yrdd/
Also available in Spanish http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/spanish/pubs/yrdd/index.htm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Flatulence(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Flatulence%22
- Article: Intestinal gas and bloating: effect of prokinetic stimulation. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18802999&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Meta-analysis of randomized studies evaluating chewing gum to enhance postoperative... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18711040&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Meta-analysis of the need for nasogastric or nasojejunal decompression after... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18551533&tool=MedlinePlus
- Gas -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(flatulence[mh]+OR+eructation[mh])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- GI Physician Locator(American College of Gastroenterology) - http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/phylocator.asp
- American College of Gastroenterology - http://www.acg.gi.org/
- American Gastroenterological Association - http://www.gastro.org/
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National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
- What's a Fart?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/yucky/fart.html
- Why Do I Burp?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/yucky/burp.html
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Gas(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/159_15246.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/centro/9246_10320.asp
- Abdominal Pain - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/abdominalpain.html
- Digestive Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/digestivediseases.html
- Stomach Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/stomachdisorders.html
- Digestive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/digestivesystem.html
- Symptoms - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/symptoms.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Gas is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/