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Home Knowledge Center Wellness Library Gas, Bloating, and Burping

Gas, Bloating, and Burping

Overview

Gas (flatus), bloating, and burping are all normal conditions. Gas is made in the stomach and intestines as your body breaks down food into energy. Gas and burping may sometimes be embarrassing. Bloating, which is a feeling of fullness in the belly, can make you uncomfortable. Many people think that they pass gas too often or have too much gas. But it's rare to have too much gas. Changing what you eat and drink can sometimes cut down on gas and relieve discomfort caused by gas.

Belching or burping (eructation) is the voluntary or involuntary and sometimes noisy release of air from the stomach or esophagus through the mouth. Burping 3 or 4 times after eating a meal is normal. It's usually caused by swallowing air. Other causes of burping include nervous habits or other medical conditions, such as an ulcer or a gallbladder problem.

All people pass gas, but some people produce more gas than others. It's normal to pass gas from 6 to 20 times a day. This may embarrass or annoy you. But a lot of intestinal gas usually isn't caused by a serious health condition.

Common causes of gas and bloating include:

  • Swallowed air. If swallowed air isn't burped up, it passes through the digestive tract. Then it's released through the anus as flatus. Swallowing a lot of air may cause hiccups.
  • Foods and drinks such as beans, broccoli, carbonated drinks, and beer. The amount of gas and the odor that different foods cause vary from person to person.
  • Lactose intolerance. A person who can't easily digest lactose, a type of natural sugar found in milk and dairy products, can have both gas and bloating as well as other symptoms.
  • Constipation. It can cause bloating but generally doesn't increase gas.
  • Medicines or nutritional supplements. Both prescription and nonprescription medicines, as well as dietary supplements, can cause bloating and gas as side effects.
  • A medical condition, such as a bowel obstruction or Crohn's disease.
  • Changes in hormone levels. It's common for people to have bloating right before their periods. That's because their bodies retain fluid.
  • Pregnancy.

Dyspepsia is a medical term that is used to describe a vague feeling of fullness, gnawing, or burning in the chest or upper belly, especially after eating. A person may describe this feeling as "gas." Other symptoms may occur at the same time, such as belching, rumbling noises in the belly, increased flatus, poor appetite, and a change in bowel habits. Causes of dyspepsia can vary from minor to serious.

In some cases, a person may dismiss serious symptoms, such as symptoms of a heart attack, as "just gas" or indigestion.

Check Your Symptoms

Check Your Symptoms

Do you have a problem with gas, bloating, or burping?
You may think of these symptoms as indigestion.
Yes
Gas, bloating, or burping problem
No
Gas, bloating, or burping problem
How old are you?
Less than 12 years
Less than 12 years
12 years or older
12 years or older
Are you male or female?
Male
Male
Female
Female

The medical assessment of symptoms is based on the body parts you have.

  • If you are transgender or nonbinary, choose the sex that matches the body parts (such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina) you now have in the area where you are having symptoms.
  • If your symptoms aren’t related to those organs, you can choose the gender you identify with.
  • If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice (once as "male" and once as "female"). This will make sure that the tool asks the right questions for you.
Do you have moderate or severe belly pain?
This is not the cramping type of pain you have with diarrhea.
Yes
Abdominal pain
No
Abdominal pain
Could you be having symptoms of a heart attack?
If you're having a heart attack, there are several areas where you may feel pain or other symptoms.
Yes
Symptoms of heart attack
No
Symptoms of heart attack
Are you having trouble swallowing?
Yes
Trouble swallowing
No
Trouble swallowing
Can you swallow food or fluids at all?
Yes
Able to swallow food or fluids
No
Unable to swallow food or fluids
Do you have hiccups?
Yes
Hiccups
No
Hiccups
Have you had hiccups for more than 2 days?
Yes
Hiccups for more than 2 days
No
Hiccups for more than 2 days
Do hiccups occur often and disrupt your usual activities?
Yes
Hiccups occur often and disrupt activity
No
Hiccups occur often and disrupt activity
Do you think that a medicine could be causing the symptoms?
Think about whether the symptoms started after you began taking a new medicine or a higher dose of a medicine.
Yes
Medicine may be causing symptoms
No
Medicine may be causing symptoms
Have you tried home treatment for more than 1 week?
Yes
Tried home treatment for more than 1 week
No
Tried home treatment for more than 1 week
In the past few weeks, have you been losing weight without trying?
Yes
Has been losing weight without trying
No
Has been losing weight without trying
Have you felt less hungry than usual for more than 2 weeks?
Yes
Poor appetite for more than 2 weeks
No
Poor appetite for more than 2 weeks

Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind of care you may need. These include:

  • Your age. Babies and older adults tend to get sicker quicker.
  • Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care sooner.
  • Medicines you take. Certain medicines, such as blood thinners (anticoagulants), medicines that suppress the immune system like steroids or chemotherapy, herbal remedies, or supplements can cause symptoms or make them worse.
  • Recent health events, such as surgery or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them more serious.
  • Your health habits and lifestyle, such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug use, sexual history, and travel.

Try Home Treatment

You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be able to take care of this problem at home.

  • Try home treatment to relieve the symptoms.
  • Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any concerns (for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect). You may need care sooner.
HomeTreatment
RelatedInformation
WhereToGo

Many nonprescription and prescription medicines and supplements can cause gas and bloating. A few examples are:

  • Aspirin.
  • Antacids.
  • Diarrhea medicines, such as Imodium, Kaopectate, and Lomotil.
  • Opioid pain medicines.
  • Fiber supplements and bulking agents, such as Citrucel, Fiberall, and Metamucil.
  • Multivitamins and iron pills.

Symptoms of a heart attack may include:

  • Chest pain or pressure, or a strange feeling in the chest.
  • Sweating.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Pain, pressure, or a strange feeling in the back, neck, jaw, or upper belly, or in one or both shoulders or arms.
  • Lightheadedness or sudden weakness.
  • A fast or irregular heartbeat.

For men and women, the most common symptom is chest pain or pressure. But women are somewhat more likely than men to have other symptoms, like shortness of breath, nausea, and back or jaw pain.

Home treatment for gas and bloating includes things like:

  • Avoiding foods and drinks that make symptoms worse. (Some examples are chocolate, peppermint, alcohol, and, in some cases, spicy foods or acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits.)
  • Taking antacids.
  • Not smoking.
  • Not eating right before bedtime.

Make an Appointment

Based on your answers, the problem may not improve without medical care.

  • Make an appointment to see your doctor in the next 1 to 2 weeks.
  • If appropriate, try home treatment while you are waiting for the appointment.
  • If symptoms get worse or you have any concerns, call your doctor. You may need care sooner.
HomeTreatment
RelatedInformation
WhereToGo

Call 911 Now

Based on your answers, you need emergency care.

Call 911 or other emergency services now.

After you call 911, the operator may tell you to chew 1 adult-strength (325 mg) or 2 to 4 low-dose (81 mg) aspirin. Wait for an ambulance. Do not try to drive yourself.

Sometimes people don't want to call 911. They may think that their symptoms aren't serious or that they can just get someone else to drive them. Or they might be concerned about the cost. But based on your answers, the safest and quickest way for you to get the care you need is to call 911 for medical transport to the hospital.

Seek Care Now

Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care.

  • Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care.
  • If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have one, seek care in the next hour.
  • You do not need to call an ambulance unless:
    • You cannot travel safely either by driving yourself or by having someone else drive you.
    • You are in an area where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down.

Seek Care Today

Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The problem probably will not get better without medical care.

  • Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care.
  • If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have one, seek care today.
  • If it is evening, watch the symptoms and seek care in the morning.
  • If the symptoms get worse, seek care sooner.
HomeTreatment
RelatedInformation
WhereToGo
Abdominal Pain, Age 11 and Younger
Abdominal Pain, Age 12 and Older
 Self-Care

Self-Care

How can you care for gas and bloating?

  • Keep a food diary if you think a food gives you gas. Write down what you eat or drink. Also record when you get gas. If you notice that a food seems to cause your gas each time, avoid it and see if the gas goes away. Examples of foods that cause gas include:
    • Fried and fatty foods.
    • Peas, lentils, and beans.
    • Vegetables such as artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, radishes, and raw potatoes.
    • Fruits such as apricots, bananas, melons, peaches, pears, prunes, and raw apples.
    • Wheat and wheat bran.
    • Carbonated drinks, fruit drinks, beer, and red wine.
    • Packaged foods that contain lactose, such as breads, cereal, and salad dressing.
    • Sugar and sugar substitutes.
  • Try soaking beans in water overnight. Drain the soaking water, and cook the soaked beans in new water. This may help decrease gas and bloating.
  • If you have problems with lactose, avoid dairy products such as milk and cheese.
  • Try not to swallow air. Do not drink through a straw, gulp your food, or chew gum.
  • Take an over-the-counter medicine. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
    • Food enzymes, such as Beano, can be added to gas-producing foods to prevent gas.
    • Antacids, such as Maalox Anti-Gas and Mylanta Gas, can relieve bloating by making you burp. Be careful when you take over-the-counter antacid medicines. Many of these medicines have aspirin in them. Read the label to make sure that you are not taking more than the recommended dose. Too much aspirin can be harmful.
    • Activated charcoal tablets, such as CharcoCaps, may decrease odor from gas you pass.
    • If you have problems with lactose, you can take medicines such as Dairy Ease and Lactaid with dairy products to prevent gas and bloating.
  • Get some exercise regularly.

Treating hiccups at home

Hiccups are usually harmless and go away without any treatment. But if hiccups are making you uncomfortable, here are some safe and easy things you can do at home to help manage your symptoms.

  • Swallow a teaspoon of dry granulated sugar.
  • Hold your breath, and count slowly to 10.
  • Breathe repeatedly into a paper bag for a short time.
  • Quickly drink a glass of cold water.

When to call for help during self-care

Call a doctor if any of the following occur during self-care at home:

  • Symptoms are not relieved by home treatment and medicine.
  • Swallowing problems don't improve.
  • Weight loss continues for no reason.
  • Symptoms occur more often or are more severe.

Learn more

  • Gas, Burping, or Bloating That Begins After Eating or Drinking
  • Lactose Intolerance
  • Medicines or Vitamins That Can Cause Gas, Bloating, or Burping
Preparing For Your Appointment

Preparing For Your Appointment

You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared for your appointment.

  • Making the Most of Your Appointment

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.

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Related Links

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