Trapped Wind: Causes, Symptoms & Relief

What is
TRAPPED WIND?

Trapped wind is a very common condition causing pain or discomfort around the digestive system, usually due to a build-up of pressure in your stomach or abdomen.

You can suffer from trapped wind in different parts of your digestive system, causing a range of symptoms including a bloated stomach, bloated abdomen, burping and flatulence.

Because we’re all very polite, flatulence is not often talked about, but everyone passes wind, on average 5-15 times a day.

Passing wind is entirely natural, but can be an annoying and sometimes painful process, caused by bacteria in our gut. In a process of fermentation that releases gas and heat, colonic bacteria break down indigestible fibre and starches which haven’t been absorbed in the small intestine. This gas is usually made up of carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and methane. Certain foods can lead to the production of gases containing Sulphur, too. Most of this gas is absorbed into your blood stream, and the rest is released as flatulence.

What does
TRAPPED WIND FEEL LIKE?

Common symptoms of trapped wind are:

A bloated stomach or abdomen
Flatulence or burping
Feeling uncomfortably full after eating
Rumbling or gurgling noises in your stomach
Stomach cramps
Nausea
Pain when you bend over, lie down or during exercise
Pain that moves around the body; behind the ribs or up the back or even in to the shoulder

What causes
TRAPPED WIND?

When we swallow air when we eat or drink, we release most of it as a burp. Any remaining gas will go in to the large intestine or colon, where bacteria are already working on breaking down undigested food - a process which also produces gas. It all eventually comes out as flatulence.

Wind can be caused by eating too fast, which leads us to gulp down air, or by drinking fizzy drinks or eating when stressed. Wearing tight clothing around the waist can contribute to the problem, as can any change to your diet, for example going abroad.

Not everyone reacts in the same way to the foods or drinks they consume, but these are the most common culprits: