Posts Tagged ‘Gas’

Heartburn and Indigestion during pregnancy – causes and treatment

Many women have heartburn for the first time during pregnancy, particularly during the second and third trimesters. This is usually not uncomfortable or painful. gastro esophageal reflux is often called “acid reflux” or “heartburn.” But this condition has nothing to do with the heart!

Indigestion is common during pregnancy and may occur with the heartburn. Also known as “dyspepsia,” indigestion is another name for an upset stomach. You know you have indigestion if you feel full, bloated or gassy.

Causes:
Heartburn occurs when food is digested in the stomach, which contains acid, is pushed into the esophagus (the tube between the mouth and stomach). This causes a burning sensation behind the breastbone or a burning sensation that starts in the stomach and seems to rise. You can also have a bitter taste in the mouth or a feeling that vomit is rising in the throat.
- Usually, the food moves through the esophagus between the mouth and stomach.
- When you are not eating, a circular valve around the lower esophagus closes the connection between the esophagus and stomach.
- This valve keeps stomach acid to rise.
- When you swallow, the valve relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow through.
- If the valve relaxes when not eating, stomach acids can flow back into the esophagus, causing irritation and burning sensation.

During pregnancy, the stomach acids leak easily into esophagus as hormones relax the muscles in your digestive tract, including the valve in the esophagus. During the second and third trimester, heartburn can be worse as the growing uterus presses the stomach.

Pregnancy hormones also slower:
- The muscles that propel food from the esophagus to the stomach
- The muscles contract to digest food in the stomach, which slows digestion
- These changes can lead to indigestion, which can make you feel very full, bloated or gassy.

Several things can also cause heartburn and indigestion, like:
- Oily or greasy foods
- The chocolate drinks, coffee and other caffeine-containing
- Onion, garlic or spicy foods
- Certain medications
- Eating a big meal
- Eating too fast
- Lying down after eating

Treatment:
- Eat smaller portions.
* Eat five or six small meals a day instead of eating three large meals.
* This can help the body digest food better.

- Drink less while eating.
* Avoid drinking large amounts of fluids with meals.
* Drink liquids between meals.

- Avoid foods that trigger heartburn.
* Avoid spicy, fatty or oily, chocolate and caffeine.
* These foods may cause heartburn.

- Avoid bending over or lying down right after eating.
* Sit down, do chores, or take a walk until the body has had a chance to digest.
* Make sure you eat the last meal of the day several hours before bedtime.
* If you need to lie down, prop the upper body with some pillows.

- Do not gain too much weight.
* Increase a reasonable amount of weight.
* Stay within the guidelines of the health care health sets.
* Excess pounds put extra pressure on the abdomen, which increases the chances of getting heartburn.

- Wear comfortable clothes.
* Tight clothing can increase the pressure on the stomach and abdomen.
* Wear loose clothing to feel more comfortable.

- Raise the head when you lie down.
* Proposal of the head to a few inches with pillows.
* If possible, keep the foot of the bed below the head of the bed.
* If you need an antacid to relieve symptoms, talk to the doctor to choose the right one for you.

If the symptoms continue to persist then take the help of doctor immediately.

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What are different kind of stomach problems faced now-a-days?

Most stomach ulcers, cancers and gastritis are caused by the bacteria named Helicobacter Pylori.
The capacity of the stomach to store food can be reduced to make us feel full sooner. The procedure, known as bariatric surgery is a blessing for those with uncontrolled obesity, and related complications such as diabetes.
Bacteria can live in moist and warm areas of the body, and the stomach is an ideal habitat. Healthy bacteria breaks down minerals, vitamins and complex carbohydrates. Harmful bacteria invade the protective mucus layer and can cause infections and inflammations.

Gastric secretions and muscular waves almost disappear when we are depressed. Stress increases acid production. Also, coffee, nicotine and alcohol increases acid production.

- Gastritis: It is the inflammation of the stomach lining that is caused by excessive usage of alcohol or prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Acid reflux: It is the flow of stomach contents into the oesophagus. Heartburn occurs because the oesophagus does not have a protective lining.
- Peptic Ulcer: It is a sore where the stomach lining has been eaten away. Burning pain is the symptom. It will get worse if it is left untreated.
- Gastric Cancer: It can develop anywhere in the stomach. It causes good amount of deaths worldwide annually. Symptoms include indigestion, heartburn and loss of appetite. In advanced stages, symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, constipation or diarrhea, bloating after meals, weight loss, fatigue and bleeding in vomit or stools.
- Vomiting: It is the expulsion of the stomach contents through mouth, and even nose. Nausea is the feeling that one is about to vomit. It can also lead to dehydration. The pyloric sphincter relaxes, and, through retroperistasis, contents from the middle of the small intestine upwards are forced out. The color, content and frequency of vomit may indicate the condition.

Few Tips for dealing with intestinal gas.

Most adults release intestinal gas 10 to 20 times a day. Some of the healthy foods like beans, cauliflower, some whole grains tend to cause gas.
- Slow down, do not eat too fast.
Whenever you eat or drink something, a little bit of air goes down with it. Some of that air beats a hasty retreat in the form of a burp, but some may also get into the stomach and eventually make its way through the entire digestive tract. To reduce flatulence, reduce the amount of this incidental air intake. Eat and drink slowly and chew food thoroughly.
- Airy now, pay later.
Air also gets into the gut if it is incorporated into food and drinks. Beer, cola and other carbonated beverages are prime culprits.
- Smoking.
Apparently some air gets swallowed when people smoke. If dire warnings about heart disease and lung cancer has not scared you, may be the prospect of flatulence may just do the trick.
- Avoid the brimstone.
Flatus contains a mixture of gases, but the bad smell comes from the ones that contain sulfur, chiefly hydrogen sulfide and methylmercaptan.
- Beans and some vegetables can be trouble.
There is a trio of larger sugars – raffinose, stachyose, and verbascose that manage to arrive in our colons relatively unscathed because we lack the enzymes to digest them. The reprieve does not last long, though. Bacterial residents of the colon feed on these sugars, producing gas as a by-product.
- Not so sweet in the end.
Foods sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup can cause bloating and flatulence in some people because their small intestines can’t absorb large amounts of fructose.
- Remedies with question marks.
Charcoal pills are supposed to absorb the smelly sulfurous gases in the colon before they are emitted as flatus.
- Odour eating underwear.
They are the opposite of the whoopee cushion: seat cushions with charcoal filters that are supposed to absorb flatus.
- Adjusting the ecosystem.
The bacteria in the intestines operate as a little ecosystem. Too few or too much of a particular species can produce excessive flatulence. Taking probiotics, which restock the gut with bacteria, can help.