Stomach Gas

Stomach Gas And Bloating

Everyone has stomach gas of one form or another, at one time or another. Stomach gas is not the same as rectal gas which has a distinctly unpleasant odor. Stomach gas is usually comprised of odorless vapors like carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen. There's also methane sometimes.

Stomach bloating usually results from a buildup of gas in the stomach, which is most often caused by poor digestion. But there are also a number of other causes of stomach bloating. Stomach bloating from gas actually makes a person look heavier, and in some cases may make women appear to be pregnant.

Although having excessive stomach gas is fairly common, it can certainly be embarrassing to expel in public - even though stomach gas is typically expelled through the mouth in the form of a burp or belch. It can be physically uncomfortable as well.

There are some types of gas which are called stomach gas even though they appear lower in the digestive tract. These include the following.

Abdominal gas and bloating - This type of bloating is usually comes from what is called an "intestinal motility disorder" like Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In this case, there may actually be little gas in the intestines, but the sufferer may just be more sensitive to it because of abnormal movements and contractions by the muscles of the intestines.

Abdominal gas - In this situation, there actually is gas present in the intestines. Sometimes this gas will collect on the right side of the colon. When this occurs, it may seem like symptoms of gallstones or appendicitis. When there's a gas buildup on the left side of the colon, it can actually be confused with heart disease.

Flatulence vs. stomach gas - The distinctly unpleasant smell of flatulence results from the odor of bacteria in the large intestine, not in the stomach. These bacterial release tiny amounts of vapors that contain sulphur.

There is additional information available by clicking on stomach gas causes, getting rid of stomach gas and preventing stomach gas.