Wind -- problems with intestinal gas.

BACKGROUND

Problems with intestinal gas and its transit through the gut are common, although the mechanisms causing the most common problems of belching (eructation), bloating, and passing flatus from the anus are reasonably complex.

OBJECTIVE

This article outlines the role of intestinal gas in the genesis of the common symptoms of wind, the importance of gas transit, and considers new information about our understanding of small bowel motility.

DISCUSSION: Healthcare providers often underestimate the severity of a patient's symptoms relating to the oesophagus, stomach, small bowel, and colon, especially the loose relationship between bloating and abdominal distension. Medications and diet modification play a key role in management, particularly in terms of fibre, resistant starch and fat intake.