How is gas in the digestive tract diagnosed?
Symptoms of gas may be caused by a serious disorder, which should be determined. In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, your physician may suggest the following activities to assist in the diagnosis:
Food diary: You may be asked to keep a diary of foods and beverages consumed for a specific time period, or to count the number of times you pass gas during the day.
Sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy: For people 50 years of age and older, and for those with a family history, the possibility of colorectal cancer is considered. A colon examination (sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy) may be requested.
Upper GI (gastrointestinal) series: For chronic belching, your physician will look for signs or causes of excessive air swallowing and may request an upper GI series -- an x-ray to view the esophagus, stomach, and upper small intestine. |
More information on gas in the digestive tract
What is gas in the digestive tract? - Gas in the digestive tract is created from swallowing air, the breakdown of certain foods by the bacteria that are present in the colon.
What causes gas in the digestive tract? - The undigested or unabsorbed food then passes into the large intestine and produces hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane gases, which are released through the rectum.
Which foods cause gas? - Most foods that contain carbohydrates can cause gas, fats and proteins cause little gas. The sugars that cause gas are raffinose, lactose, fructose and sorbitol.
What are the symptoms of gas? - The most common symptoms of gas are belching, flatulence, abdominal bloating and abdominal pain. Some people have pain when gas is present in the intestine.
How is gas in the digestive tract diagnosed? - In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, your physician may suggest some activities to assist in the diagnosis.
What is the treatment for gas in the digestive tract? - The most common ways to reduce the discomfort of gas are changing diet, taking medication, and reducing the amount of air swallowed. |
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