Getting on your feetLaying on your sideSquatting
Trapped gas can cause abdominal pain, bloating, and distention that can make you not only uncomfortable, but interfere with your day.
This article looks at ways you can use your own body to help relieve gas, and when you might need medical help instead. It also offers ideas on how to reduce gas in the first place.
Get on Your Feet
Taking a walk can sometimes be all that’s needed to relieve trapped gas and bloating in the short term.
According to a study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, light physical activity can help move intestinal gas and reduce bloating in the abdomen.
At least 30 minutes of exercise three or four days a week should be plenty to help keep the bloating and burps at bay.
Lie on Your Side
This simple move may work especially well for relieving trapped gas in the lower intestine. Follow these steps to see if they bring relief:
On a bed, sofa, or the floor, lie on your side. Gently draw both knees toward your chest. If you don’t get relief after several minutes, try slowly moving your legs down and up a few times. Try using your hands to pull your knees closer to your chest, if you can do this comfortably or without causing more pain.
Squat
Squats are good for more than building strong thighs and gluteal (butt) muscles. Here’s how to lower yourself into this position to help relieve trapped gas:
Start with your feet hip-width apart and facing forward. Put your hands on your hips or hold on to the back of a sturdy chair. Then, slowly bend your knees until your rear end is close to the floor. Place your hands on the tops of your thighs (or continue to hold onto the chair). Stay in this position until you feel the gas start to move.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Intestinal gas is rarely a sign of a medical problem. Again, it’s a normal by-product of digestion. But there are a handful of conditions that are associated with an increase in gas.
These conditions include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), lactose intolerance, and celiac disease.
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) advises seeing a healthcare provider about gas if you also have symptoms including:
Weight lossFeverBleeding
Otherwise, try changing your diet to exclude foods known to cause gas. They include milk, beans, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, and wheat bran.
Other changes that may help are:
Stop smoking Chew gum less often Don’t drink through a straw
Gum and straws both make you swallow excess air, which can lead to more gas.
Summary
You can learn how to relieve trapped gas by changing your body position and being physically active.
Changing your diet also may help. In most cases, gas is not a serious issue. But you may want to see a healthcare provider if you have a lot of excess gas.
Avoid high-fiber foods, cruciferous vegetables, legumes, carbonated drinks, and sugar alcohols in the hours before your workout. Drink water slowly. Chugging or gulping makes you swallow more air. Go to the bathroom to move your bowels and pass gas before your workout.
