Stomach bloating is often caused by the foods consumed. It could be caused by a particularly indulgent weekend or a night out. Bloating often causes pain, discomfort and could greatly affect a person’s life negatively. Often the bloating goes away in time, however sometimes a person’s trapped wind could signal something far more serious. While trapped wind is usually nothing to worry about, it may be a warning sign of a medical condition, including cancer. What are the warning signs of trapped wind?

Everyone experiences uncomfortable bloating caused by intestinal gas. The bloating can make a person’s stomach stretch out and could also cause pain.

But how can you tell when excessive gas might be more serious than originally thought? Everday Health said on their website: “Although not usually a sign of serious illness, excessive gas can be a warning sign of an underlying medical issue.

“Excessive gas could be a sign of an abnormality with your digestive system, like gastroparesis, for example.

“Also, what you think are gas pain could actually be any one of a number of health problems.”

Doctor Abdullah Shatnawei, medical director of the centre for gut rehabilitation and transplantation at the Cleveland Clinic said: “Keep in mind that some people pass gas more than 20 times a day, and that can be considered normal depending on the individual.

“Unless there are underlying problems or alarming symptoms, such as blood in the stool, weight loss, abdominal pain, family history of malignancy, or difficulty swallowing, it’s probably nothing to be concerned about.”

Bloating could be a case of appendicitus which is a serious medical condition. If you feel stiffness and extreme tenderness in the abdomen this could be a warning sign.

“There will most likely also be changes to your abdomen and the gas pain will make it very sensitive to the touch.

“If you notice extreme pain, always seek medical advice.

“Excessive gas that causes bloating and discomfort can be a challenging condition to treat.

“It often requires a change in lifestyle, which isn’t always easy.

“You may have to adjust your diet. For example, carbohydrates can make bloating worse. Sometimes avoiding carbonated beverages, chewing gum, legumes, or cruciferous vegetables may help.”

Nutritionist Lily Soutter added: “When opting for starchy carbohydrates, choose whole grains which have their fibrous outer bran layer left intact.

See your GP if the pain gets much worse quickly, the pain or bloating won’t go away or keeps coming back, you’re losing weight without trying to or your diarrhoea doesn’t go away after a few days

NHS

“Most of the goodness is found in this bran layer which means that whole grain carbs can contain 75 per cent more nutrients that their refined counterparts.”

If you have persistent gas, abdominal pain, or bloating, and can’t get relief, it’s a good idea to speak with your GP.

The NHS said: “See your GP if the pain gets much worse quickly, the pain or bloating won’t go away or keeps coming back, you’re losing weight without trying to or your diarrhoea doesn’t go away after a few days.

“You should go to the A&E if your stomach ache came on very suddenly, it hurst when you touch your stomach, you’re vomiting blood, your poo is bloody or black, you can’t poo or fart, you can’t breath, you have chest pain or if you’re diabetic and vomiting.”

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