Farting
Farting
Farting, or flatulence, means passing gas from the digestive system out through the back passage. It's completely normal, and everyone experiences it regularly.
If you're farting a lot, or your farts smell particularly strong, there are steps you can take to help.
Common Symptoms
Symptom information is not available for this condition yet.
⚠️ This symptom list is for educational purposes. Having these symptoms does not mean you have this condition. See a doctor for proper diagnosis.
Medicines Commonly Used
⚠️ These medicines are commonly used for confirmed diagnoses of this condition. This is NOT a recommendation or prescription. Treatment must be determined by your doctor.
No medicines have been linked to this condition yet.
Causes
When you swallow food, water or saliva, you also swallow small amounts of air, and this air collects in your digestive system. Your body needs to release this build up by farting or burping. Gas can also build up simply as a result of digesting food, so a certain amount of farting every day is completely normal.
What causes excessive farting
You may fart more than usual because of:
- swallowing more air than you normally would
- eating foods that are hard for your body to digest
- a digestive condition such as indigestion or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- certain medicines, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), statins and some laxatives
If you are on any of these medicines, please do not stop or change them on your own. Speak to your doctor first, and avoid diagnosing the problem yourself.
When to see a doctor
Please talk to a doctor if:
- excessive farting is affecting your daily life and home care or pharmacy remedies have not helped
- you have stomach ache or bloating that will not go away, or that keeps returning
- you keep getting constipation or diarrhoea
- you have lost weight without trying to
- you have noticed blood in your stool for 3 weeks
- you have signs of infection, such as high fever, vomiting, chills, or pain in your joints and muscles
- you are struggling to control your bowel movements
Ask a pharmacist for help
A pharmacist can advise you on excessive or foul smelling gas and may suggest options such as:
- charcoal tablets
- special underwear or pads that absorb odour
They can also let you know whether your symptoms need a doctor's attention.
How to reduce excessive or smelly farting
Helpful habits
- chew your food slowly with your mouth closed
- eat smaller meals more often, rather than large ones
- drink your fluids slowly
- stay physically active, as regular exercise supports healthy digestion
- choose foods that are easy on the stomach, such as rice, bananas, citrus fruits and potatoes
- try a cup of peppermint tea
Things to avoid
- avoid chewing gum, smoking or sucking on pen tops or hard sweets, since these make you swallow extra air
- avoid loose fitting dentures
- cut back on fizzy drinks and very hot drinks
- limit beer, wine and fruit juice
- go easy on foods known to cause gas and be harder to digest, such as beans, cabbage and lentils
- limit foods high in sorbitol (an artificial sweetener) and fructose (a natural sugar), as both can lead to more farting