Wind and or Flatulence

Wind is a normal phenomenon. Everybody passes wind upto 30 times a day! However some things make wind more likely. Eating foods which ferment such as onion, beans or garlic tends to increase the amount of fermentation in the large bowel. Fermentation leads to the formation of gas and thence to the passage of this gas. The smell associated with wind is largely dictated by a combination of the food eaten and the particular rane of bugs living within an individuals bowel.

Fizzy drinks and air swallowing are also common causes of excess gas. Occasionallys abnormal fermentation of food in the small bowel due to a condition known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth may arise. Frequently this condition is associated with abnormal motility, gut anatomy (sometimes due to surgery) or ingestion of pharmaceuticals such as PPIs that increase the risk of bacterial overgrowth.