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Embarrassing Bodies, 2:05am Tuesday 7th February 2012 on Channel 4. Catch up for free on 4oD »

Conditions

Flatulence

Doctor examining a patient's bloated stomach with suspected Flatulence

We fart when we’re awake, we fart when we’re asleep, and we even fart when we’re dead. So, if you’ve been told that the Queen doesn’t fart and that women’s gusty contributions are accompanied by angelic harp music (and smell like flowers), don’t believe a word of it! On average, most people pass gas 15 times a day, but anything up to 40 times in one day is considered normal. The food we eat is digested and absorbed in the small intestine. And wind is produced by the digestive system as enzymes and bacteria break down carbohydrates and proteins in your food. Of course, certain foods can provide a little extra firepower, such as beans, cauliflower, cabbage, kidney beans and artichokes. In such instances, it might be wise to distance yourself from your nearest and dearest.

What the Men in White Coats Say

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Recently I've been suffering from a constant fecal smell. I can feel a wind movement in my bowels but just before it reaches the position where I would normally feel compression, the sensation stops and i get a very weak (to me) long lasting fecal smell. (or if i tense to squeeze it out, after a bit of effort it does release as an ordinary movement). Something else which is worrying me is when i tense my pelvic floor muscles, my penis doesn't pull back initially as it should, it twists clockwise as though the left side is pulling back and down but the right doesnt. After a few tenses it goes back to normal. I've seen a doctor who examined me and said there is nothing wrong physically and that i have IBS. I'm not saying that isn't true but it ignores the fact my digestion is otherwise fine and that I have reduced sensation. I'm going to go back and ask he consider its compromised anal resting pressure and rectal sensitivity and ask for and anal manometry or biofeedback. I had to leave work early on thursday, didn't go in on friday and can't see myself going back.





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i'm 22 years old i have a farting problem beside i feel a sharp pain in the left side of my chest so can anyone told me how can i deal with that?





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I am a 55 year old woman and when I do any form of exercise or side my horse I have a lot of air escaping from my vagina. This is extremely embarrassing when going to an exercise class





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i find that when i sit down i fart a lot or if i eat anything i fart and it is really embarrassing because when ever my boyfriend comes over we lay down on my bed and watch a film and i just cannot stop farting he always complains that i am farting too much and i tell him it is not my fault but i have tried to eat different things but it doesn't work please help me!!





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im a 31 year old man i had a haitus hernia operation about 4 years ago , since that i have suffered from trap wind , bloating and passing wind alot , its very embarrassing. Everything i eat seems to go through me very quickly and if i dont eat i get wind and stomach ache is there anything i can change to stop it ! , or is this just the side affects of the operation





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Hi I have been having a similar problem to what you have all been describing. I am a 17 year old female and everytime I find myself laughing it seems to happen, uncontrollably, its starting to affect my social life, someone please help?





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I'm a 28 yr old mum who has been farting!! Now real bad for about 6 months I can't help it and they smell real bad its embarrassing. Ow as my husband is now saying is that u again?? Please help or can I do something about this . And it's both ways as well! Also when I'm ovulating my stomach is in agony for about two days and I leak a lot of smelly water?





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I have resolved most of my issues by looking at food sensitivities. It does restrict your diet somewhat but the results have been good for me. I have found reducing salicylates, amines and wheat have done wonders.





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farting is embarasing as it is, but fanny farts are really embarasing. It happens when im having intercourse with my partner, isit unusual? is there any way I can stop it from happening, because its ruining my sex life. HELP!





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I'm no expert, but I think this is probably a pretty common thing- the female friends I've talked to about it have all said it happens! My hunch is that it isn't caused by flatulence as such (unless you find there's an odour too, which might be something different) but is more likely to be air getting trapped during sex, especially if it's happening when he's pulling out. I've found being less vigorous seems to stop it happening. So if it's only happening during intercourse, I'd tell him it's at least partly his problem! Just laugh it off, it's nothing to feel embarrassed about :)

Pls help,I fart a lot and this is before and after my period and have been farting for 2 year now.the good thing I know when my period is on its way but unfortunately it means that I'm not pregnant for that.I'm trying to conceive.I'm now beginning to think there might be a problem somewhere associated with farting and me not getting pregnant.





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I also get really bad wind when my period is due, I fart more than 40 times a day awful stuff





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It looks like no one else has asked this question, so please fill in the rest of your details below.





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Content supplied by NHS Choices

Flatulence is the medical term for passing gas from the digestive system and out of the anus (back passage). Flatulence is more commonly known as ‘passing wind’ or ‘farting’. Read More »

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