“Can excessive gas be a sign of something serious?”
My elderly father has really excessive gas and bloating. I want to know if excessive gas can be a sign of something serious?
4 Answers
Could simply be related to diet or could be something else more serious. Multiple possibilities and thus cannot be discussed online.
Gas is usually not a serious condition, but I cannot assume that I know what you mean by "gas." If you mean abdominal bloating and distention, then this is usually caused not by gas, but by fluid in the small intestine.
Gas can be a sign of something serious. If your father has never been worked up by a GI doctor he should consider it - unless he's over the age of 85. Most GI's aren't going to work up a patient over that age. If he does get worked up and everything comes back negative you should consider enzymes and probiotics. These symptoms are very common when you're not producing enough enzymes to digest your food properly or don't have enough good bacteria in the gut. This happens as we age, when we are not eating the best diet in the world or if we are really stressed out. It's very easy to fix, however, taking a good healthy probiotic daily and enzyme with every meal can help eliminate these symptoms very quickly.
Certainly abdominal bloating & excessive flatulence may be from a diet high in vegetables, nuts & dairy products. It may also be associated with irritable bowel syndrome & other gastrointestinal malignancies. I would recommend your father see his PCP for further evaluation.
