3 ways to treat... TRAPPED WIND

PREVENT:

When you swallow food, water or saliva, you also swallow small amounts of air, which collects in the digestive system. Gases can also build up when you digest food, and although air is passed out of the digestive system naturally – at either end – it can sometimes remain in the body causing uncomfortable bloating. Keep a food diary and see if there are certain foods that trigger symptoms more than others. Many people find that foods with artificial sweeteners, sugar-free sweets or chewing gum trigger trapped wind. Also avoid fizzy drinks and swallowing air by eating and talking at the same time.

TREAT:

Peppermint oil is a known stomach-soother; take it in long-steeped peppermint tea. Bicarbonate of soda stirred into a glass of water works fast, but can make more gas, so try adding a few drops of lemon juice before drinking. Charcoal capsules can also be effective, but may not help if other medication is being taken as this will absorb the charcoal. Also try kneeling on the floor and folding forward with your head on the ground in the yoga position known as child’s pose, which compresses the gut, forcing gas through.

DON’T BOTHER:

Drinking infant gripe water has been suggested on some online forums, however the Journal Of The Royal Society Of Medicine stated in 2000: ‘…effectiveness has been limited to anecdotal accounts.’