Should You Hold In Gas? Is It Healthy?

Flatulence, or farts, have always been a subject of embarrassment, although every human being does it, right? Imagine you are out with your friends or giving a presentation at work, and you cannot control your farts; it can be very awkward, especially if they are extremely pungent!

Well, passing gas is an extremely normal and also a healthy sign (in some cases) that occurs in people daily.

Flatulence, in medical terms, can be described as the release of the gas from your intestines through the anus. Gas is collected in your digestive system, either when you swallow in air, or when the digestive juices in your stomach produce certain gases while breaking down the food. So, when the gas accumulated in your stomach is released, it gets out through your anal cavity, and most of the time, it is accompanied by a bad smell!

Farting more often, having smelly, unpleasant farts, or having to fart in public may make some feel uncomfortable. As a result, people often try to hold in farts until they feel comfortable letting them out or the gas escapes uncontrollably.

Research on farting is limited, but some studies suggest letting them out might be healthier than holding them in [1]. So let’s take a look.

Should You Hold In Gas? Is It Healthy?

Most people fart five to 23 times per day – yeah, that’s right. 23 times. If you hold in your fart, you may suffer pain, discomfort, bloating, indigestion, and heartburn [2]. In addition, you may feel more stressed as the pressure increases, making it even more uncomfortable and less likely that you can hold in a fart. Researchers have found that holding in farts is associated with diverticulitis, the inflammation of pouches that form along the digestive tract.

Diverticulitis is a bacterial infection that can cause serious complications if left untreated [3]. There is, however, no clear link between holding in farts and diverticulitis without more and more research.

What Happens When You Hold In A Fart?

As you fart, the gas moves from your intestines to your rectum, then out of your anus. You can usually hold in a fart for some time if you clench your buttocks and tighten your anal sphincter muscle, the same muscles you might tighten if you’re holding in a bowel movement [4].

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The pressure on your digestive system will build after you tighten your sphincter muscles. Some short-term symptoms of holding in a fart include pain, bloating, and discomfort. As the gas moves through your digestive system, you may hear some bubbling or gurgling.

Some of this gas gets reabsorbed into your body’s bloodstream and may eventually be expelled when you exhale. However, the majority of the gas will remain under pressure inside of you until you’re finally able to release it through farting or burping [5].

Is It Safe To Hold A Fart In?

There is no medical advice for holding in farts, which requires you to hold your sphincter muscles the same way you would hold in a bowel movement [6].

In reality, if you can hold in a fart without feeling too much discomfort, you might be able to let it seep out quietly by applying light pressure to your sphincter muscles. Perhaps holding your fart will buy you enough time to get to a bathroom.

When Does Farting Pose A Health Risk?

Farting rarely indicates an underlying medical condition. However, excessive farting, that is, more than 25 times a day, or extremely foul-smelling farts might indicate an underlying problem [7].

On A Final Note…

The healthiest thing to do with farts is to let them out. You can, however, hold them in if necessary, and it shouldn’t hurt you.

See a doctor if you notice you are farting excessively and experiencing other digestive distress symptoms. Proper treatment can usually resolve most health problems associated with farting.

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