Saturday 24 September 2022 10:02 PM DR ELLIE CANNON: If tests say all is fine, why am I so windy and losing lots ... trends now
I am suffering terribly from wind – and what feels like air bubbles in my stomach. I've had endless tests, all of which showed negative results. I've lost about two stone over the past three years without trying, and I'm probably underweight these days. Help please!
It is distressing to suffer uncomfortable symptoms when no cause can be found. Weight loss for no reason can be a red flag for something sinister, such as cancer. But after extensive testing, this would normally have been found, or it would have become so serious it would be obvious.
If gas, or trapped wind as it's sometimes called, is a problem, it might feel like there's not much room for food.
If this is a persistent, the GP or a dietician could help with supplements such as nutritional drinks that are packed with calories, so only a little needs to be consumed.
I am suffering terribly from wind – and what feels like air bubbles in my stomach (file photo)
Excess gas in the digestive system generally comes from swallowing a lot of air with food. This can happen when a patient has problems with their teeth, such as poorly fitting dentures, meaning it takes a long time to eat and chew, or from having too many fizzy drinks.
It may also happen if gas is coming up into the stomach from the intestine. This shouldn't occur, as there is a closing ring of muscle at the junction between the two organs that stops back-flow. But in some people, this muscle is weak and gas builds up.
One test that's sometimes not done is the one for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO.
This condition occurs when bacteria in the bowel which create a lot of gas migrate into the small intestine, where they are not supposed to be.
We know this leads to weight loss and excess gas and bloating.
SIBO can be tested with an endoscopy or a hydrogen breath test in the hospital, and is treated with a specialised course of antibiotics.
Can you help me with a bizarre problem? It seems as though every time I turn my neck, I hear a strange noise, like a car driving over gravel. I've experienced this for many years – but there's no pain. Should I be worried? I am 68.
Hearing noises when you move your head and neck isn't a common problem. Having said that, it isn't necessarily concerning. The neck joints are made up of the neck bones called vertebra, stacked on top of each other with discs in between.
The joints that move when the neck turns are called facet joints.
Lubricating fluid and ligaments are also involved, to allow for smooth, easy movements.
It seems as though every time I turn my neck, I hear a strange noise, like a car driving over gravel (file photo)
When joints make a noise, doctors call it crepitus – and it can happen in any joint in the body, with or without pain.
When it is in the neck, it is most likely due to rough spinal bones rubbing against each other, or ligaments rubbing against the bones. As we age, the discs between the bones shrink, which encourages the joints to rub and become worn down.
Also, air bubbles within the lubricating fluid can pop, causing a strange sound. Although this can happen in any joint, when it happens in the neck, we can hear it clearly, as it is close to the ears.
If this has
