Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsYoga for Gas ReliefAdditional TipsWhen to Seek Medical Care

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Yoga for Gas Relief

Additional Tips

When to Seek Medical Care

Yoga poses such as child’s pose and spinal twists can help relieve trapped gas and bloating. Trapped gas can make you uncomfortable, causing abdominal pain, bloating, and distention. Yoga poses help because movements that include forward bends, squats, knees to chest, twists, and bridges can help relieve trapped gas.

Eating certain foods can also help, as can making small lifestyle changes such as exercising and lying on your side.

How Yoga Helps Relieve Gas

Knees to Chest Pose

The knees-to-chest pose, also known as the wind-relieving pose, puts gentle pressure on the abdomen and helps get trapped gas moving.

Rapeepong Puttakumwong / Getty Images

woman in Apanasana or knees to chest pose for gas pain

Child’s Pose

The child’s pose places pressure on the abdomen while relieving tension in the hips and lower back. This is believed to aid digestion.

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woman holding the child’s pose while doing yoga on a mat for gas pain

Spinal Twist

The spinal twist pose assists digestion through abdominal compression. Twisting at the waist helps to push gas through the body.

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Practicing Reclined Spinal Twist Pose for gas pain

Seated Forward Bend

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Paschimottanasana or seated forward bend pose for gas pain

Squats

Squatsare good for more than building strong thighs andgluteal(butt) muscles. This posture promotes the release of built-up gas from the digestive system. Here’s how to lower yourself into this position to help relieve trapped gas:

puhhha / Getty Images

girl practices garland pose near laptop in living room

This position may make you need to have abowel movement, so make sure you have easy access to a bathroom if necessary.

Bridge Pose

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lady practicing yoga doing bridge pose on fitness mat for gas pain

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woman practicing yoga, doing Happy Baby exercise for gas pain

Downward-Facing Dog

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woman practice yoga Downward Facing dog for gas pain

Additional Tips to Relieve Gas and Bloating

Along with yoga poses, otherways to relieve gasinclude walking, lying on your side, and consuming certain foods and drinks.

Get on Your Feet

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Mother and son leaving for a walk at front door

Taking a walk can sometimes be all that’s needed to relieve trapped gas and bloating in the short term.

Research shows light physical activity, such as walking, can help move intestinal gas and reduce bloating in the abdomen.

At least 30 minutes of exercise three or four days a week may help keep the bloating and burps at bay.

Lie on Your Side

Consume Certain Foods and Beverages

Some foods are more likely to cause gas, such as fatty foods,high-fiber foods, cruciferous vegetables, fruits high in fructose, legumes, carbonated drinks, and foods containing sugar alcohol (such as sorbitol, mannitol, orxylitol).Try avoiding these items when you have gas and bloating.

Choose these foods and beverages that are less gassy:

Another tip is to drink beverages slowly. Chugging or gulping makes you swallow more air, which can lead to bloating.

It is estimated that the average person farts at least 14 times every day and burps up to 30 times a day.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

These conditions includeirritable bowel syndrome(IBS),gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD),lactose intolerance, andceliac disease.

It is recommended that you talk with your healthcare provider if you have symptoms such as:

Otherwise, try changing your diet to excludefoods known to cause gas.

Other changes that may help are:

Gum and straws both make you swallow excess air, which can lead to more gas.

Summary

Changing your diet may also help. In most cases, gas is not a serious issue. But you may want to see a healthcare provider if you have excessive gas or if it interferes with daily activities.

6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johannesson E, Ringström G, Abrahamsson H, Sadik R.Intervention to increase physical activity in irritable bowel syndrome shows long-term positive effects.World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(2):600-8. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i2.600Simadibrata DM, Lesmana E, Amangku BR, Wardoyo MP, Simadibrata M.Left lateral decubitus sleeping position is associated with improved gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.World J Clin Cases. 2023;11(30):7329-7336. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v11.i30.7329Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School.Gas (flatulence).Zad M, Bredenoord AJ.Chronic burping and belching. Curr Treat Options Gastro. 2020;18(1):33-42. doi: 10.1007/s11938-020-00276-0Gennaro C, Larsen H.Symptomatic approach to gas, belching and bloating with OMT treatment options.Osteopathic Family Physician. 2019;11(2):20-25.Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School.Feeling gassy — is it ever a cause for concern?Additional ReadingNational Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive tract.Wilkinson JM, Cozine EW, Loftus CG.Gas, bloating, and belching: Approach to evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99(5):301-309.

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johannesson E, Ringström G, Abrahamsson H, Sadik R.Intervention to increase physical activity in irritable bowel syndrome shows long-term positive effects.World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(2):600-8. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i2.600Simadibrata DM, Lesmana E, Amangku BR, Wardoyo MP, Simadibrata M.Left lateral decubitus sleeping position is associated with improved gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.World J Clin Cases. 2023;11(30):7329-7336. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v11.i30.7329Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School.Gas (flatulence).Zad M, Bredenoord AJ.Chronic burping and belching. Curr Treat Options Gastro. 2020;18(1):33-42. doi: 10.1007/s11938-020-00276-0Gennaro C, Larsen H.Symptomatic approach to gas, belching and bloating with OMT treatment options.Osteopathic Family Physician. 2019;11(2):20-25.Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School.Feeling gassy — is it ever a cause for concern?Additional ReadingNational Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive tract.Wilkinson JM, Cozine EW, Loftus CG.Gas, bloating, and belching: Approach to evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99(5):301-309.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Johannesson E, Ringström G, Abrahamsson H, Sadik R.Intervention to increase physical activity in irritable bowel syndrome shows long-term positive effects.World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(2):600-8. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i2.600Simadibrata DM, Lesmana E, Amangku BR, Wardoyo MP, Simadibrata M.Left lateral decubitus sleeping position is associated with improved gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.World J Clin Cases. 2023;11(30):7329-7336. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v11.i30.7329Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School.Gas (flatulence).Zad M, Bredenoord AJ.Chronic burping and belching. Curr Treat Options Gastro. 2020;18(1):33-42. doi: 10.1007/s11938-020-00276-0Gennaro C, Larsen H.Symptomatic approach to gas, belching and bloating with OMT treatment options.Osteopathic Family Physician. 2019;11(2):20-25.Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School.Feeling gassy — is it ever a cause for concern?

Johannesson E, Ringström G, Abrahamsson H, Sadik R.Intervention to increase physical activity in irritable bowel syndrome shows long-term positive effects.World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(2):600-8. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i2.600

Simadibrata DM, Lesmana E, Amangku BR, Wardoyo MP, Simadibrata M.Left lateral decubitus sleeping position is associated with improved gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.World J Clin Cases. 2023;11(30):7329-7336. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v11.i30.7329

Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School.Gas (flatulence).

Zad M, Bredenoord AJ.Chronic burping and belching. Curr Treat Options Gastro. 2020;18(1):33-42. doi: 10.1007/s11938-020-00276-0

Gennaro C, Larsen H.Symptomatic approach to gas, belching and bloating with OMT treatment options.Osteopathic Family Physician. 2019;11(2):20-25.

Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School.Feeling gassy — is it ever a cause for concern?

National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive tract.Wilkinson JM, Cozine EW, Loftus CG.Gas, bloating, and belching: Approach to evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99(5):301-309.

National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive tract.

Wilkinson JM, Cozine EW, Loftus CG.Gas, bloating, and belching: Approach to evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99(5):301-309.

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