There are a number of symptoms that MS has, some more disabling than other, some more disturbing than others, and some more weird than others.

The wide variety of symptoms makes MS difficult to diagnose, but, what happens after the diagnosis? Well, there are a number of drugs used to ameliorate some of the symptoms. It’s needless to say, that some symptoms can cause a person to feel ashamed. One of them is the everlasting bowel dysfunction that most MS suffers have.

The most common problem in the range of bowel problems in Multiple Sclerosis is constipation and flatulence. Usually this is due to self-imposed dehydration to control bladder frequency. Another factor that contributes to constipation is the lack of physical activity.  Nevertheless, both problems can be solved with a right attitude and bladder control without dehydration.

But, the question is, what causes flatulence?

There are a number of factors
-    Eating foods that are difficult to digest, like fibers
-    Eating foods that one’s body does not tolerate ( for example, if one is lactose intolerant and consumes dairy products)
-    Malabsorption, meaning that the body can’t digest the food you ate in an appropriate manner
-    Medications like antibiotics and others
-    Swallowing air when eating ( chewing gum included)
-    Drinking carbonated beverages like beer and soft drinks
-    Overeating

So, how can one get rid of this nasty problem?

There are several ways. Some spices are known to counteract the production of intestinal gas. These are coriander, caraway, turmeric, epazote, and others. Starches like corn, noodles, potatoes and wheat prodce gas, so they should be avoided.  Another very good natural remedy is probiotics ( like yougurt, kefir, etc). Usually, bioactive yogurts contain Lactobacillus acidophilus bacterial which is known to reduce flatulence. Also, one can easily purchase medicinal activated charcoal tablets since these proved to be effective reducing both the quantity and the odor of gas if they are taken before the meal.  Mint tea is also a very good flatulence reducer.

It is needless to say, that these natural remedies are safe to try. There are also a number of medications which can be prescribed by doctors and some that can be purchased without a prescription. However, the recommendation is to always consult a doctor before taking a new medicine, because, it’s needless to say hat for MS persons, a new medicine can interact with their current treatment scheme.

Flatulence isn’t something fun to have, but one must understand that this is a by-symptom of the bowel dysfunctions that MS causes, and also, flatulence can be a secondary effect of some of the drugs one uses to treat other MS symptoms. This is why, the importance of consulting a doctor cannot be underlined enough!   It is needless to say that only a doctor can prescribe a new drug or offer the patient  remedy that doesn’t interfere with one’s current treatment scheme.