Farting is a natural process where gas builds up in the gut and has to be let out. While this is normal, it is not always appropriate to let one out. Many people hold it in when in some settings. What most don’t know is that this could be unhealthy.
Recently people have shared through social media how holding a fart got them to the hospital. One person on TikTok explains how she had to get an appendectomy.
To understand how farts are produced, you need to know the digestion process. Digestion occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, which begins in the mouth and ends at the anus. The process begins in the mouth when you chew food and break it down into bits that the body can absorb nutrients from. Your teeth are perfectly adapted for the chewing process.
After chewing, food moves down the oesophagus in boluses in a process called peristalsis. The food moves to the stomach, where it is further broken down and some nutrients absorbed into the bloodstream. Hydrochloric acid also kills harmful bacteria in the stomach.
Food is then moved to the small intestine, where it is further broken down and nutrients extracted from it. The small intestine also has bacteria that take part in digestion. More nutrients are absorbed when food moves into the large intestines, forming faecal matter.
When faecal material is formed, it produces small gas bubbles that could accumulate. These gases could disrupt digestion and thus have to be expelled by the body. This is how farts are created. Holding in a fart is similar to holding in bowel movements as they both involve tightening of sphincters in the anus. People in public settings apply this mechanism to avoid farting.
When you hold in farts, the gas accumulates in your intestines, making it harder for your digestive organs to work. Holding in a fart for too long could cause temporary symptoms such as pain, bloating and discomfort.
Although there is no evidence that holding it in could cause serious medical problems, many speculate that it could lead to diverticulitis.