# Leaky Gas: the cure, an explanation & Q & A



## tummyrumbles (Aug 14, 2005)

The cure, mostly, is complete evacuation.I used to have this condition all my life. About seven years ago I realised that I wasn't completely evacuating and that this was causing my LG. I'm hoping a Q & A format might be helpful for some of you.*What exactly is Leaky Gas?*Gas leaking involuntarily from the anus.*What causes Leaky Gas?*Generally a combination of things: gas in the colon, a sensitive sphincter and an "irritable" colon.*Why can't I ever smell this myself?*Probably because the nose habituates itself. Also, it's not usually a forceful release, as with digestion gas. Leaky gas is often a slow, small release over a long period of time.*How do I know I've actually got Leaky Gas if I can't smell it myself?*Mostly by the comments people make, along with your awareness of gas retention. A lot of Leaky Gassers also are aware of trying to hold the gas in / bloating discomfort during the day, particularly at work. After a while the Leaky Gasser realises the connection between the discomfort and the comments. Although not all Leaky Gassers have bloating or gas pain.*What kind of gas is Leaky Gas?*The gas that leaks out would be any gas that is in your colon. This could include digestion gas. It could also be the general odour of stool in cases of incomplete evacuation. The gas from stool alone may not be enough to cause pressure on the colon walls, as with digestion gas. However retained stool could signal to the colon and sphincter that stool is ready to be evacuated. This sets up an "irritable" reaction involving the mind, anxiety, colon and sphincter. The Leaky Gas itself could be caused by 2 separate things: one is the pressure of digestion gas on the colon walls which builds up to an uncomfortable level over time. After a while it is too painful to hold in and the sphincter releases some of this gas. The second instance would be where there is no digestion gas present, just stool in the lower colon or rectum. The stool is signaling to the brain that it is ready to be evacuated, and this in turn leads to spasticity of the sphincter. It could be that the colon's brain is confused because on the one hand, it needs to go; on the other, it can't, because more often than not, the Leaky Gasser is at work at the time.These physiological reactions become imbedded and self-prophesying over time. *Do I need psychiatry?*Not unless you're mad. Leaky Gas is a very real, physical condition. The mind influences IBS, but it isn't "all in the mind". You would need psychiatry if you weren't bothered by this condition.*Why do some people have Leaky Gas while most people don't?*Leaky Gas, a form of IBS, is initially caused by weakened colon muscles. During their lifetime, a Leaky Gasser will gradually evacuate less efficiently. This seems to be a fairly gradual process that occurs over years and so it's difficult to pinpoint exactly where "leaky gas" begins. At some stage, incomplete evacuation will lead to the retention of a fair degree of stool. At a certain level, this sends a signal to the brain to evacuate. A lot of people have chronic constipation however don't get leaky gas. In these cases, the constipation is real, but possibly their anxiety level is lower and so the sphincter/colon intractability is less of an issue. A person in this situation probably wouldn't see themselves as an IBS sufferer.*My doctor said I have a strong sphincter. How can I leak Leaky Gas?*It isn't about sphincter strength. It's more to do with sphincter sensitivity / irritability and brain/colon/sphincter communication.*How can I be sure I actually have this condition?*People will generally indicate one way or another if you are causing bad odour.Some people are more tactful than others, but most will let you know, in their own way, after a certain amount of time.*My doctor doesn't believe me.*Doctors don't understand IBS. A doctor will "diagnose" IBS but all they are really saying is that they believe you have a problem with your colon but they don't know what that problem actually is.*Why can't doctors understand?*Too much of IBS is interlinked with the mind. Doctors deal in science and measurable phenomena. Medical science does acknowledge the colon's "little brain" but this isn't enough to help anyone. Medicine will never cure IBS. However the IBS sufferer can do a lot to relieve their IBS symptoms.*What is the cure for Leaky Gas?*Mostly, complete evacuation. As a general rule most people completely evacuate when they move their bowels. Leaky Gassers need to get back into this habit. Some people can move their bowels with a few strong contractions. Leaky Gassers may suffer from weak contractions that require quite a few attempts over considerable time until the colon is emptied. The only real cure in this case is time and patience.*Should I use enemas or suppositories?*No, because you need to re-train the colon to do its job. Enemas and suppositories lead to dependence, and the colon will lose its effectiveness over time.


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## jayy (Sep 12, 2012)

tummyrumbles said:


> The cure, mostly, is complete evacuation.I used to have this condition all my life. About seven years ago I realised that I wasn't completely evacuating and that this was causing my LG. I'm hoping a Q & A format might be helpful for some of you.*What exactly is Leaky Gas?*Gas leaking involuntarily from the anus.*What causes Leaky Gas?*Generally a combination of things: gas in the colon, a sensitive sphincter and an "irritable" colon.*Why can't I ever smell this myself?*Probably because the nose habituates itself. Also, it's not usually a forceful release, as with digestion gas. Leaky gas is often a slow, small release over a long period of time.*How do I know I've actually got Leaky Gas if I can't smell it myself?*Mostly by the comments people make, along with your awareness of gas retention. A lot of Leaky Gassers also are aware of trying to hold the gas in / bloating discomfort during the day, particularly at work. After a while the Leaky Gasser realises the connection between the discomfort and the comments. Although not all Leaky Gassers have bloating or gas pain.*What kind of gas is Leaky Gas?*The gas that leaks out would be any gas that is in your colon. This could include digestion gas. It could also be the general odour of stool in cases of incomplete evacuation. The gas from stool alone may not be enough to cause pressure on the colon walls, as with digestion gas. However retained stool could signal to the colon and sphincter that stool is ready to be evacuated. This sets up an "irritable" reaction involving the mind, anxiety, colon and sphincter. The Leaky Gas itself could be caused by 2 separate things: one is the pressure of digestion gas on the colon walls which builds up to an uncomfortable level over time. After a while it is too painful to hold in and the sphincter releases some of this gas. The second instance would be where there is no digestion gas present, just stool in the lower colon or rectum. The stool is signaling to the brain that it is ready to be evacuated, and this in turn leads to spasticity of the sphincter. It could be that the colon's brain is confused because on the one hand, it needs to go; on the other, it can't, because more often than not, the Leaky Gasser is at work at the time.These physiological reactions become imbedded and self-prophesying over time. *Do I need psychiatry?*Not unless you're mad. Leaky Gas is a very real, physical condition. The mind influences IBS, but it isn't "all in the mind". You would need psychiatry if you weren't bothered by this condition.*Why do some people have Leaky Gas while most people don't?*Leaky Gas, a form of IBS, is initially caused by weakened colon muscles. During their lifetime, a Leaky Gasser will gradually evacuate less efficiently. This seems to be a fairly gradual process that occurs over years and so it's difficult to pinpoint exactly where "leaky gas" begins. At some stage, incomplete evacuation will lead to the retention of a fair degree of stool. At a certain level, this sends a signal to the brain to evacuate. A lot of people have chronic constipation however don't get leaky gas. In these cases, the constipation is real, but possibly their anxiety level is lower and so the sphincter/colon intractability is less of an issue. A person in this situation probably wouldn't see themselves as an IBS sufferer.*My doctor said I have a strong sphincter. How can I leak Leaky Gas?*It isn't about sphincter strength. It's more to do with sphincter sensitivity / irritability and brain/colon/sphincter communication.*How can I be sure I actually have this condition?*People will generally indicate one way or another if you are causing bad odour.Some people are more tactful than others, but most will let you know, in their own way, after a certain amount of time.*My doctor doesn't believe me.*Doctors don't understand IBS. A doctor will "diagnose" IBS but all they are really saying is that they believe you have a problem with your colon but they don't know what that problem actually is.*Why can't doctors understand?*Too much of IBS is interlinked with the mind. Doctors deal in science and measurable phenomena. Medical science does acknowledge the colon's "little brain" but this isn't enough to help anyone. Medicine will never cure IBS. However the IBS sufferer can do a lot to relieve their IBS symptoms.*What is the cure for Leaky Gas?*Mostly, complete evacuation. As a general rule most people completely evacuate when they move their bowels. Leaky Gassers need to get back into this habit. Some people can move their bowels with a few strong contractions. Leaky Gassers may suffer from weak contractions that require quite a few attempts over considerable time until the colon is emptied. The only real cure in this case is time and patience.*Should I use enemas or suppositories?*No, because you need to re-train the colon to do its job. Enemas and suppositories lead to dependence, and the colon will lose its effectiveness over time.


How is it that some people on here can smell they leak and others can't ? How and why are we the lucky ones to get a curse like this ?


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## ileo (Jun 14, 2012)

Where is the evidence for these statements? Otherwise it is speculative, and should be presented as such.There is no difference between "digestion gas" and "leaky gas". All gas has come from bacterial fermentation during digestion. Gas may be propelled along at a faster rate when the gut is stimulated upon waking and after eating.You have used the word "Spasticity" wrongly, Spasticity refers to a state of contraction, not relaxation.There is also no scientific proof that enemas and suppositories cause dependence. Where is the evidence?Your words are so packed with vague terms that show you do not understand the cause of your problem at all, and all this is total nonsense.Anyone can say weasel words [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel_word] like "most people" and "doctors will never understand", which conveniently means you can say what you like with no evidence, no research and no effort. You have no evidence at all for anything you have said, and it is irresponsible to present a cure and explanation to desperate, suffering people. The more research I do, I realise that rectal malodor is a symptom, not a diagnosis, and represents a spectrum of possible causes. Not all cases will be identical.And I remind you that "leaky gas" is a made up term. Your definition of leaky gas "gas leaking involuntarily from the anus" is remarkably similar (pretty identical in fact) to the real medical condition of *gas incontinence*, a type of fecal incontinence. I guarantee that everyone on this forum who claims to suffer from similar symptoms would give their own definition and answers to these questions.These made up definitions and answers only highlight the perils of a made up medical condition. With a real condition, it has a name, and when doctors read this name, they know what condition is or they can look it up to find out. A made up term only causes confusion and misunderstanding because everyone has their own definition, possibly because they have *different conditions*.


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