Too Embarrassed To Ask your GP?

My Weekly’s favourite GP from TV and radio writes for you

- Dr Sarah Jarvis

As a GP, I hope there’s nothing my patients won’t say to me – no matter how embarrassing for them, I’ve seen it all before.

But all too often patients leave the issue they’re worried about until they’re on their way out of the door. Surveys suggest people often suffer with incontinence, wind and a host of other issues for years, when simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference.

Flatulence is completely normal. Gas down below is largely a function of what we eat, and the bacteria in our guts that help us digest it. That smell is down to small amounts of sulphur (also responsible for the smell of bad eggs; you get the picture!).

Our guts contain trillions of bacteria, and we wouldn’t be able to digest food without them. Some are “friendlier” than others – and where wind is concerned, you’re better off if you can keep the proportion of gas-producing bacteria down by topping up your good bacteria.