Flatulence or Gas Pain

          A flatulence is the presence of excessive gas in the stomach and in the intestinal tract.

Water Treatments:
1.  Fomentation on the abdomen, 2 times a day.
2.  Turpentine stupes, 2 times a day.
3.  Heating compress on the abdomen overnight.
4.  Rectal tube insertion for serve gas pain, especially for babies.

Procedure (fomentation):
a.  Remove patient’s clothing and cover with sheet or blanket.
b.  Have basin of the ice water and compress at bedside of the patient.
c.  Close windows near patient’s bed avoid drafts.
d.  Cover area to be treated with one bath towel.
e.  Wring out one bath towel from boiling water.
f.  Spread the dry towel on the table and wrap the hot towel.
g.  Apply the hot towel to the body area to be treated, over the dry towel.
h.  Apply cold compress to the patient’s head. Change it three times during the application of each fomentation.
i.  Give three changes of hot fomentation, drying the treated area quickly between applications. Change fomentation every 5 minutes or till it gets warm or cool. Don’t wait till towel gets cold before removing it.
j.  Have hot towel ready before used hot towel is removed from the treated area.
k.  After the last fomentation, rub the area quickly with cold compress wrung from the ice water.
l.  Dry thoroughly and give sponge or warm bath if desired.
m.  Let patient rest after the treatment.

Procedure (turpentine stupes):
a.  Bring all things needed to the bedside including the mixture of oil and turpentine.
b.  Prepare the patient as for fomentation on the abdomen or ankle.
c.  Apply the oil and turpentine mixture with your finger tips to the area to be treated.
d.  Observe the skin very carefully to see if the patient is allergic to turpentine. If redness is noticed, discontinue the treatment. Wipe and remove the oil and turpentine mixture and apply cream on the skin.
e.  Cover the area with the dry towel and apply the hot fomentation over the area with the turpentine mixture. Fomentation pad should not be very hot.
f.  Give the three sets of fomentations. For abdominal distention teach patient to do abdominal breathing. While the hot fomentation is still on the abdominal area, tell patient to do abdominal breathing. Breath in slowly bringing the abdomen up on inspiration and down on expiration. Do this exercise a few times, with rest periods in between.
g.  After the last fomentation pad, remove hot towel and with the dry towel remove the oil from the skin.
h.  Apply cream or hand lotion cover the skin area treated and bandage (for sprained joint).
i.  If abdominal distention persists, repeat the treatment after two hours, unless contraindicated (not advised).
j.  If patient is not relieved in spite of treatments, consult your physician immediately.

Procedure (heating compress):
a.  Soak cloth with tap water. Wring and put around the neck or joint twice. Be sure the wet cloth is neither too wet to drip nor too dry. If medicated compress is applied, rub area with prescribed medication or ointment. Do not wet the cloth with water but wrap the cloth is applied. (In applying a plain heating compress, wet cloth is applied without medication).
b.  Apply compress smoothly and quickly to avoid chilling.
c.  With the piece of flannel cloth, wrap compress snugly to exclude air and pin securely on the side of the neck or joint.
d.  Leave compress on overnight or at least for 6-8 hours.
e.  Take care that the compress is not too tight so it does not interface with circulation and joint movements.
f.  Rub the area with a cloth wrung out of cold water (tap water) immediately after removing the compress in the morning or after 6-8 hours.
g.  Dry the area thoroughly. Compress may be applied once or twice a day.

Note:  It is best to apply a heating compress at night just before retiring.