Farting, also known as flatulence or wind, is normal. There are things you can do if you fart a lot or it's smelly. Sometimes it can be a sign of a health condition.

Check if your farting is normal Farting is usually nothing to worry about. Everyone farts, some people more than others. The average is 5 to 15 times a day. What's normal is different for everyone. If you notice a change or it's affecting your life, there are things you can do.

Things you can do to cut down excessive or smelly farts Do eat smaller meals, more often

drink or chew food slowly

exercise regularly to improve how your body digests food

drink peppermint tea Don’t do not chew gum, smoke, or suck pen tops or hard sweets to avoid swallowing air

do not wear loose-fitting dentures

do not eat too many foods that are difficult to digest and make you fart

Food and drinks that can make you fart cabbage

broccoli

cauliflower

brussels sprouts

pulses, like beans or lentils

dried fruit, like raisins or apricots

onions

food or drinks containing the sweetener sorbitol

fizzy drinks and beer

A pharmacist can help with excessive or smelly farts Speak to a pharmacist about excessive or smelly farts. They might be able to tell you: if you can buy something to help – for example, charcoal tablets or special underwear and pads that absorb smells

if you should see a GP

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if: self help and pharmacy treatments have not worked and farting is affecting your life

you have a stomach ache or bloating that will not go away or comes back

you keep getting constipation or diarrhoea

you have lost weight without trying

there's blood in your poo Information: Coronavirus update: how to contact a GP It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery: visit their website

use the NHS App

call them Find out about using the NHS during coronavirus

What causes excessive or smelly farts Excessive or smelly farts can be caused when you swallow air or eat foods that are difficult to digest. It can also sometimes be a sign of a health condition. Do not self-diagnose. See a GP if you're worried about your farting. Possible causes of farting Symptoms Possible causes Difficulty pooing Constipation Bloating, stomach pain with diarrhoea or constipation that comes and goes Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea and stomach pain Coeliac disease Diarrhoea, bloating, stomach pain, feeling sick Lactose intolerance Excessive or smelly wind can also be a side effect of some medicines, including: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), like ibuprofen

some laxatives

antifungal medicines

statins Do not stop or change your medicine without speaking to a GP first.