How to Hold in a Fart when You're on the Brink

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Simple advice for controlling your farts in public

Co-authored by Chris M. Matsko, MD and Amber Crain

Last Updated: August 29, 2023 Fact Checked

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• Strategies for Holding in a Fart
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• Hiding a Fart in Public
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• Minimizing Flatulence
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• Video
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• Expert Q&A

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The urge to pass gas can strike at any moment, including when you're on a date, sitting in math class, or standing in a room full of people. In an ideal world, you could just run off and let the fart out of your system, but that's not always an option. Your best bet is to hold in that fart and hope for the best—so how do you do that? And is it bad for your health to hold in farts? In this article, we'll answer those questions and more, so scroll on down.

Things You Should Know

• Clench your butt cheeks as hard as you can to hold in your fart. Holding in a fart occasionally is perfectly safe, so don't worry about this harming your health.
• Change positions slowly so the gas moves to a different part of your body. For example, if you're sitting down, stand up (or vice versa).
• If you're sitting in a chair, shift slowly from cheek to cheek. Sometimes this is enough to keep the fart in, but if it does come out, it'll at least be a lot quieter.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Strategies for Holding in Your Fart

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1. 1
   Clench your butt cheeks. Think of it this way: if there's no space between your butt cheeks, then how can the fart get out? This can be a bit painful and you can't sustain it for that long, but if you clench your cheeks, your fart simply can't escape. Squeeze your glutes to tighten your anus and keep it tight; if you unclench, the fart might come out.

   • Keep in mind that holding in a fart isn't a permanent solution, and it may return with more force than before.
   • It's completely safe to hold in your farts every now and then—you don't need to worry about any serious health repercussions. That said, holding in your farts routinely can cause bloating and cramps, which can be unpleasant. Hold in farts when you need to, but relax your body and let all systems go as soon as you get the chance.
   • If you have severe obstructions in your colon, holding in your farts can be dangerous. This is extremely rare, though, and usually only happens to critically ill patients.
2. 2
   Change the position of your body. Sometimes you may just need to wiggle around a bit to move that fart to a different part of your body. After all, fart is just gas, so it can shift around inside you. If you're sitting, try standing up. If you're standing, sit down. If you're sitting but can't get up, try shifting from one butt cheek to the other.

   • Just don't make any sudden movements or the fart might come out!
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3. 3
   Lean forward in your chair. This is another time-tested strategy. If you're sitting down and need to fart, place both hands on the arm rests, put your weight on your toes, and gently lean forward a bit, lifting your bum off the seat. This can sometimes help the urge to fart go away, as pointing your toes and leaning up can also help you clench your anus a bit.

   • Keep in mind that holding in a fart makes it louder when the time comes. Though holding in your farts can be a great short-term strategy, a fart rarely just "disappears." Eventually, your fart will come back—and with more power than before because there's a lot of pressure behind it.
4. 4
   Lie down. If you're sitting up or standing and need to fart, sometimes lying down can help you change positions and get rid of the urge to fart. If you're hanging out with friends, this can be hard to pull off, but if you're all sitting around watching TV, see if you can sprawl out on the couch or do something that helps you hold in your fart while looking pretty natural.
5. 5
   Stand up straight and lift your chin. If you're standing and have the urge to fart, it can help to straighten up so your body is more erect. Maintaining good posture may give the fart more room to move around your body (so you can avoid releasing it).
6. 6
   Shift from cheek to cheek. If you're sitting and feel the urge to pass gas, one thing you can do is to delicately shift from cheek to cheek. Sometimes, this motion is all you need to make that farting feeling go away temporarily. This can also help you release the fart in a less noisy manner, if push comes to shove.

   • The problem with this maneuver is that it can look a bit obvious, so you may want to make it look like you're suddenly fascinated by something to the right of you—and then to the left of you...
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Hiding a Fart in Public

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1. 1
   Release the fart slowly. If you're in public and have no escape route and know that the fart is coming on any second now, then your best bet is to slowly release it. Carefully and slowly unclench your butt cheeks, wiggle around a bit, and then let the fart slowly escape from your body. If you let it out all at once, it's more likely to make a loud noise.

   • If people start wrinkling their noses at the smell, just pretend like you didn't fart. You can even wrinkle up your nose and look around accusingly at the people nearby—they can't prove it was you!
2. 2
   Make a loud noise to cover the fart. So this isn't the most ideal maneuver, but sometimes, you just know you have to fart, and you have no option but to make a loud noise or to cause a diversion when you know the time has come. Here are some things you can do:

   • Cough loudly
   • Laugh loudly
   • Drop a textbook
   • Turn on the radio
   • Set off a phone alarm
3. 3
   Make an excuse to leave so you can fart. This is the easiest way to fart and get away with it. If it's possible, then you should simply excuse yourself for a minute and then go and do your business. Here are the easiest things you can do:

   • Pretend to take a phone call
   • Go "check something out" on the other side of the room
   • Say you need some fresh air
   • Say you want to wash your hands
   • Use the bathroom
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Minimizing Flatulence

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1. 1
   Eat less of the foods that cause gas. Some foods that are rich in sulfur may make you pass gas more often—not to mention that they may make those farts smell even worse! Foods filled with carbohydrates are also more likely to make you pass gas, but every person has their own "trigger foods." Though you shouldn't avoid these foods entirely, try to cut back on them if you know you'll be going to a place where you may not want to fart. Foods that are known to cause gas include:

   • Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, and mushrooms
   • Beans and other legumes
   • Fruits such as apples, peaches, and pears
   • Bran and whole wheat products
   • Milk products such as cheese, yogurt, and ice cream
   • Eggs
   • Carbonated drinks, such as sodas
2. 2
   Avoid eating or drinking too fast. Another reason why you may have gas is because you down your food or drinks too quickly and don't give your body time to properly digest your food. The next time you eat, make a conscious effort to slow down and to carefully chew your food until each bite is thoroughly broken down. Stop eating on the run, if that's what you do, and make an effort to slow down and eat a few minutes earlier if you need to.

   • If you like soda, make sure you sip it slowly instead of downing it in three gulps, or you're guaranteed to make the gas situation worse.
3. 3
   Avoid chewing gum or sucking on hard candy. The repeated motion that accompanies chewing gum or sucking on hard candy can actually make you fart more. This can especially be the case if you're doing this on an empty stomach. If you want to minimize your embarrassment, then cut back on the chewing gum and hard candy. Chewing rapidly causes you to swallow extra air, and leads down to the breakdown of food in your gut, which can cause farting.

   • Sugar-free gum and candy that contain sorbitol are the worst offenders since your colon can't digest them.
4. 4
   Use over-the-counter medications for occasional relief. Though medication isn't necessary and should only be used if you really have a problem with this, consider taking over-the-counter medication to relieve occasional symptoms of flatulence. Beano, Gas-X, Mylanta Gas, or even Lactase tablets are good options.

   • Be sure to follow the dosage instructions on the package.
   • The medications break down sugar in your body, making food easier to digest.
   • It's fine to take OTC medications as needed for short periods of time (like a week or so), but try to avoid relying on it in the long-term. If you find yourself needing to take medications for more than a week or so, reach out to your doctor for advice.
5. 5
   Get regular exercise. Sometimes people can fart more just because they aren't getting regular exercise or that they're sitting for prolonged periods of time — these two things tend to go hand in hand. If you make a goal of exercising for at least 30 minutes a day and moving around as much as you can throughout the day, then your body will be in better shape overall and you'll be less likely to pass gas. Exercise also helps you get rid of the extra air in your system.

   • It can also help to go for a 10-15 minute walk right after a meal.
6. 6
   See a doctor if these lifestyle changes don't help to reduce your gas. If your gas problem doesn't go away or gets worse, it's time to see a doctor for professional advice. This is especially true if you're experiencing a lot of abdominal pain and bloating along with the gas. You may also want to check with a doctor if you experience:

   • A sudden change in your bowel habits
   • Frequent bouts of constipation or diarrhea
   • Rectal pain
   • Sudden weight loss
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  How do deal with a situation in which you and your friend have flatulence?

  

  Chris M. Matsko, MD
  Family Medicine Physician

  Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

  

  Chris M. Matsko, MD

  Family Medicine Physician

  Expert Answer

  If you and your friend have flatulence, it may have been from something you ate. Think about what you ate that may have caused the flatulence. If necessary, take medication such as Beano for your gas.

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Tips

• Remember that passing gas is a normal part of life. It's perfectly natural and healthy. The average person farts between 14 and 21 times a day (even if they don't realize it). There's nothing wrong with you just because you pass gas occasionally—everyone's doing it!
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• If all else fails and the fart does come out noticeably, don't let it get to you. People will move on and forget it with time. The best thing to do is laugh just laugh it off.
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• If you just have to fart, pretend it was your shoe squeaking against the ground. Or, if you have a drink, pretend it was your straw squeaking against the lid.
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Warnings

• Holding a fart in for too long can cause bloating, discomfort, and cramps, so try to release it as soon as you can.
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