Differential Diagnosis for Passing Gas and Possible Hunger

• Single most likely diagnosis:
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or functional dyspepsia: These conditions are common and can cause symptoms of hunger and passing gas due to swallowing air, eating too quickly, or consuming gas-producing foods.
• Other Likely diagnoses:
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits, which could include passing gas and feeling hungry due to rapid transit of food through the digestive system.
  • Lactose intolerance or other food intolerances: Inability to digest certain foods can lead to bloating, gas, and discomfort, potentially triggering hunger due to incomplete digestion and absorption of nutrients.
  • Constipation: Although it might seem counterintuitive, constipation can sometimes cause bloating and discomfort that might be mistaken for hunger, along with passing gas.
• Do Not Miss diagnoses:
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis can cause significant gastrointestinal symptoms, including hunger due to malabsorption and passing gas due to inflammation and bacterial overgrowth.
  • Intestinal obstruction: A mechanical blockage of the intestine that can cause severe abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and gas, which might be mistaken for hunger and passing gas.
  • Diabetic gastroparesis: High blood sugar levels can damage the nerves that control the stomach, leading to delayed emptying of food, which can cause nausea, vomiting, feeling full after eating only a small amount of food, and potentially symptoms that might be confused with hunger and gas.
• Rare diagnoses:
  • Celiac disease: An autoimmune disorder where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine, causing malabsorption of nutrients, which could lead to increased hunger and gastrointestinal symptoms including gas.
  • Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO): An excessive growth of bacteria in the small intestine can lead to bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and changes in bowel habits, potentially causing hunger due to malabsorption.
  • Gastric cancer: Although rare, it can cause a range of gastrointestinal symptoms including weight loss, feeling full after eating small amounts of food, and potentially symptoms that might be confused with hunger and gas due to tumor effects on digestion and absorption.