What Is Vaginal Flatulence? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Medically Reviewed

Vaginal flatulence, also known as vaginal flatus, or queef, is an emission of trapped air from the vagina. Vaginal flatulence is both common and completely normal. It most frequently occurs during sexual activity or exercise.

Overwhelmingly, it doesn’t pose any gynecological health risks.

Signs and Symptoms of Vaginal Flatulence

Whether you call it a queef, a vaginal fart, vaginal gas, or even a “vart,” the passage of air through the vaginal canal produces a sound that’s similar to anal flatulence. But unlike a fart, a vaginal release of air doesn’t have a gassy odor.

Common Questions & Answers

What is a queef?

It’s the (very common) emission of trapped air from the vagina.

What causes vaginal farts?

Sexual intercourse, pelvic exams, exercise, pregnancy, and menopause can all cause vaginal farts. Sometimes the anatomical structure of your pelvic floor may make you more likely to expel trapped air from your vagina.

When should I worry about vaginal farts?

Vaginal flatulence is perfectly normal, but if it occurs with symptoms like bad-smelling vaginal discharge, frequent UTIs, irritation or pain in the area, or pain during sex, you should see a doctor.

How do you treat vaginal farts?

Since vaginal farts are common, there’s no need to treat them. On rare occasions, however, the flatulence is a sign of a medical issue, such as pelvic organ prolapse or rectovaginal fistulas. Surgery can treat both of those conditions.

Causes and Risk Factors of Vaginal Flatulence

Much of the information compiled on vaginal flatulence — especially on the internet — is anecdotal, and more research would likely offer us a better understanding of what might make some women more likely to queef. With that caveat in mind, there are a number of situations and factors associated with vaginal flatulence, including:

• Sexual Intercourse or Inserting an Object in the Vagina When something is inserted into the vagina, it can displace the air inside. It’s possible to experience vaginal flatulence during a pelvic exam, when a doctor inserts or removes a speculum.
• Exercise or Stretching Movements during exercise can cause air to become trapped inside the vagina. Women often report vaginal flatulence during certain physical activities, such as yoga.
• Pregnancy or Menopause Some women report more episodes of vaginal flatulence during pregnancy or menopause.
• Pelvic Floor Anatomy Everyone’s pelvic floor is slightly unique, and some may be more prone than others to expelling trapped air.

A rare cause of vaginal flatulence is a vaginal fistula. A fistula is an abnormal opening that connects the vagina to another organ, such as your bladder, colon, or rectum. If the fistula is connected to the colon or rectum, it can cause the passage of stool from the vagina. Childbirth, cancer treatments, injury, and certain surgical procedures can lead to the formation of a fistula, but again, it’s highly uncommon. See your doctor if your queefs smell bad, or if you notice an unusual discharge.

Diagnosis of Vaginal Flatulence

While there aren’t specific tests or procedures to determine if these air emissions are simply the occasional result of air escaping from the vagina, your doctor may perform a pelvic exam to rule out a more serious problem.

Duration of Vaginal Flatulence

A queef typically lasts a few seconds during or after sex or during exercise.

Treatment of Vaginal Flatulence

Because vaginal flatulence is a normal occurrence, there’s no need to treat it or seek a remedy for it.

But there may be times when queefing is associated with a medical issue that requires treatment.

Some research has found an association between pelvic organ prolapse and vaginal flatulence, but the evidence is lacking and inconsistent. Prolapse occurs when any of the pelvic organs drop down due to weakness in the supporting structures.

Childbirth and other conditions that put pressure on pelvic tissues can cause this.

If your vaginal flatulence happens to be associated with prolapse, treatment might involve using a pessary — a plastic or rubber circular device that fits into the vagina and supports tissues that were displaced by prolapse — and trying to strengthen your pelvic muscles by performing Kegel exercises.

To perform Kegels, squeeze the muscles you use to stop urinating. Hold this contraction for up to 10 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds, making sure to concentrate on contracting just your pelvic floor muscles, as opposed to your abdominal muscles as well. Try to work up to at least three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions each day. As a side note, do not do Kegels while urinating. This can cause insufficient emptying of the bladder, which can lead to urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Depending on the severity of the prolapse, surgery may be necessary.

You should see your doctor if you have vaginal flatulence paired with more worrying symptoms including:

• Stool or pus coming from your vagina
• Vaginal discharge that smells bad or off
• Frequent vaginal or urinary tract infections
• Irritation or pain in vulva, vagina, or area between vagina and anus
• Pain during sex

If you have these symptoms, queefing could be a sign of a rectovaginal fistula — which is rare.

Prevention of Vaginal Flatulence

Queefs happen naturally during sex and exercise, and there may not be much you can do to prevent them. As far as sex goes, pay attention to whether or not certain positions make you queef more. But if you’re comfortable with your partner or partners, you’ll likely be able to laugh it off.

As mentioned above, if you’ve suffered a prolapse and it’s possibly causing you to queef, your doctor may recommend using a pessary.

Research and Statistics: Who Gets Vaginal Flatulence?

Any woman can experience vaginal flatulence. There is some research, however, that suggests certain women may be more prone to it. For instance, a meta-analysis of 15 studies on vaginal flatulence found that women who had delivered babies vaginally often reported occurrences of vaginal flatulence after the fact, but this certainly is not the only factor that can lead to vaginal flatulence.

Plenty of women who have never been pregnant experience vaginal flatulence, too. One study of nearly 1,000 women ages 18 to 80 found that women with low BMI and who are younger have more instances of vaginal flatulence.

Another study found that more than a third of women with pelvic floor disorders reported vaginal flatus (the involuntary passing of gas from the vagina).

Complications of Vaginal Flatulence

Vaginal flatulence itself doesn’t cause complications (aside from some possible embarrassment).

Related Conditions of Vaginal Flatulence

When you release gas through your digestive system — also known as farting — it sounds a lot like a queef. But the causes of intestinal gas and vaginal flatulence are different. Swallowing excessive air can cause farting; bacteria in the intestine produce gas when processing foods that pass into the colon before being digested higher up in the digestive tract; and rectal gas can be a side effect of some medications.

Resources We Love

Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood offers a wealth of reliable information about women’s health — from sexual and reproductive issues and concerns to questions about queefing.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) 

For trusted, evidence-based information from expert physicians, visit ACOG’s website, where you’ll find this FAQ on women’s sexual health, as well as sections geared toward teens, pregnancy, and healthy aging.

Additional reporting by Kaitlin Sullivan.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

• Amarenco G, Turmel N, Chesnel C, et al. Vaginal Gas: Review. Progés en Urologie. December 2019.
• How Can I Prevent Queefing During Sex? It’s So Embarrassing! Planned Parenthood. April 24, 2020.
• Veisi F, Rezavand N, Zangeneh M, et al. Vaginal Flatus and the Associated Risk Factors in Iranian Women: A Main Research Article. ISRN Obstetrics and Gynecology. May 20, 2012.
• Neels H, Pacquée S, Shek K, et al. Is Vaginal Flatus Related to Pelvic Floor Functional Anatomy? International Urogynecology Journal. December 2020.
• Pelvic Support Problems. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. November 2021.
• Posterior Vaginal Prolapse (Rectocele): Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic. August 10, 2022.
• Posterior Vaginal Prolapse (Rectocele): Diagnosis and Treatment. Mayo Clinic. August 10, 2022.
• Knuttinen M, Yi J, Magtibay J, et al. Colorectal-Vaginal Fistulas: Imaging and Novel Interventional Treatment Modalities. Journal of Clinical Medicine. April 22, 2018.
• Kegel Exercises: A How-To Guide for Women. Mayo Clinic. December 6, 2022.
• Rectovaginal Fistula. Mayo Clinic. January 13, 2023.
• Toxic Shock Syndrome: Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic. March 23, 2022.
• Lau H, Su T, Chen Y, Huang W. The Prevalence of Vaginal Flatus in Women With Pelvic Floor Disorders and Its Impact on Sexual Function. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. March 2021.
• Gas (Flatulence). Harvard Health Publishing. July 1, 2019.

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Vaginal Gas: Causes, Prevention, and More

What is vaginal gas?

Vaginal gas, or “queefing,” is when air gets trapped inside the vagina. Once air is trapped, it will eventually be released from the vagina and can cause a sound similar to common flatulence from the rectum. It is typically a normal occurrence, and it is rarely a sign of a serious health concern. However, it can either be a passing occurrence, or it may be a symptom of a medical condition that will need to be treated. Let’s look at the causes and when you need to seek medical attention.

There are a number of different things that can cause vaginal gas. It is important to know the different causes, as some need to be addressed by a medical professional. Some of these causes include:

Sexual activity

Sexual activity is a common cause of vaginal gas. The movement of the penis in and out of the vagina can sometimes cause air to enter and then become trapped. When your muscles tense from an orgasm or when the penis is removed, the gas will then be released. This can cause a noise and feel like bubbles.

Oral sex can cause air to enter the vagina as well. Some forms of rough sex can cause vaginal gas, but they may also cause a spontaneous pneumoperitoneum, which is when air accumulates and gets trapped under your diaphragm. This can cause chest or upper abdominal pain.

Pelvic floor dysfunction

While vaginal noise is not one of the main symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, studies have shown that vaginal noise, similar to common flatus, can be a result of it.

Vaginal fistula

A vaginal fistula is an abnormal, hollow tract between your vagina and another internal abdominal or pelvic organ. They are a potential cause for vaginal gas that is not directly related to sexual activity. There are different types of vaginal fistulas. These types are based on where the hole or tear is in the vagina and which organ the tract connects to. Fistulas need to be addressed by a medical professional and treated.

The type of vaginal fistula seen most often is known as a vesicovaginal fistula. The hole for this type is between your urinary bladder and your vagina. The following is a list of the other types of fistulas and where the tear occurs in the vagina:

• Ureterovaginal fistula occurs between the vagina and ureter(s), which move urine to your bladder from your kidneys.
• Rectovaginal fistula occurs between the vagina and the rectum (near the end of the colon). This may happen during childbirth, but primarily occurs in developing countries without easy or any access to obstetric care. It can also be caused by pelvic surgery, pelvic cancer, radiation treatments around the pelvis to treat pelvic cancer, or from Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis (both are types of inflammatory bowel disease). This type of fistula can often cause vaginal gas, particularly when it occurs after childbirth.
• Enterovaginal fistula occurs between the small intestine and the vagina.
• Colovaginal fistula occurs between the colon and the vagina. This is a rare type of fistula and is most often caused by diverticular disease.
• Urethrovaginal fistula occurs between the vagina and the urethra, which is the tube that sends urine out of your body.

Vaginal gas is one symptom of a vaginal fistula. Other symptoms depend on the size and type of fistula that you have, but here are some symptoms to look for:

• loose stool leaking into your urine
• urine or vaginal discharge that has a strong unpleasant odor
• vaginitis or urinary tract infections that occur frequently
• incontinence, both fecal and urinary
• diarrhea
• discomfort or pain in and around the vagina and rectum
• painful sex
• nausea
• abdominal pain

There are not many things you can do to prevent vaginal gas. It is usually a symptom of other conditions or a natural occurrence during sexual activity. However, there are treatments and surgical procedures that can correct the cause. Even in vaginal gas that occurs due to sexual activity, there may be nonsurgical treatment options that might help stop it from happening.

Vaginal gas created during sexual activity is nothing to be concerned about. It’s not a symptom of a medical condition. However, if you’re experiencing vaginal gas at times that are not directly related to sexual activity you should see your doctor. Your doctor can determine if you have a vaginal fistula or whether another medical issue is causing it. Fistulas usually require surgery to repair. If they are not treated or repaired, they may lead to more serious complications if left untreated.

In most cases, vaginal gas can be eliminated when the underlying cause is treated. If a fistula is caught early enough or the hole or tear is very small, it may not require surgery to repair it. However, no matter the cause, it is important that you talk to your doctor if you’re having vaginal gas. This will allow your doctor to discover if it’s a symptom of a fistula or other medical condition that can be treated.

Top 10 causes of death in the world

Top 10 causes of death in the world

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• Top 10 causes of death in the world

In 2019, the top 10 causes of death accounted for 55% of the world’s 55. 4 million deaths.

The main causes of death in the world are associated with three large groups of diseases: cardiovascular (ischemic heart disease, stroke), respiratory (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory tract infections) and neonatal pathological
conditions (asphyxia of newborns and birth trauma, sepsis and other infectious diseases of newborns, as well as complications of preterm birth) (in descending order of the total number of deaths).

Causes of death can be classified into three categories: transmissible (infectious and parasitic diseases, as well as pathological conditions during pregnancy, childbirth and feeding), non-communicable diseases (chronic) and injuries.

Leading causes of death worldwide

Globally, in 2019, noncommunicable diseases accounted for seven of the ten leading causes of death. These seven causes accounted for 44% of the total number of deaths and 80% of the deaths caused by the top ten causes of death.
At the same time, all non-communicable diseases combined accounted for 74% of deaths recorded in the world in 2019

The most common cause of death is coronary heart disease, accounting for 16% of all deaths worldwide. The greatest increase in mortality since 2000 was due to this disease: by 2019, mortality from it increased by more than 2 million cases and reached 8.9 million cases. Stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are the second and third leading causes of death, accounting for approximately 11% and 6% of total deaths, respectively.

Lower respiratory tract infections remain the fourth leading cause of death in the world, and the first among infectious diseases. However, mortality from such infections has declined significantly: in 2019 it was 2.6 million cases, which is 460 thousand less than in 2000.

Neonatal pathological conditions rank fifth. At the same time, global mortality from these conditions over the past two decades has shown one of the most pronounced declines in absolute terms: in 2019They killed 2 million newborns and young children, 1. 2 million fewer than in 2000.

Mortality from non-communicable diseases is on the rise. Cancer of the trachea, bronchi and lungs showed an increase in mortality from 1.2 million to 1.8 million cases and ranked sixth among the leading causes of death.

Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia were the seventh leading cause of death in 2019. Women are especially susceptible to these diseases. They account for 65% of deaths from Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia in the world.

Globally, deaths from intestinal infections have declined significantly, from 2.6 million in 2000 to 1.5 million in 2019.

Diabetes has become one of the top ten causes of death, with a significant increase in mortality since 2000 – by 70%. Among men, the increase was even greater, by 80%, the largest increase in deaths for men since 2000 among the top ten causes of death.

Other diseases, which were among the top ten causes of death in 2000, have been removed from this list. One of them was HIV/AIDS. Over the past 20 years, mortality from this disease has fallen by 51%, as a result of which, from eighth place, which it occupied in 2000, in 2019g. it moved to the nineteenth.

Kidney diseases have risen from thirteenth to tenth place. Mortality from these diseases increased from 813,000 in 2000 to 1.3 million in 2019. Gross national income is divided into four groups: low, lower middle, upper middle and high income.

In low-income countries, communicable diseases significantly outnumber non-communicable diseases as causes of death. Despite a global decline in deaths from infectious diseases, they account for six out of 10 deaths in low-income countries.

Malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS remain among the top ten causes of death in these countries. At the same time, mortality from these three diseases shows a significant decrease. HIV/AIDS showed the largest decline in mortality among the top ten causes in these countries: from 395,000 cases in 2000 to 161,000 in 2019, i. e. by 59%.

Enteric infections are a larger cause of death in low-income countries and are among the top five causes. However, these infections show the second largest decrease in mortality among the top ten causes in these countries, by 231,000 cases.

Mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in low-income countries is negligible compared with countries in other groups. In low-income countries, the disease is not among the top ten causes of death, while it is in the top five in all other country groups.

Lower middle-income countries show the most diverse set of top ten causes of death: five noncommunicable diseases, four communicable diseases and injuries. In this group of countries, the importance of diabetes is growing: it has moved from 15th place to ninth, the number of deaths from this disease has almost doubled since 2000.

In this group of countries, intestinal infections continue to be a major problem among the ten leading causes of death. However, this category of diseases is characterized by the most significant decrease in the absolute number of deaths, which from 2000 to 2019decreased from 1.9 million to 1.1 million cases. The largest increase in the absolute number of deaths is associated with ischemic heart disease: since 2000, it has increased by more than a million, reaching 3.1 million cases. Of the top ten causes of death in the previous list in 2000, HIV/AIDS has seen the largest decline in mortality, moving from 8th to 15th place.

Upper middle-income countries saw a marked increase in lung cancer deaths, up by 411,000; this is more than double the increase in mortality in all three other country groups combined. In addition, upper-middle-income countries have a high mortality rate from gastric cancer compared to other groups of countries; this is the only group of countries where the disease continues to be among the top ten causes of death.

One of the most notable reductions in the absolute number of deaths is due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with a decrease of nearly 264,000 deaths to 1. 3 million. At the same time, deaths from coronary heart disease increased by more than 1.2 million cases, which is the largest increase in the absolute number of deaths from this cause among all groups of countries.

Only one infectious disease (lower respiratory tract infection) is among the top ten causes of death in upper middle-income countries. It is noteworthy that since 2000, suicide deaths in this category of countries have decreased by 31%, to 234,000 cases in 2019.d.

Deaths from all but two of the top 10 diseases are on the rise in high-income countries. Ischemic heart disease and stroke are the only causes of death among the top ten for which the total number of deaths in 2000-2019 decreased by 16% (or 327,000 cases) and 21% (or 205,000 cases) respectively. The only group of countries that has seen a decline in deaths from these two diseases is the group of high-income countries. However, coronary heart disease and stroke remain among the top three causes of death in countries in this group: in 2019they caused the death of a total of more than 2. 5 million people. In addition, mortality from hypertensive heart disease is on the rise. Following a global trend, this disease has risen from 18th to 9th place in the list of leading causes of death.

Deaths from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia have risen to overtake stroke to become the second leading cause of death in high-income countries, killing 814,000 people in 2019. And, as in upper-middle-income countries, only one category of infectious diseases, lower respiratory tract infections, was among the top ten causes of death.

Why do we need to know the causes of death?

Knowing why people die is necessary in order to improve the lives of the population. Determining how many people die each year helps us evaluate the effectiveness of our health systems and direct resources where they are needed most. For example, mortality data can help focus efforts and resources in sectors such as transport, agri-food, environment and health.

In the context of COVID-19 infectionthe urgent need for countries to invest in strengthening civil registration and vital registration systems to ensure that deaths are recorded daily, as well as direct prevention and treatment measures, has become clear. This environment has also exposed the fragmented data collection systems that characterize most low-income countries, where policymakers still lack accurate information about how many people die and for what reasons.

To address this critical gap, WHO, in collaboration with global partners, has launched the COVID-19 Loss Identification: Technical Mortality Recording and Epidemic Response Package. With the help of the project’s tools and guidance on live mortality reporting, countries are able to collect data on total deaths by day, week, gender, age and location, which will allow health officials to initiate health improvement actions more timely.

In addition, the World Health Organization is developing standards and best practices for data collection, processing and aggregation based on the consolidated and improved International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), a digital platform that facilitates the provision of timely and accurate cause-of-death data that provides countries with the ability to regularly generate and use health information that meets international standards.

Regular collection and analysis of high-quality data on cases and causes of death, as well as data on disability disaggregated by age, sex and geographic location, is essential to improve health and reduce mortality and disability worldwide.

Editor’s note

The WHO global health estimates from which information for this fact sheet is extracted provide comprehensive and comparable health data, including life expectancy, healthy life expectancy, mortality and morbidity, and the burden of disease at global, regional and country levels, disaggregated by age, sex and cause of death. Estimates published in the 2020 report on trends in over 160 illnesses and injuries by year from 2000 to 2019

Angina: causes, symptoms, treatment In other cases, when diagnosing a disease, the following pathogens are detected:

• staphylococci;
• adenovirus;
• fungi of the genus Candida;
• Coxsackie virus group A.

The main mode of entry of microbes is airborne, however, it is also possible to become infected from a person infected with sore throat when using common household products. Getting an infection and settling it on the tonsils does not always lead to the development of a sore throat. The action of microbes is activated under the influence of provoking factors: hypothermia, sudden changes in ambient temperature, reduced immunity.

Stimulate the development of the disease and some irritants that regularly enter the throat: dust, smoke, pollen, wool. With frequent cases of development of pathologies of the nasopharynx, which can be caused by the growth of adenoids or other diseases, the likelihood of getting a sore throat increases.

When purulent inflammation spreads to surrounding tissues, which was initially localized in the paranasal sinuses, the infection will affect the entire nasopharynx, which will also lead to tonsillitis.

Symptoms of the disease

Depending on the form of the disease, the type of pathogen and the degree of angina, the general clinical symptoms will differ:

• Catarrhal. With this form of angina, the infection spreads to the mucous membrane of the tonsils. The main symptoms are: sore throat, which reaches its maximum strength during swallowing, redness and swelling of the tonsils. Against the background of the inflammatory process, an increase in temperature is observed.
• Follicular. With angina, not only the mucous membrane is affected, but also the lymphoid follicles. The primary symptom is sore throat, which begins acutely and is accompanied by a sharp rise in temperature to high rates. A person feels weakness, aching muscles and joints, headaches. Festering follicles 1-3 mm in size appear on the tonsils, which open on the second or fourth day.
• Lacunar tonsillitis, which is characterized by a deep degree of damage to the tonsils, accompanied by an accumulation of pus in the lacunae. The tonsils become bright red in color, a yellow-white coating is clearly visible on them. Soreness in the throat is accompanied by general intoxication of the body.
• Necrotic angina is quite rare and is characterized by the presence of necrotic areas.

The onset of symptoms begins after the end of the incubation period. Against the background of elevated temperature, febrile convulsions can occur – severe muscle tension, followed by shudders and twitches.

Diagnosis of angina

The success of treatment will depend on timely and competent diagnosis. The first stage of the examination is an examination of the condition of the patient’s pharynx, in which the attending physician will assess the main signs of the disease: the degree of enlargement of the tonsils and the presence or absence of purulent plaque. It is also necessary to assess the degree of enlargement of the lymph nodes in the ears, neck and neck.

Blood tests will allow you to determine the degree of increase in leukocytes and ESR, characteristic of bacterial tonsillitis. With viral sore throat, the level of leukocytes remains within the normal range or slightly decreases, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate increases slightly.

To determine the causative agent of the disease in the laboratory, an examination of mucus cultures from the oropharynx is carried out. This is important for determining the class of the disease and the competent prescription of drugs for the treatment of angina. For complicated or especially acute symptoms, the attending physician may prescribe an ultrasound of the neck.

Treatment for angina

The patient is admitted to the infectious disease department only in complicated cases. Most often, angina can be treated on an outpatient basis. The method of treatment consists not only in the elimination of common signs of angina, but also in the impact on the causative agent of the disease. The patient is prescribed:

• Regular gargling with saline solution or special antibacterial agents. During treatment, it is necessary to act on the deep parts of the pharynx, therefore, when rinsing, it is recommended to tilt your head back.
• Antibacterial and analgesic local preparations: tablets, sprays, lozenges.
• Treat with antipyretics if needed.
• Antibiotics given only after evaluating the results of blood and smear laboratory tests. Antibacterial drugs may have varying degrees of sensitivity to a particular group of pathogenic microorganisms. When treating a bacterial infection, antibiotics of the penicillin group, macrolides, or cephalosporins may be prescribed.

During the treatment of angina, the patient should be given bed rest. It is recommended to use sparing, non-irritating food for the throat, mainly vegetable and dairy. Due to the high degree of spread of angina, a sick person should use separate personal hygiene products and utensils, limit contact with others.

It should be remembered that at the first signs of illness, you should consult a doctor. Ignoring the symptoms of a sore throat or a poorly treated disease can provoke complications, as well as contribute to the development of a chronic latent form, which will turn into an acute phase when the immune system is weakened.