# is it possible for a fart to travel up and come out your mouth? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2001, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172 "2001-09-22T05:24:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Niobium\_Knight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@Niobium\_Knight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Niobium_Knight)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/1 "2001-09-22T05:24:02Z")
that would be gross. i wonder if it can happen, maybe if you try to hold a fart in too much and it decides to take the scenic route. ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/2 "2001-09-22T05:29:34Z")
Welcome to the boards. You should chew wintergreen Life Savers at the same time and see if your head explodes. ---
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/3 "2001-09-22T05:30:07Z")
I find this story hard to believe, but an ex of mine was an army nurse and she told me one of the unit members had major stomach pains . . and well . . .it turns out he was constipated because the . .eeer . .uh . . . okay I’ll say it: . . . . . . **SHIT CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH.** No, he wasn’t a conservative Republican. The chick swore up and down this was true, and was the sickest thing she ever saw. I still don’t beleive the story was true. As for gas, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Firx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Firx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firx)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/4 "2001-09-22T06:59:49Z")
By far the most scenic route gas can take is out 'tween the ‘nether cheeks’, as they say. And no, contrary to popular belief, route this doesn’t include Shreveport. The phrase “scenic route” put me in mind of guided tours (and now we pass through the cardiac valve; to the left we can see a large formation of peptic ulcers. please remember to keep your and hands and personal items inside the car), and for some reason this seemed extremely funny. I think we could actually sell tickets to these. Anyway, the [sad truth](http://www.diagnosishealth.com/gas.htm) is no. Apparently the gasses from belches and farts are from different sources and don’t mix. It’s too bad, because I think the ability to “channel” flatulence like this would add a whole new depth to dealing with obnoxious people at social occasions. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/5 "2001-09-22T15:37:37Z")
Nope. Once materials have passed out of the stomach and into the small intestine, there’s no going backwards. One way travel only after that. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/6 "2001-09-22T15:49:19Z")
QTM- Aren’t there situations where infants have some sort of twisted bowel or related intestinal obstruction and feces can indeed come out the mouth? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/7 "2001-09-22T16:24:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > \*\*QTM- Aren’t there situations where infants have some sort of twisted bowel or related intestinal obstruction and feces can indeed come out the mouth? \*\* Yes, there are congenital malformations, along with disease processes, & malrotation and volvulus, that can circumvent the rule, which I am too lazy to track down and post at the moment. But they are the exceptions which prove the rule. The rule being: Normal, healthy individuals cannot bring up GI contents from lower than the stomach. As for intestinal obstruction causing it to happen, it is possible and does happen. But usually the pressures necessary to cause it to happen rupture the bowel internally first. QtM ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/8 "2001-09-22T17:01:06Z")
I seem to recall another possibility. One that may occur when the stomach and small bowel are “paralysed”. Normally, bacteria get pushed out of the stomach and small bowel by the stomach’s and bowel’s rhythmic movements (peristalsis). The bacteria can’t gain a foothold. Should such peristaltic movement not be present, bacteria can overgrow this normally sterile area. If these are the same type of bacteria that normally reside in the bowel, you can get ‘feculent’ stomach contents. If vomited, they certainly smell like, and may even appear to be, feces. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/9 "2001-09-22T17:06:27Z")
I would think that might be a belch. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/10 "2001-09-22T18:41:28Z")
prolly heliphino.but diarrhea of the mouth does exist-when you’re old enough to enter a bar you’ll find this to be true… ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@Lady\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Ice)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/11 "2001-09-23T00:38:58Z")
I don’t know about fecal matter coming out of the mouth, but I do know that burps can smell like it. My mother was on medication once that gave her stomach problems. Her burps smelled something horrible. We still tease her about her sewer breath. Yes, thats exactly what it smelled like. She said it tasted even worse. Luckily the doc changed the meds, problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![Holly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/48db29/32.png) [@Holly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Holly)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/12 "2001-09-23T00:58:11Z")
My nursing textbooks insist that a severe bowel obstruction may result in reverse peristalsis, leading to vomiting of feces. I can dig up the book if you wish. I have a good friend (also a nurse) who saw this happen in real life. While her patient puked up turds she was unable to render assistance since she was doubled over the trash can losing her own lunch. She also verifies that this is the grossest thing you can imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Iguana\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@Iguana\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iguana_Boy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/13 "2001-09-23T01:11:58Z")
Well I clearly remember a car journey with my family in which someone was farting and not owning up. Or so we thought. This was fart smell - unmistakable, undeniable, and yet no one would own up. Then we realised it was my Dad’s belches! He claimed (fortunately) to be unable to taste them, but we had him sucking mints for the rest of the journey. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/14 "2001-09-23T16:26:21Z")
Isn’t it nice that we’ve recovered so much, so soon, that we can once again discuss the Number One topic on SDMB, namely disgusting bodily functions? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/15 "2001-09-23T16:32:15Z")
My mom would eat radishes, and holy god, the stench of her burps would interfere with radio transmissions. I was temped to take a crap on the floor to **improve** the bouquet of the room. ---
**Author:** ![moggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@moggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moggy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/16 "2001-09-23T16:50:15Z")
When I worked at an animal hospital, there was a cat who kept getting constipated. SERIOUSLY constipated, because his dippy owner would not give him his medicine properly. A couple times, we had to sedate him and give him enemas. Once, towards the end of a, er, treatment, I noticed that the cat was vomiting a little and then shit started coming out of his mouth! My boss jokingly said, “Now that’s what I call a high colonic!” Ewwwww… ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/17 "2001-09-23T17:03:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by moggy \* > \*\*When I worked at an animal hospital, there was a cat who kept getting constipated. SERIOUSLY constipated, because his dippy owner would not give him his medicine properly. A couple times, we had to sedate him and give him enemas. Once, towards the end of a, er, treatment, I noticed that the cat was vomiting a little and then shit started coming out of his mouth! My boss jokingly said, “Now that’s what I call a high colonic!” Ewwwww… \*\* I don’t know about cats, but I do know that dogs can vomit up the contents of their intestines, unlike most people. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/18 "2001-09-23T18:05:26Z")
Would someone please explain to me why I even click on threads that have titles like this?? I KNOW I am not going ot want to read the contents, I KNOW I’m going to gag or roll my eyes or just yell “eww!” What is it, some kind of train-crash-can’t-look-away gene? YUCK YUCK YUCK help me… ---
**Author:** ![phartizan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba8739/32.png) [@phartizan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phartizan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/19 "2001-09-23T21:31:28Z")
I’ve gotta contribute _something_. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-for-a-fart-to-travel-up-and-come-out-your-mouth/83172/20 "2001-09-23T22:24:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LifeOnWry \* > \*\*Would someone please explain to me why I even click on threads that have titles like this?? I KNOW I am not going ot want to read the contents, I KNOW I’m going to gag or roll my eyes or just yell “eww!” What is it, some kind of train-crash-can’t-look-away gene? > > YUCK YUCK YUCK > > help me… \*\* LoW, it’s called SDMB addiction. There is no cure.