What Causes Excessive Burping?

After drinking any carbonated drink, it is a common occurrence for one to burp once or twice. When one burps more than twice even without drinking any carbonated drink, there must be something wrong with the body.

What is a burp? Burping is the release of gas from the digestive tract through the mouth. It is also known as belching, ructus, or eructation. During burping, a typical sound can be heard. The sound is brought about by the vibration of the upper esophageal sphincter as the gas passes through it. in some parts of the world, burping loudly in public places is considered impolite and receives a similar impression as with releasing flatus in public.

What causes excessive burping?

There are people who frequently burp even if they only have a small meal. Frequent burping can actually cause public disgrace especially when it is comes with a loud sound. There are numerous causes of burping, including the type of food eaten, but the most common is aerophagia.

Aerophagia is a medical terms that refers to swallowing of too much air during eating. A lot of people actually swallow air during eating and even during chewing gum without even knowing it. This is common for those who are anxious or who are in a hurry when taking their meals. Aside from aerophagia, belching can also be a symptom of underlying gastric problems such as ulcer or hiatal hernia. With that, it should be emphasized that proper assessment of a physician should be consulted so that proper diagnosis and management can be done on the presenting problem.

What can be done to reduce burping?

<br /> If it is the food that is causing the problem, then you can try to modify your diet and/or try some of the gas relief and/or probiotics preparations that are available. When the main cause of excessive burping is aerophagia, there are numerous ways to manage the condition. One way to decrease burping incidences is by eating at leisurely pace. Instead of eating speedily during lunch break, take time to chew the food and do not follow a bite with another bite. Another thing is to avoid talking during meals. Talking during meals increase the risk of aerophagia and also predisposes one to choking. Anyway, it is better to keep quiet and enjoy your meal.

Another way is to avoid carbonated drinks and change the style of drinking liquids. Carbonated drinks makes you burp more often because of the gas in it. When drinking any liquids, it is best not to use straws as this can increase the amount of air being swallowed. Also, avoid drinking any liquid in big gulps. Try to take small yet continuous sips of water.

If the cause of excessive burping is anxiety reactions, better look for ways to channel the anxiety away. Try frequent walking or shaking of the hands until a relaxed state is achieved. Meditation, guided imagery and biofeedback can also be opted for anxiety caused burping.