Burping
Burping, or belching, is the act of expelling air from the stomach, often accompanied by a characteristic sound. This phenomenon typically occurs when gas accumulates in the digestive tract, which can result from swallowing air or the breakdown of certain foods by gut bacteria. Common causes of excess air intake include rapid eating or drinking, chewing gum, consuming carbonated beverages, and smoking. While occasional burping is normal, frequent belching may suggest an underlying gastrointestinal disorder, such as peptic ulcer disease or gastroesophageal reflux. Specific conditions, like Meganblase syndrome and gas-bloat syndrome, can lead to chronic belching and discomfort. For infants, burping is often necessary after feeding to relieve gas, and caregivers can ease this process through gentle techniques. Although burping is generally not harmful, it can provide relief from symptoms like nausea and heartburn, and adjustments in diet and eating habits can help mitigate excessive gas.
Burping
Also known as: Belching
Anatomy or system affected: Abdomen, gastrointestinal system, stomach
Definition: The oral release of gas that is brought up from the stomach
Causes and Symptoms
Burping or belching is the act of releasing air from the stomach with a characteristic sound. Depending on the cause, belching varies in duration and intensity.
Gas is often trapped or created in the digestive tract, either from swallowing air or from the breakdown of certain foods by bacteria in the digestive tract. Air swallowing, also known as aerophagia, is usually caused by drinking or eating rapidly, as well as by chewing gum, drinking carbonated beverages, smoking, or even wearing loose dentures. Most of the swallowed air is released by burping while still in the stomach. Any leftover gas is either partially absorbed in the small intestine or released through the rectum together with the gases produced by the breakdown of undigested foods.
The movement of gases in the gastrointestinal tract leads to the characteristic sounds known as borborygmi. The volume of these gases in the whole gastrointestinal tract is about 200 milliliters (half a quart) and is mostly nitrogen (up to 90 percent), oxygen (up to 10 percent), hydrogen (up to 50 percent), methane (up to 10 percent), and carbon dioxide (up to 30 percent).
Treatment and Therapy
Burping during or after meals is normal, but people who belch frequently may be swallowing too much air and releasing it before it reaches the stomach. Chronic belching may also be indicative of an upper gastrointestinal disorder, such as peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux, or even gastritis.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Meganblase syndrome and the gas-bloat syndrome, cause chronic incidents of belching. In Meganblase syndrome, an enlarged air bubble is trapped in the stomach, especially after a heavy meal, and leads to fullness and shortness of breath that may mimic a heart attack. Gas-bloat syndrome occurs after surgery to correct gastrointestinal disorders. Usually, the taking of X-rays to review the esophagus, stomach, and upper small intestine allows for the identification of the problems associated with chronic belching.
Young babies also appear to undergo air swallowing when they eat, whether via breast-feeding or bottle-feeding, and they express the discomfort of entrapped air by crying. Normally patting the child’s back for a few minutes, followed by running a hand up and down the child’s belly, is effective in releasing the gas. Holding the baby upright over the caregiver’s shoulder allows the air bubbles to rise to the mouth, where they are expelled.
Perspective and Prospects
Burping may alleviate symptoms such as nausea, dyspepsia, and heartburn. Although not life-threatening, gas entrapment is uncomfortable and, if possible, should be expelled from the digestive tract. The most common ways to reduce the discomfort of gas include changes in the diet and reduction of swallowed air, which is achieved via a slower pace while eating. Smoking and chewing gum should also be avoided, and the patient may use antacids to control burping as well. The role of meditation also appears to have a positive effect on the reduction of belching.
Bibliography
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"Gas in the Digestive Tract." National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 2 Jan. 2013.
Levitt, Michael, Larry Szarka, Ronak Modi, and Harris R. Clearfield. "Belching, Bloating, and Flatulence." American College of Gastroenterology, July 2013.
Mullin, Gerard E., and Kathie Madonna Swift. The Inside Tract: Your Good Gut Guide to Great Digestive Health. New York: Rodale, 2011.
Minocha, Anil, and David Carroll. Natural Stomach Care: Treating and Preventing Digestive Disorders with the Best of Eastern and Western Healing Therapies. New York: Avery, 2003.
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“Why Do We Burp?” Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials, 27 June 2022, health.clevelandclinic.org/burping-causes. Accessed 23 July 2023.