How to know when your burping may be an indication of needing medical help

Better out than in, burping expert Shrek always says.

But what if what’s coming out is a sign of something a little more serious than you drinking a Diet Coke too quickly?

While you might compete with your mates at the pub after one too many pints to see who can belch for the longest (and clear out all the tables around you), some burps could be an indication you need medical attention.

But let’s go back to basics first, as it’d probably be helpful to understand what actually causes a belch.

So, belching happens when your stomach is filled with swallowed air, and it clears that by expelling it through your mouth.

This extra swallowed air can happen from eating or drinking too quickly, having carbonated drinks or even because of anxiety.

As well as fizzy drinks and alcohol, there’s certain foods that can cause burps by being high in starch, sugar or fibre such as broccoli, cauliflower and bananas.

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According to healthline, belching can be a symptom of some medical conditions – although it’s important to know that it must be alongside other symptoms before making a diagnosis.

Conditions that might be causing a lot of burping include:

· Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): a disorder that causes acid from the stomach to flow upward into the oesophagus.

· Gastroparesis: a disorder in which the muscles in your stomach wall are weakened.

· Gastritis: a disorder that causes inflammation of the stomach lining.

· Peptic ulcers: sores on the oesophagus, stomach, and upper part of your small intestine.

· Lactose intolerance: an inability to properly digest lactose, an ingredient found in dairy products.

· Fructose or sorbitol malabsorption: an inability to properly digest the carbohydrates fructose and sorbitol.

· Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori): bacteria that cause stomach infections, which can increase belching.

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There’s also fewer common causes of all that belching, including celiac disease, dumping syndrome and pancreatic insufficiency.

And it can also be a sign of needing emergency medical attention.

As a single symptom, burping isn’t typically something to be concerned about – unless it’s weirdly frequent or excessive.

But if your stomach has been swollen for a long period and belches aren’t helping to relieve it, or if you’ve got really bad abdominal pain, you should immediately seek medical attention.

It’s worth chatting with your doctor if you’re burping quite a lot as they’ll look for patterns and symptoms.

If you do feel like you’re experiencing a lot of belching, avoid eating and drinking too fast, drinking fizzy stuff and chewing gum.

Consider that next time you accidently burp mid convo and provide the group chat banter for a painful week.

Topics: Health

Jess Battison

Jess is an Entertainment Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include keeping up with the Twitter girlies, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021 and has previously worked at MyLondon.

@jessbattison_