If you chug a can of soda without taking a breath and burp, that’s expected. But how can you know if you’re experiencing excessive burping? Excessive burping, also called hyper-burping, isn’t always a cause for concern, but if it’s frequent and excessive without any obvious causes (like chugging your Sprite too fast every day), you may want to consult a doctor. First, it’s important to understand what burping is and how it works. “Burping or belching or eructation—are all the same—simply ridding oneself of excessive upper gastrointestinal air,” Dr. Raj Devarajan, MD, gastroenterologist and founder of Massachusetts-based Middlesex Digestive Health & Endoscopy Center, tells Parade. “If it was lower intestinal air, it would be ‘passing gas’ or farting. The causes for farting would be different from that of burping or passing upper GI air. The word burp was simply made up in the USA as a way of trying to sound out what is heard when someone eructates air through the esophagus.” Burping actually has a purpose, according to Dr. Devarajan, beyond noisemaking. “You can think of a burp as an effort to reduce the distension (bloating or ballooning) in the stomach, which if prolonged could be uncomfortable.” As for what causes that distension, it can be a number of factors, mainly by swallowing too much air. This often happens by chewing gum (even if you’re not swallowing your gum, you’re swallowing air while chewing) and sucking on hard candies. Basic talking and eating quickly can cause us to swallow air, as can sipping carbonated drinks like sodas, seltzers and beer. Certain foods, like beans and cabbage, can also cause distension and burping (as well as gas from your rear to boot). Smoking and breathing through your mouth can also cause you to swallow air and burp.
How do you get rid of excessive burping?
To alleviate burping, Dr. Devarajan recommends walking around; slowing down your eating; lying on your left side with your knees to your chest; and consuming small amounts of ginger or chamomile tea. Also, Dr. Devarajan reminds us: “In western societies, we think it is rude but in many cultures, burping is the highest compliment you can pay a host, as that means you enjoyed a large meal.”
Signs of excessive burping
Here are the top signs that our burping is getting excessive:
1. When other people are expressing concern
Dr. Devarajan says that this is the most basic sign that you should get a checkup because it’s not the sort of thing your loved ones would bring up for no reason (unless they’re jerks, in which case, take it with a grain of salt). If you haven’t been scarfing down food rapidly, chewing an exorbitant amount of gum, or sipping soda nonstop and you’re belching frequently enough for it to be a cause of conversation, talk to your doctor.
2. Your burps are accompanied by heartburn.
If your burps sting and burn, you’ll want to get yourself checked out, Dr. Devarajan says, as these can be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), as well as acid reflux or heartburn. “Remember reflux could occur without the sensation or symptom of heartburn,” he notes. “GERD can obviously lead to much more serious consequences such as strictures; ulcers or even esophageal cancer and thus requires evaluation.”
3. You’re losing weight without trying to do so.
If your belches are accompanied by rapid weight loss without actually trying to lose weight, talk to your doctor. This can be a sign of a bowel blockage, according to The Cleveland Clinic. This can cause your large intestine to rupture, which is very serious. If you’re losing weight slowly but not through any efforts of your own, this can be a sign of other gastrointestinal issues, including celiac disease or Crohn’s disease.
4. You’re vomiting.
If your burps are accompanied by vomiting, this may also be a sign of an intestinal blockage.
5. You also have diarrhea or constipation
Diarrhea or constipation along with your burping can be signs of a number of gastrointestinal problems, including food sensitivities or potential lactose intolerance. If you notice these issues after eating or drinking certain things, take notes and see your doctor to determine what’s up.
6. You’re super bloated
Bloating goes with gas and can be common after eating or drinking large amounts, as well as when you’re on your period. However, if you’re burping a ton and bloated for an extended period of time, this can be a sign of anything from lactose intolerance, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome or an intestinal blockage. Check with your doctor if you’ve been bloated and burping without any sense of relief from normal methods.
7. You’re burping a lot and have changes to your menstrual cycle
If in addition to burping and bloating you experience changes to your period and/or feel lumps in your abdomen, see a doctor immediately: The Cleveland Clinic warns that these can be signs of ovarian cancer.
8. Your burps smell bad
If your burps stink (and you didn’t just scarf down garlic or onions), you may want to see your doctor. “Although the process of gas ‘formation’ is due to the trillions of benign bacteria in our body. Bacteria help break down food to release Vitamin K and B; this occurs more distally in the gastrointestinal tract and a by-product of this release is methane,” Dr. Devajaran explains. “Methane which is foul-smelling; and the reason farts are more foul-smelling than the release of benign upper GI air. One of the reasons for excessive burping could relate to intestinal gas from this process, and in that case, could also be foul-smelling. This would be another reason for evaluation.”
9. You’re also wheezing or sometimes feel short of breath
Believe it or not, excessive burping can be a sign of bronchial asthma, Dr. Devarajaran warns. “Bronchial asthma frequently presents as excessive burping,” he said. “The mechanism seems to be that in an effort to increase air intake, we swallow more air. This also needs an evaluation from your physician.”
10. You feel a lump in your throat after burping (and you’re not sad enough to cry)
“If you feel as though you have a lump in your throat after your burp, this can also be an indication that your burp has been too strong,” Dr. Naheed Ali, MD, PhD. and contributor to USA Rx, told Parade. “A lump in the throat can cause symptoms such as swallowing pain, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. If you notice these symptoms after your burp, it’s important to see a doctor right away because these symptoms can indicate pulmonary edema, which is a symptom caused by fluid build-up due to the lungs not being able to process oxygen properly.”
11. You feel sleepy after burping—or you burp in your sleep
While feeling sleepy after a big belch may seem adorable in a Homer Simpson-type way, it can actually be a sign of sleep apnea, which can be quite serious. Dr. Ali explains, “Hyper-burps typically happen more often during sleep, but can happen at any time during the day or night. The sleepiness following a hyper-burp is likely due to sleep apnea which causes irregular breathing patterns while asleep. This leads to snoring and gasping for air during REM sleep (when dreaming occurs). It’s important to know if you are experiencing frequent episodes.”
12. You’re burping and nervous
In addition to your burping, how’s your mental health? According to Dr. Devajaran, undiagnosed anxiety may be behind your burps: Excessive air hunger (the desire to breathe from a feeling of shortness of breath) is often a symptom of anxiety. If you can’t find other causes for your belching, you may want to talk to a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist to see if anxiety may be the culprit. Next, find out why your poop smells really bad.
Sources
Dr. Naheed Ali, MD, PhD.Dr. Raj Devarajan, MDThe Cleveland Clinic
