Things you don't expect cause belching

Although most belching is completely normal, sometimes it may be a sign of a medical problem, according to journalist Anna Sharatt in an article for her "Readers Digest" website.

And she explained that, according to a gastroenterologist, there are 7 things that belching reveals related to your general health and life habits. She added that burping is the body's way of ridding itself of excess air and expelling it into the esophagus to make its way to the mouth.

And I quoted Dr. Dan Sadowsky, a professor at the University of Alberta College of Medicine and a gastroenterologist, that there is a common misconception that belching is a product of the digestion process in the stomach, meaning that foods that are digested in some way produce gases. However, this is not the case. "In fact, all the gas we belch is swallowed," he said, adding that eating and drinking simply results in swallowing air that needs to be expelled.

Here are some of the causes of excessive belching and how to reduce it:

1- Chewing gum a lot

A 2015 study found that those who chewed gum burped significantly more than those who didn't. Because when you chew gum, you swallow some air with each chew.

This is known as supragastric belching, and is one form of belching. The other is gastric belching, which is the release of air from the stomach that tends to smell stronger than belching, and is usually caused by foods high in fat, chocolate or mint.

2- Drink a lot of soda or soda

If you're a fan of soda and find that you're burping excessively, the carbonation in your drink is probably to blame. Soft drinks, which include mineral water, add a lot of air to the stomach. And if you drink it with a straw, you're compounding the problem, as more air is added to the equation. Artificial sweeteners and caffeinated beverages can also lead to frequent belching.

And the solution? Dr. Sadoski recommends that you take it easy with soft drinks if you're prone to belching. But if you really want a diet cola drink, pour it into a glass instead of a straw, as this will reduce the carbonation.

3- Eating Speed

If you are used to gorging on your meals in a few minutes, you probably swallow much more air than if you were to eat slowly. And drinking while eating can also lead to more swallowing of air. "People eat on their own more often, and they tend to eat more quickly," Sadowski says.

Instead, he suggests eating with friends and family where possible. Eating with others encourages you to talk while you eat, which slows down the speed of your eating. If you live alone, consider eating with someone using Zoom or Skype.

4- Anxiety

People with anxiety tend to take more breaths per minute than those without anxiety. And inhaling all that extra air means they can end up with an upper stomach burping problem.

The first line of defense should be an exercise program that can reduce symptoms of anxiety and limit breathing, and connecting with friends and family can also help with this. And if anxiety is interfering with daily life, Sadowski suggests seeing a therapist, perhaps recommending cognitive behavioral therapy that can make you aware of correct and incorrect breathing. Another option is to find a physical therapist who can teach you abdominal breathing or diaphragmatic breathing. This can retrain you to breathe normally.

5- Indigestion

Indigestion affects almost everyone at some point, and can cause excessive belching, as well as stomach pain, heartburn, bloating, feeling full early, or feeling nauseous after meals. Indigestion can result from a fatty or acidic diet, taking too much ibuprofen, which can irritate the stomach, or smoking.

Indigestion can be treated with over-the-counter medications that relieve gas, or with H2 blockers that reduce acidity. For severe cases, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), a class of drugs that reduce stomach acid levels, can help.

6- You have gastroesophageal reflux disease

When belching is accompanied by other symptoms, it may indicate a medical problem. One common condition is gastroesophageal reflux disease. This occurs when the valve that connects the esophagus to the stomach fails to close properly, allowing irritating stomach acid to enter and burn the esophagus.

GERD can cause heartburn, which can be worse at night, chest pain, problems swallowing, regurgitation of food or liquids, or the sensation of a lump in your throat. People burp when they have GERD, Sadoski says, swallow more saliva and air to reduce the pain of acid in the throat.

If you are diagnosed with GERD, over-the-counter heartburn medications, H2 blockers, or proton pump inhibitors can be used.

7- Helicobacter pylori infection (stomach germ)

"Helicobacter pylori" (H. pylori) is a more common bacterium that can infect the stomach. It is estimated that 50% of the world's population carries this particular bacterium, which can lead to stomach ulcers and stomach cancer.

In addition to frequent belching, people with H. pylori infection usually experience stomach pain, heartburn, abdominal pain when not eating, nausea or loss of appetite, burning pain in the abdomen, and bloating. pylori can be quickly identified through a blood test or a breath test. Treatment is usually a combination of 3 or 4 medications, including antibiotics, for 14 days.

Most belching is perfectly normal

The bottom line is if you have worrisome symptoms besides excessive belching, such as unintentional weight loss, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, bleeding, or severe abdominal pain, ask Medical attention, Sadowski says. But he says belching is "mostly a benign condition. It can be annoying, but it usually responds to simple lifestyle measures."