Dear Betty,

Swallowing too much air may be the simplest explanation for your frequent belching. There are a number of ways a person can ingest too much air: eating quickly or gulping down food and drink, using a drinking straw, chewing gum, or swallowing a lot due to nervousness. Air in the stomach usually gets processed into gas (and comes out the other end), but excess air is released through the mouth via belching.

Another likely cause may be heartburn. Too much belching can be a symptom of heartburn, as can a burning or warm feeling in the upper abdomen that spreads upwards toward the throat. Heartburn is usually the result of certain eating habits, like eating large portions at mealtime or before bedtime, dining on acidic foods like onions, tomatoes, or spicy foods, or drinking citrus juices, alcohol, or caffeinated or carbonated drinks. Carrying a few extra pounds, smoking, wearing tight clothing, or lying down or bending over after eating are other factors that weigh in on heartburn.

Fortunately, making some adjustments to your lifestyle may improve your burping problem:

·         Pay attention to how much food you eat and when you eat, avoiding large meals and eating right before sleeping

·         Try eating more slowly to prevent ingesting excess air

·         Steer clear of foods you suspect may cause heartburn (and subsequently burping), like acidic or spicy foods and alcohol. Avoid fatty or greasy foods, chocolate, caffeine, mints or mint-flavored foods, spicy foods, citrus, and tomato-based foods.

·         Eat at least 3 hours before you go to bed

·         Stop smoking if you are in the habit

·         Consider whether shedding a few pounds, which will lessen the pressure on your stomach, could help.

Burping more than normal may also be a symptom of a more serious condition. Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, affects a huge number of population, and while heartburn is the main symptom of GERD, belching can be another. Sometimes burping too much is also associated with peptic ulcers (sores in the lining of the stomach or intestines); in fact, having GERD may be a cause of stomach ulcers.

So I suggest that you contact your doctor immediately and get this problem checked out once and for all. The diagnosis cannot be ascertained without a proper physical examination coupled with a few other laboratory tests. An endoscopy could be suggested by your doctor to visualize the upper digestive tract. Meanwhile, you may try antacids to relieve yourself of the discomfort.

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Take Care,

AskMDx Team