Belching after eating: causes and treatment

Each person sometimes has episodes of belching after eating. Many people are not at all bothered by this condition, but until it acquires a regular character, especially if it is accompanied by alarming symptoms. It is important to know that belching after eating can be associated with both normal physiological processes and various pathologies.

Formation mechanism

There is always air in the human stomach. It is necessary in order to stimulate the secretory and motor functions of the organ. The volume of the gas bubble in each person is individual, this indicator depends not only on age, but also on how well the process of eating food is organized.

Normally, excess air exits through the anus and oral cavity. In the latter case, the process is completely invisible to humans. When the amount of air increases significantly under the influence of various factors in the stomach, the pressure in the organ rises. This condition triggers the process of muscle contraction. At the same time, the flap between the stomach and esophagus relaxes, and the sphincter between the organ and duodenum contracts. A logical result is belching - a sudden, uncontrolled and noisy discharge of excess gas through the mouth opening. It is not a disease, but can serve as a sign of various ailments of the digestive system.

Causes of physiological burping

Uncontrolled release of air from the stomach is not always a symptom of any ailment. However, if it is of a regular nature, it is necessary to consult a therapist or gastroenterologist.

The most common causes of belching after eating are:

• Aerophagia. This is a condition characterized by excessive ingestion of gas during meals. It is the result of overeating, quick snacks, conversations in the process of absorbing food, drinking soda, smoking, nasal congestion. In some cases, the condition is due to psycho-emotional instability.
• Intense physical activity shortly after a meal.
• Ignoring the principles of proper nutrition, as well as the inclusion in the diet of products that increase gas formation in the stomach (legumes, fresh cabbage, bread, etc.).
• The period of bearing a child. In the III trimester, the dome of the diaphragm rises and the intra-abdominal pressure increases, which causes belching after eating. This is due to an increase in the size of the uterus.

It is important to understand that single episodes of burping are not a reason for immediately seeking medical help. A doctor’s consultation is necessary if gas escapes from the oral cavity daily and is accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms.

Causes of pathological burping

If in this condition there is an unpleasant odor and / or taste, and it is regular, in most cases this indicates some kind of disease.

The most common causes of frequent burping after eating are the following pathologies:

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Under the influence of provoking factors, the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter decreases. After the food enters the stomach, the flap does not close completely, allowing it and the gases to partially come back.
• Hernia of the esophagus. With this pathology, a slight displacement of organs in the chest cavity occurs. A logical result is a violation of their normal operation.
• Scleroderma. This disease is systemic, since almost all tissues and organs are involved in the pathological process, while the stomach and intestines are affected in most cases. Due to the disruption of their work, the process of food promotion is significantly slowed down, the sphincters also cease to function normally, due to which belching after eating occurs regularly.
• Neatrophic gastritis. This is a pathology characterized by inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Vital activity of pathogens leads to increased acidity in the body. As a rule, the work of the lower esophageal sphincter is also disturbed. As a result, part of the food is thrown back into the esophagus, and excess air is released through the oral cavity.
• Stomach ulcer. This is a chronic disease, at the time of exacerbation of which a limited defect forms on the gastric mucosa. In most cases, the pathology develops against a background of increased acidity. If at the same time the work of the sphincters is disrupted, belching of air after eating occurs constantly.
• Pyloric stenosis. The disease is associated with a narrowing or complete overlap of the lumen of this sphincter, resulting in difficulties with the passage of partially processed food into the duodenum. Thanks to this, the stomach begins to overflow, and its contents become stagnant. The consequence of this is throwing food back into the esophagus.
• Duodenogastric reflux. The disease develops against a background of gastrointestinal motility. It can be both an independent pathology, and a symptom of a number of ailments. It is characterized by a partial reflux of the contents of the duodenum back into the stomach.
• Atrophic gastritis. This is a disease of the stomach in which the epithelial tissue of the connective tissue is replaced in the mucous membrane. At the same time, its juice is no longer able to destroy pathogens, the vital activity of which triggers the processes of decay and fermentation. They, in turn, are associated with excessive gas evolution.
• Chronic pancreatitis. Failure of the pancreas leads to digestion and slow evacuation of processed food from the intestines. As a result, a favorable environment is created for the reproduction of various pathogenic microorganisms, which also cause decay and fermentation processes.
• Stomach cancer. A tumor impedes the passage of food into the duodenum. Food begins to accumulate and rot in the stomach, which is accompanied by the release of a large amount of gas.

Also, constant belching after eating can serve as a symptom of diseases of the following organs and systems:

• gallbladder;
• cardiovascular;
• the liver.

In any case, the doctor should find out the cause. According to the results of research, he prescribes treatment for the underlying disease.

Types of noisy gases

In order to understand why belching after eating appears regularly, you must also pay attention to its nature and smell, which appears in this case.

She may be:

• soundless;
• noisy;
• empty (no smell, no taste);
• with food (from the stomach, the contents partially enter the oral cavity);
• tasteless;
• with a smell (sour, rotten, bitter).

This information allows the doctor to make a preliminary diagnosis.

Associated symptoms

If the cause of belching after eating is the incorrect organization of the nutrition process, it is not accompanied by any uncomfortable sensations. In addition, a noisy gas outlet, as a rule, has no taste or smell. It is necessary to consult a doctor if it is accompanied by various unpleasant symptoms.

With various diseases of the organs involved in the digestion process, a person can feel at the same time as belching after eating:

• pain and discomfort in the stomach;
• bad breath from the oral cavity;
• burning behind the sternum, aggravated by tilting the body forward;
• nausea
• discomfort when swallowing;
• heartburn;
• sore throat.

In addition, most patients complain of increased salivation and flatulence.

With ailments of the liver and gall bladder, the following concomitant symptoms may appear:

• pain or a feeling of heaviness in the right hypochondrium;
• nausea;
• bad taste in the mouth (most often bitter);
• flatulence;
• intolerance to fatty foods;
• weakness;
• fast fatiguability.

With pathologies of the cardiovascular system, a person complains not only of belching after eating, but also of the following conditions:

• pain in the epigastric region;
• nausea
• vomiting, after which there is no feeling of relief;
• bloating;
• heart palpitations;
• high blood pressure;
• cold sweat;
• pallor of the skin;
• dizziness;
• weakness;
• sudden feeling of fear;
• interruptions in the work of the heart.

Diagnostics

Since constant burping after eating can be accompanied by many alarming symptoms, the patient must be tested and undergo a series of studies, the amount of which is determined by the attending physician.

He also conducts primary diagnostics, which includes the following steps:

1. Interview. During the conversation, the specialist is interested in the patient's complaints, clarifies how often he burps the burp, what features it has.
2. Palpation.

Based on the information received, the doctor draws up a referral for examination, including laboratory and instrumental diagnostic methods.

The first include:

1. Clinical examination of urine.
2. Blood test (general, for sugar, electrolytes, antibodies to Helicobacter pylori).

Depending on the symptoms and their severity, the doctor may include in the examination the following methods for diagnosing diseases of the digestive system:

• Fibrogastroduodenoscopy. Allows you to confirm or exclude the presence of gastritis and peptic ulcer.
• X-ray It is carried out after administration of a contrast medium. The patient first takes an upright position, then lays on the couch. This method allows you to diagnose pathologies in which the contents of the stomach are refluxed into the esophagus.
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. During the study, the degree of their functioning is analyzed, neoplasms and calculi are detected.
• Esophagotonokimografiya. Using this method, the tone of the cardiac sphincter is assessed. If there are violations, their degree is determined.
• Esophagofibroscopy. In the course of the study, the cause of the throwing of the contents of the stomach into the esophagus is determined. Fibrosis is also confirmed or ruled out.
• Intraesophageal pH meter. The method involves daily monitoring of the acidity in the digestive system.

Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor determines the cause of belching with air after eating. Treatment is aimed at combating the underlying disease and eliminating unpleasant symptoms.

Drug therapy

If a sudden escape of gas from the mouth is not a consequence of the development of serious pathologies, the doctor recommends a diet for some time and adhere to certain rules during any meal. In cases where any disease is the cause of burping after eating, treatment and further observation is carried out by a gastroenterologist. The treatment regimen is compiled on the basis of the results obtained and taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient’s health.

In addition, to eliminate symptoms, the doctor prescribes drugs whose action is aimed at relieving pain, normalizing the acidity of the gastric juice, and reducing the volume of the gas bubble in the organ.

Catering

In many cases, the treatment of burping after eating comes down to adjusting the diet. Of no small importance is how and under what circumstances a person eats food.

In order to significantly reduce the likelihood of burping, the following rules must be observed:

1. Chew food well. In the oral cavity, it should be crushed as much as possible and moistened with saliva.
2. Do not use chewing gum.
3. Drink only still water.
4. Do not eat food that promotes the appearance of increased gas formation (cabbage, oxygen cocktails, legumes, etc.).
5. Eat at small intervals in small portions (200 g). There should be approximately 5-6 meals per day.
6. Drink drinks directly from the container without using spoons and tubes.

Thus, if nutritional errors cause burping air after eating, treatment and follow-up are not required. In most cases, compliance with the above rules helps get rid of the sudden release of gases.

Folk methods

Using alternative methods of treatment, it is also possible to get rid of belching. It is important to remember that all actions must be coordinated with the attending physician, since many components can aggravate the situation or neutralize the effect of medications.

The most effective recipes for increased gas in the stomach:

• Prepare juice from aloe and cranberries, each should be 100 ml. Mix the ingredients, then add to them 1 tbsp. l honey. Pour the mixture into 200 ml of warm boiled water. Mix well again. The resulting product must be taken as follows: the first 7 days - 1 tbsp. l 3 times a day, next week - a break. The course of treatment is 6 months.
• Heat goat milk. You need to drink it three times a day, 200-400 ml. The duration of treatment is at least 2 months.
• Prepare dried calamus root. Crush it thoroughly to a powdery state. The tool should be taken a few minutes before the meal in the amount of 0.5 tsp.
• Squeeze juice from potatoes and carrots. The volume of each should be 50 ml. Mix the ingredients. The resulting juice must be drunk three times a day. An alternative to this method can be a snack of carrots or mashed potatoes from it after each meal.
• Prepare 2 tbsp. l the roots of elecampane. Pour them with 1 liter of water, bring to a boil. After 15-20 minutes, remove the container from the fire, allow the broth to cool. Every day (2 times) you need to drink 100 ml of the drug before eating. The course of treatment is 7 days.
• To prepare the infusion, prepare dried herbs: yarrow (15 g), peppermint leaves (15 g), three-leafed shift (2 g), St. John's wort (30 g), dill seeds (15 g). Stir all components thoroughly. Pour 2 tbsp. l the resulting collection of 400 ml of boiled water. Leave on for 2 hours, then strain. Infusion to use during the day in small portions.

It is important to understand that any medicinal plant is a potential allergen. After the first dose, it is recommended to pay attention to the condition of the skin, general well-being, etc.

Finally

Everyone is familiar with a condition such as burping after eating. If episodes of sudden release of gases are extremely rare, there is no cause for concern. You need to seek medical help when burping is accompanied by a number of alarming symptoms (nausea, vomiting, pain, unpleasant odor, etc.) and occurs regularly. After collecting an anamnesis, the doctor will draw up a referral for examination, according to the results of which it will become clear what caused the frequent release of gases through the oral cavity.