Information on Burping Pain and Treatment: Burping occasionally is normal and in some cultures even represents a sign of satisfaction and good education.
The major gaseous components of the burp are nitrogen and oxygen. The volume of air that is normally ingested has been quantified by ultrafast computer tomography, and this research has established that 10 ml of water contains by 17 ml of air. So a daily intake of 1.5 liters of liquid equates to 2.5 liters of ingested air.
Excessive eructation (the medical term for burping) is a relatively frequent disorder. The patient who consults the doctor about this problem may be told that their sypmtoms are due to the chronic swallowing of air.
There are also people who suffer from abdoninal distention and try to alleviate it by swallowing air and then belching. However, this is not an effective solution because the patient continues to swallow air, and the cycle is repeated endlessly. This disorder is known as aerophagia, and it is often associated with stress or anxiety.
The treatment of excessive burping or aerophagia may be difficult because the patient may not accept the fact that the swallowing of airis the cause of problem, and it may be very difficult to get them to understand that no is air produced endogenously.
Excessive burping may also be related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and treatment of this disease would ease the discomfort of belching.
Medications to control gas, such as simethicone, are generally useless for excessive belching. Lifestyle changes are often recommended, such as avoiding eating quickly, chewing gum, and consuming carbonated drinks, but the outcomes can be variable.
When the patient has made lifestyle changes with no effect, the more useful burping treatment is to resort to psychological therapies, such as relaxation therapy, behavioral therapy, or hypnotherapy.
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