Everyone has occasional episodes of belching after eating. Many people are not at all bothered by this condition, but as long as it does not become regular, 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.
Shaping 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 for 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 mouth. In the latter case, the process occurs completely unnoticed by a person. When, under the influence of various factors, the amount of air in the stomach increases significantly, the pressure in the organ increases. This state starts the process of muscle contraction. At the same time, the valve between the stomach and esophagus relaxes, and the sphincter between the organ and the duodenum contracts. The logical result is belching - a sudden, uncontrolled and noisy discharge of excess gas through the mouth opening. It is not a disease, but can be a sign of various ailments of the digestive system.
Causes of physiological belching
Uncontrolled release of air from the stomach is not always a symptom of any disease. However, if it is regular, you should consult a general practitioner or gastroenterologist.
The most common causes of burping after eating are:
- Aerophagy. This is a condition characterized by excessive swallowing of gas during meals. It is a consequence of overeating, quick snacks, conversations in the process of eating, drinking carbonated drinks, smoking, nasal congestion. In some cases, the condition is due to psycho-emotional instability.
- Intense exercise shortly after a meal.
- Ignoring the principles of proper nutrition, as well as the inclusion in the diet of foods that increase gas formation in the stomach (legumes, fresh cabbage, bread, etc.).
- The period of bearing a child. In the third trimester, the dome of the diaphragm rises and intra-abdominal pressure increases, which causes belching after eating. This is due to the increase in the size of the uterus.
It is important to understand thatsingle episodes of belching are not a reason for immediate medical attention. A doctor's consultation is necessary if the release of gas from the oral cavity occurs daily and is accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms.
Causes of pathological belching
If this condition has an unpleasant smell 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:
- 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 gases to partially exit back.
- Hiatal hernia. With this pathology, there is a slight displacement of organs into the chest cavity. The natural result is the disruption 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 moving food significantly slows down, the sphincters also cease to function normally, due to which belching after eating occurs regularly.
- Non-atrophic gastritis. This is a pathology characterized by inflammation of the gastric mucosa. The vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms leads toincreased 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 expelled through the oral cavity.
- Stomach ulcer. This is a chronic disease, at the time of exacerbation of which a limited defect is formed on the gastric mucosa. In most cases, the pathology develops against the background of increased acidity. If at the same time the work of the sphincters is disrupted, belching of air after eating occurs constantly.
- Stenosis of the pylorus. The disease is associated with a narrowing or complete blockage of the lumen of this sphincter, resulting in difficulties with the passage of partially processed food into the duodenum. Due to this, the stomach begins to overflow, and its contents stagnate. The consequence of this is the reflux of food back into the esophagus.
- Duodenogastric reflux. The disease develops against the background of a violation 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 epithelial tissue is replaced by connective tissue 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 excess gas production.
- Chronic pancreatitis. Failure of the pancreas leads todigestion 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 the processes of decay and fermentation.
- Stomach cancer. The tumor makes it difficult for food to pass 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 be a symptom of diseases of the following organs and systems:
- gall bladder;
- cardiovascular;
- liver.
In any case, the doctor should find out the reason. According to the results of the research, he prescribes the treatment of the underlying disease.
Types of noisy gassing
In order to understand why burping occurs regularly after eating, you also need to pay attention to its nature and the smell that appears.
She could be:
- silent;
- noisy;
- empty (no smell or taste);
- with food (from the stomach, the contents partially fall back into 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 wrong organization of the eating process, it is not accompanied by any discomfort. In addition, the noisy outgassing is usually tasteless and odorless. It is necessary to see a doctor if it is accompanied by various unpleasant symptoms.
With various diseases of the organs involved in the process of digestion, a person can feel simultaneously with belching after eating:
- stomach pain and discomfort;
- bad breath;
- burning behind the sternum, aggravated by leaning forward;
- nausea;
- discomfort when swallowing;
- heartburn;
- scratching in the throat.
In addition, most patients complain of increased salivation and flatulence.
With ailments of the liver and gallbladder, the following accompanying symptoms may appear:
- pain or feeling of heaviness in the right hypochondrium;
- nausea;
- bad taste in mouth (most often bitter);
- flatulence;
- greasy food intolerance;
- weakness;
- quick fatigue.
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 without relief;
- bloating;
- palpitations;
- high blood pressure;
- cold sweat;
- pallor of the skin;
- dizziness;
- weakness;
- sudden feeling of fright;
- heart failure.
Diagnosis
Becauseconstant belching after eating can be accompanied by many alarming symptoms, the patient needs to be tested and undergo a series of studies, the volume of which is determined by the attending physician.
He also conducts primary diagnostics, which includes the following steps:
- Poll. During the conversation, the specialist is interested in the patient's complaints, clarifies how often he is worried about belching, what features it has.
- Palpation.
Based on the information received, the doctor issues a referral for an examination, including laboratory and instrumental diagnostic methods.
The first are:
- Clinical urine test.
- 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 the introduction of a contrast agent. The patient first assumes a vertical position, then lies down on the couch. This method allows diagnosing pathologies in which the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus.
- Ultrasound of the abdominal organs. In the course of the study, the degree of their functioning is analyzed, neoplasms and calculi are detected.
- Esophagotonokymography. Using this method, the tone of the cardiac sphincter is assessed. If there are violations, they are determineddegree.
- Esophagofibroscopy. In the course of the study, the cause of the reflux of the contents of the stomach into the esophagus is determined. Fibrosis is also confirmed or ruled out.
- Intraesophageal pH-metry. The method involves daily monitoring of the indicator of acidity in the organs of the digestive system.
Based on the results of the diagnosis, 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 the sudden release of gases from the mouth is not a consequence of the development of serious pathologies, the doctor recommends following a diet for some time and adhering to certain rules during any meal. In cases where any disease is the cause of belching after eating, treatment and further monitoring 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 he alth.
In addition, to eliminate symptoms, the doctor prescribes drugs whose action is aimed at relieving pain, normalizing the acidity of gastric juice, and reducing the volume of the gas bubble in the organ.
Catering service
In many cases, the treatment for belching after eating comes down to adjusting the diet. Equally important is how and under what circumstances a person eats food.
In order to significantly reduce the likelihood of belching, the following rules must be observed:
- Chew your food well. In the oral cavity, it should be crushed as much as possible and moistened with saliva.
- Do not chew gum.
- Drink only still water.
- Do not eat foods that cause increased gas formation (cabbage, oxygen cocktails, legumes, etc.).
- Eat at short intervals in small portions (200 g). There should be approximately 5-6 meals per day.
- Consume drinks directly from the container, without using spoons and straws.
Thus, if dietary errors are causing belching after eating, treatment and follow-up are not required. In most cases, following the above rules helps to get rid of the sudden release of gases.
Folk methods
With the help of non-traditional methods of treatment, it is also possible to get rid of belching. It is important to remember that all actions must be agreed with the attending physician, as many components can aggravate the situation or neutralize the effect of medications.
The most effective recipes for increased gas formation in the stomach:
- Prepare juice from aloe and cranberries, the volume of each should be 100 ml. Mix the ingredients, then add to them 1 tbsp. l. honey. Pour the resulting mixture with 200 ml of warm boiled water. Mix everything well again. The resulting remedy must be taken as follows: the first 7 days - 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day, nextweek break. The course of treatment is 6 months.
- Heat the goat's milk. It is necessary to drink it three times a day for 200-400 ml. The duration of treatment is at least 2 months.
- Prepare dried calamus root. Crush it thoroughly to a powder. The remedy should be taken a few minutes before a meal in the amount of 0.5 tsp.
- Squeeze juice from potatoes and carrots. The volume of each should be 50 ml. Mix ingredients. The resulting juice should be drunk three times a day. An alternative to this method is to snack on or puree carrots after each meal.
- Prepare 2 tbsp. l. elecampane roots. Pour 1 liter of water over them, bring to a boil. After 15-20 minutes, remove the container from the heat, let the broth cool. Every day (2 times) you need to drink 100 ml of the product before eating. The course of treatment is 7 days.
- To prepare the infusion, prepare dried herbs: yarrow (15 g), peppermint leaves (15 g), three-leaf watch (2 g), St. John's wort (30 g), dill seeds (15 g). Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Pour 2 tbsp. l. the resulting collection of 400 ml of boiled water. Leave 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.
In closing
Everyone is familiar with the condition of belching after eating. If episodes of sudden release of gases are extremely rare, there is no cause for concern. Medical help should be sought when belching is accompanied by a number of alarming symptoms (nausea, vomiting, pain, bad smell, etc.) and occurs regularly. After collecting anamnesis, the doctor will issue a referral for an examination, the results of which will make it clear what caused the frequent release of gases through the oral cavity.
