Surely many are familiar with this physiological phenomenon. But what is a burp? This is the name of the release of gases from the gastrointestinal tract, which in most cases is accompanied by a specific smell and sound. It is worth distinguishing belching from regurgitation. With the latter, part of the contents of the stomach enters the oral cavity.
What is a burp? The reaction of the body, which can accompany a he althy person. For example, as a result of swallowing air or overeating. In the latter case, pressure in the stomach increases, as well as a feeling of heaviness and even fullness.
In detail, what is belching, what it comes from, we will analyze in the article. There are several varieties of it: quiet, loud, odorless, silent, with a taste of acid, bitterness and even rot. Belching also differs in children and adults - men and women. In addition, there is a phenomenon caused by physiological causes (poor chewing of food, swallowing air, snacking on the go) and pathological (disorder of gastric motility, cardia insufficiency,narrowing of the esophagus).
For men
Now we will specifically analyze what belching is, describing it separately for children and adults. As for the latter, gas is always present in their stomach. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with the fact that it is excreted in small portions through the esophagus and oral cavity. Excess gas in the stomach increases the pressure on its walls, which causes belching.
What is a burp? It is traditionally believed that in relation to men this is a fairly harmless manifestation. Appears against the background of the consumption of large portions of food, carbonated drinks. But this is true only in relation to single manifestations. If the belching is chronic, constant - this is a rather alarming symptom. You need to see a therapist, and then a gastroenterologist.
In itself, chronic belching in men will not be an independent disease. This is a symptom of a certain gastrointestinal disease or a sign that you are not eating properly.
Why does burping mostly target men? First of all, this is due to the fact that it is among the males that most of the individuals lead an unhe althy lifestyle. In particular, men are more likely to overeat, tend to drink carbonated alcohol, and are prone to bad habits.
In addition, it is men who are most often involved in physical labor. After a heavy meal, they do not have enough time to rest. And subsequent physical activity provokes a violation of the peristalsis of the digestive tract, which leads to belching.
Uwomen
What causes burping in adults? As for women, most often it is caused by contraction of the gastric muscles. The following main reasons also stand out:
- Swallowing air while eating quickly.
- Craving for carbonated drinks.
- Love for chewing gum.
The phenomenon is harmless enough as long as it is not accompanied by additional alarming symptoms: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever. In this case, you need to postpone all affairs and consult a doctor!
Pregnant women
There are many reasons for constant burping. One of them is pregnancy. During this period, a woman suffers not only from belching, but also from other unpleasant symptoms associated with the gastrointestinal tract. But in a pregnant woman, belching can also be caused by the same overeating, diseases of various organs of the digestive tract.
If belching is accompanied by a sour smell, it makes sense to talk about an increase in the acidity of gastric juice. The reasons for constant belching in pregnant women may be as follows:
- Exacerbation of chronic gastrointestinal diseases.
- Eating violations.
- Hormonal failure.
- Indigestion.
At long gestation periods, burping may also be a consequence of the great pressure exerted by the fetus on the mother's abdominal organs.
In children
Now let's figure out why children burp with air. As for babies up to a year, suchthe phenomenon is normal for them. During feeding, the child often swallows air. This leads to bloating, which is accompanied by anxiety and crying. Excess gas comes out of the stomach in the form of belching.
This unpleasant phenomenon is connected with the fact that the gastrointestinal tract of the baby is still imperfect. Therefore, it is so important for mothers not to put the baby to bed immediately after feeding. But even if all the instructions of the pediatrician are observed, belching can accompany the child constantly. There is no reason for concern here - with growing up, the problem goes away on its own.
But if this phenomenon haunts a child over one year old, you should consult a pediatrician. Indeed, in this case, it can act as a symptom of the following:
- Incorrectly organized diet of the child.
- Pathologically active salivary glands.
- Rhinitis, adenoids and other inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, oropharynx, esophagus.
- Strong emotional outbursts.
Reasons for "he althy" burping
When analyzing the causes and treatment of belching after eating, it is imperative to highlight what causes non-pathological, non-hazardous belching:
- Frequent consumption of carbonated drinks.
- Smoking.
- Craving for chewing gum.
- Eating too fast.
- Continuous conversations while eating.
- Frequent swallowing of saliva.
- Breathing too fast and too deep.
Belching food
More commonthe name is regurgitation. Why is this happening? The causes of the phenomenon may be pathological:
- Achalasia cardia.
- The appearance of a diverticulum in the esophagus.
- Hiatal hernia.
Sour burp
What can sour belching after eating indicate? The most common reasons for it are:
- Stomach ulcers.
- Inflammatory processes affecting the gastric mucosa. In particular, gastritis.
- Gastroesophageal reflux.
- Other diseases, including cancer.
If you ignore sour belching for a long time, such carelessness can lead to the development of Barrett's syndrome - the mucous lining of the esophagus changes. It becomes more intestinal.
Bitter Burp
Burping after a fatty meal may not always be harmless. If you suffer from belching with a taste of bitterness for a long time, this indicates the presence of certain pathological processes in the body:
- Chronic duodenitis. Inflammation and swelling increase pressure on the duodenum, which provokes the casting of duodenal contents.
- Pathological changes in the diaphragm, including hernia.
- The consequences of injuries. In particular, mechanical sharp compression of organs in the abdominal region.
- The result of surgery. For example, if during the operation the muscles of the food sphincter were damaged or partially excised.
- Burpafter pills. Mostly after antispasmodics and muscle relaxants. The reason that these drugs also reduce the tone of the muscles of the esophageal sphincter.
Rot-smelling burps
When you burp like this, you can feel the characteristic smell of rotten eggs in your mouth. Why is this happening? Several reasons stand out:
- Zenker's diverticulum. This is the name of the protrusion of the walls of hollow digestive organs.
- Atrophy of the stomach.
- Crohn's disease.
- Pyloric stenosis.
Neurotic belching
Sometimes there may be an eructation of air on an empty stomach. Why does this happen? The fact is that even a neurotic state of the body can provoke this phenomenon. With it, a person breathes more often or deeply. This causes an involuntary contraction of the stomach muscles, causing the person to spit up air.
There is a reason to talk about the so-called neurotic belching. Additionally, it may be accompanied by the following: discomfort while drinking liquids, "lump in the throat", nausea, vomiting, discomfort in the stomach, chronically reduced appetite.
Sign of diseases
Belching can also be a symptom of a number of serious illnesses. Let's single out the most typical ones among them:
- Deficiency of the Bauhinian valve (the name of the partition between the small and large intestines).
- Duodenogastric reflux. A very serious illness when the contents of the duodenum are ejectedback to the stomach.
- Diseases affecting the biliary tract - cholecystitis, accumulation of stones in the gallbladder.
- Intestinal tract dysbacteriosis. The disease can be the result of both immune problems and antibiotic treatment.
- Chronic pancreatitis. Belching here will be one of the symptoms along with increased gas formation and violations of bowel movements.
- Pathology of the diaphragm. The most common cause is a herniated diaphragm. It develops against the background of congenital pathologies of the esophagus, weakening of the muscles due to excess weight, constant overeating and systematic heavy physical exertion.
- Stomach cancer. In addition to belching, patients complain of a constant lack of appetite, anemia, heaviness in the gastric region, a rapid onset of satiety against the background of a sharp weight loss.
- Stomach ulcer. Sour eructation in this disease is the most common symptom. There is pain in the stomach, self-limiting after eating, decreased appetite, chronic constipation, unreasonable vomiting and nausea.
- Gastritis. With this gastric disease, a person, as a rule, suffers from severe belching. Especially at the stage of exacerbation of the disease. In addition to her, a person complains of stomach pain, heartburn, chronic feeling of heaviness and fullness in the stomach.
- Gastro-esophageal reflux disease. This pathology is also often accompanied by severe belching.
- Scleroderma. Autoimmune disease is a pathologically active development of connective tissues. May affect the esophagus - as a consequenceits permanent mechanical damage, and due to the hereditary factor.
- Achalasia of the cardia. Approximately one third of patients complaining of chronic belching suffer from diseases of the esophagus. Achalasia cardia is a chronic disease, a consequence of dysfunction of the relaxation of the esophageal sphincter.
- Zenker's diverticulum. The disease is named after the German pathologist who first discovered it. Mostly it is found in men aged 45-50 years.
Diagnosis
Belching is not an independent disease, but a symptom of some pathology or disease. If it manifests itself systematically, painfully, is accompanied by other manifestations, you should contact your therapist. The doctor will refer you to a gastroenterologist. Or another specialist, if belching in your case does not indicate gastrointestinal diseases.
The doctor takes into account the age of the applied patient, the fact that he has chronic diseases. Especially, the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system.
The following diagnostic procedures may be prescribed:
- Clinical and biochemical blood tests.
- Coprogram.
- Stool analysis.
- Ultrasound.
- Colonoscopy.
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy.
Treatment
Let's continue talking about the causes and treatment of belching after eating. Since belching is only a symptom, the treatment regimen is prescribed depending on the disease that caused it. The diagnosis here can only be determined by a specialist based on the complexdiagnostic studies. Both medical, conservative, and surgical, surgical treatment can be prescribed.
If no pathological causes have been identified, the doctor will advise you to make the right diet. Dishes with a high content of sauces, spices, seasonings are excluded. The patient should limit himself to the use of eggs, seafood, cheeses. You need to focus on a low-carbohydrate and easily digestible diet, turn to fractional nutrition. Cook food by steaming, stewing and boiling.
So that belching does not torment you, the first thing you need to do is give up bad habits, exclude foods that cause increased gas formation from your diet, and follow a he althy lifestyle. Do not forget about the preventive diagnosis of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
