Excuse you! Is too much burping becoming a problem?

“Excuse the gas that I might pass,
It came out my mouth instead of my…”

While that is a lovely little poem that many Dad’s would say at the dinner table after expelling plate shaking burst, it does point to an issue that many are fighting with.

Experts have measured that every time you swallow, no matter if it’s food, drinking or the shock of getting a high bill, you swallow 15 cubic centimetres of air.  The stomach can’t handle that much so it pushes most of it, about 75%, back in the form of a burp. The rest of it does the long travel to the other end, which gets you kicked out of the marital bedroom.

While most of the gas that you expel, from either end really, is coming from the food and drink that you consume there could be another issue that could be a bit more serious.  If you feel that your burping is excessive then you could be suffering from Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).  While many just pass the condition off as heart burn or more common acid reflux, it has various degrees of seriousness.  Many of the symptoms can be solved with over the counter medication but if the pain or gas is becoming a problem than an appointment with an expert is suggested.

Another issue that could be causing the problem is a bacterial overgrowth of your small intestine.  This also causes bloating, cramps, and diarrhoea as symptoms and it is advised to see your doctor as they can perform a glucose breath test to diagnose.  If this is the problem than a prescription of antibiotics can fix it up.

In very rare cases an overabundance of burping could be caused by your colon’s motility and could signal a potential blockage.  This blockage could be due to an ulcer or tumour that is stopping food from leaving your stomach and causing gases to build up.  Check with your doctor if you are concerned about this.

The rule of thumb when it comes to burping is that if you are only burping a few times during a meal or while having a few quiet drinks, there is nothing to worry about.  If you are burping more than six times during a meal, and you are not drinking a carbonated beverage, it could point to another issue and should be raised with your doctor.