Belching, or burping, is the expulsion of gas from the stomach out through the mouth. As the gas escapes, it produces the characteristic sound known as a burp or belch. The most common cause of belching is swallowing air.
Swallowing air and belching are natural occurrences that
result from eating or drinking too quickly. Chewing gum or drinking carbonated
beverages can also introduce air into the stomach and cause belching. Because
infants frequently swallow air when feeding, burping or belching is normal
after they have been fed. The act of burping an infant helps relieve the
discomfort caused by swallowed air.
In addition to swallowed air, many different types of gastrointestinal
conditions and diseases can cause belching. Belching may occur with conditions
that slow digestion, delayed stomach emptying, and mechanical obstructions,
such as pyloric obstruction (a blockage between the stomach and small
intestine). Pregnant women may also experience belching due to hormonal changes
that slow the digestive process.
Belching can also arise from conditions that impair the
normal digestive process in other ways, such as acid reflux, hiatal hernia, or
stomach acid deficiency. In these cases, belching may occur frequently after
meals, and it may become chronic.
Belching is rarely associated with a medical
emergency. Seek immediate medical
care if your belching is associated with severe abdominal
pain, chest pain, persistent nausea and
vomiting, or high fever.
What other symptoms might occur with
belching?
Belching may be accompanied by other symptoms, depending on
the underlying disease, disorder or condition.
Digestive symptoms that may occur
along with belching
- Abdominal
swelling, distension or bloating
- Change
in bowel habits
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Flatulence
- Heartburn
- Nausea with
or without vomiting
Other symptoms that may occur along
with belching
Excessive belching may accompany symptoms related to other
body systems. Belching can occur as a nervous habit and may be associated with
generalized symptoms including:
Serious symptoms that might indicate
a life-threatening condition
Belching alone is rarely a sign of a medical emergency. In
some cases, however, belching may occur with other symptoms that might indicate
a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in
an emergency setting. Seek immediate
medical care if you, or someone you are with, have any of these
life-threatening symptoms including:
- Chest
pain, chest tightness, chest pressure, palpitations
- High fever
- Respiratory
or breathing problems, such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing,
laboured breathing, wheezing, not breathing, choking
- Severe abdominal
pain
- Vomiting blood,
rectal bleeding or bloody stool
What causes belching?
Belching is the expulsion of air from the digestive tract,
most often as a normal response to swallowed air in the stomach. Everyday
habits and behaviors that encourage the swallowing of air are major causes of
belching.
Everyday causes of belching
You may develop belching from swallowed air in various
situations including:
- Breathing
through your mouth
- Chewing
gum
- Drinking
carbonated beverages
- Drinking
through a straw
- Drinking
too fast
- Eating
too fast
- Experiencing
emotional stress or nervousness
- Wearing
poorly fitting dentures
Gastrointestinal causes of belching
Almost any condition affecting the digestive tract can cause
belching. These include conditions in which the normal movement or flow in the
digestive tract is obstructed, interrupted or delayed. Examples include delayed
stomach emptying, intestinal obstruction, hiatal hernia, and gastrointestinal
reflux disease. In other types of disorders, the enzymes or processes that are
needed to digest food completely are either deficient or absent. Examples
include lactose intolerance, food allergy, and gallbladder disease.
Belching can be
caused by many conditions affecting the digestive tract including:
- Food
intolerance or allergy
- Gallbladder
disease
- Gastritis (inflammation
of the stomach lining)
- Gastroparesis
(delayed stomach emptying)
- Gastrointestinal
reflux disease
- Hiatal
hernia
- Intestinal
obstruction
- Pancreatic
disease
- Peptic
ulcer disease
- Pregnancy
- Pyloric
obstruction (obstruction between the stomach and small intestine)
- Tumours
of the gastrointestinal tract
Serious or life-threatening causes of
belching
Belching is a normal body process that is rarely serious in
nature. However, in rare cases, belching may be a symptom of a serious or
life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency
setting. These include:
- Abdominal
abscess
- Heart
attack (myocardial infarction)
- Obstruction
of the digestive tract
What are the potential complications
of belching?
Belching is generally a harmless symptom that does not
produce long-term complications. However, some of the gastrointestinal
conditions associated with belching may have serious complications as a result
of the underlying disease rather than the symptom of belching itself. For
example, intestinal obstruction due to cancer is a condition that can have
long-term and potentially serious or life-threatening complications.
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