Belching or burping involves the release of air from the upper digestive tract, which was trapped in esophagus and stomach through the mouth. Burping is usually associated with a typical sound and, if person also has bad breath, belching may be associated with an odor. Excessive belching after eatingcan be caused by unconsciously swallowing the excess air during food intake or by aerophagia.
There is normally imprisoned in the upper part of the stomach a collection of air that has been swallowed with food or beverages. The quantity of this imprisoned air is determined by the shape and size of the stomach. When the stomach is empty of food, the air spreads about throughout the stomach in order to prevent the organ from completely collapsing and to act as a cushion for the muscular walls of the stomach to grasp in their ever constant efforts to maintain the fixed degree of internal pressure that is so essential to a stomach’s happiness.
What Causes Belching?
The intensity and duration of belching may vary based upon its cause. An individual may feel relief in symptoms of heartburn, dyspepsia, flatulence and nausea after expelling the trapped air by eructation.
When food is introduced, this cushion of air is forced to the top. It is normal for some of this air to be forced out into the esophagus, because of the sudden increase in pressure incident to the ordinary business of digestion. It then gently bubbles up and is expelled through the mouth.
Some people swallow more air with their food than is necessary. Bolters always do. This air, expelled by belching, should normally make no sound. A hearty meal will displace relatively more of this air than a light meal. Relief is experienced under these conditions, when some of the air is allowed to escape. The stomach then more easily adjusts itself to the internal pressure that its immediate business requires.
Laboring under the misconception that the pressure distress experienced in the upper abdomen after a hearty meal is due to fermentation, a nervous individual soon acquires the knack of excessive burping by expelling this air. The more he manages to expel, the better satisfied is he and the greater relief he thinks he obtains. He soon acquires the habit of inducing the belching after eating. There is a limit to the amount of air that the upper part of the stomach can hold. When this is exhausted by repeated discharges, more air must be swallowed. The belching addict finds that by swallowing a little air he can induce more “gas” to come up and this swallowing of air becomes an established habit. The belcher is then a “cribber.” He does not know that the “gas” expelled is made up entirely of swallowed air. This swallowed air seldom reaches the stomach, but distends the esophagus enormously until it is expelled.
Fermentation does not take place in the stomach, at least only under unusual conditions, such as complete obstruction at the exit of the stomach, causing retention of food for twenty-four hours or more. Even then, the gas in such fermentation makes an easy and noiseless exit, some of it being absorbed.
Belching is therefore not an important symptom except as an indication of the patient’s temperamental status. There are some diseases such as chronic gall bladder disease that reflexly stimulate the stomach to increased and excited peristaltic activity. If this should happen to a nervous individual, belching will probably ensue. Such nervous patients are usually potential belchers and may develop the symptom ofexcessive belching after eating, the reflex irritation acting only as an excuse or suggestion.