The eruption is the noisy expulsion, through the mouth, of the gases present in the stomach.
Causes
aerophagia
Like flatulence, when it becomes excessive, belching is a typical manifestation of aerophagia (abnormal swallowing of air). For this reason, it is of particular interest to people who make extensive use of carbonated drinks and chewing gum, drink with a straw, smoke or tend to eat hastily and talk a lot during meals. Also the presence of a reduced number of teeth (hypodontia) and the excessive secretion of saliva (scialorrea) can increase the share of swallowed air.
Associated Disorders to Aerofagia
Ingesting too much air during meals - besides causing characteristic episodes of violent belching - can cause abdominal cramps and diffuse tension. The increase in the gastric bubble during a large meal can even cause a stabbing pain in the chest, similar to that caused by angina pectoris. Most commonly, it is accompanied by nausea, heaviness in the stomach and hiccups.
Other Causes
See also: Belching - Causes and Symptoms »
Dyspepsia
Burping is often associated with indigestion; in these cases it is the patient himself who seeks relief by deliberately ingesting air to encourage eruption. In reality the amount of air introduced is always higher than the one emitted, which is why this practice ends up dilating the stomach walls even more, triggering a vicious circle between aerophagia and belching. Voluntary atrophy is also used following surgical removal of the larynx (usually due to the presence of a cancer), in order to be able to speak using the gastric air instead of the pulmonary air.
Dyspepsia
Excessive belching can also be connected to the presence of
gastric ulcers, gastritis, hiatal hernia and more generally with gastroesophageal reflux. In these cases, however, it is associated with symptoms such as nausea, dyspepsia, retrosternal burning (due to rising acid content in the esophagus) and abdominal pain.
drugs
Some drugs used in the treatment of diabetes, such as metformin, can cause eruption, especially if taken at high doses; also the pressure exerted by the fetus during pregnancy can cause similar problems.
Remedies
When excessive belching is not due to pathological causes, it may be useful to consume one's meals more calmly, limit the intake of carbonated beverages, abolish - or at least reduce - smoking and avoid too abundant meals (in particular, the diet dissociated does not recommend consuming foods rich in simple sugars in association with sources of starch, fiber or protein, since these could ferment in the stomach, slow down digestion and cause - among other things - even the unwelcome belching).
See also: Aerophagic Care Medications »
