Drinking lots of soft drinks and beer is guaranteed to cause problems, but your saliva also contains tiny air bubbles that travel to your stomach with every swallow. Some people naturally swallow excessive air when they eat or drink, and patients who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) tend to belch more frequently because they swallow often to drive stomach acid out of the throat, says William J. Snape Jr, MD. But belching is a problem that is controllable. Most of us can, with practice, reduce the amount of air we swallow, and cut down on the number of burps. Here’s how.
Become Aware Of Air
“You can swallow up to 5 ounces of air each time you swallow,” says André Dubois, MD. People who are feeling anxious or nervous will do this quite frequently. Some people are compulsive swallowers and create a problem by habitually swallowing too much saliva. “You can learn to control your swallowing reflexes simply by becoming aware of it,” he says. “Ask your friends or relatives to tell you if they notice you swallowing a lot. You probably won’t notice it in yourself.” Once you’re aware of a swallowing habit, it’s easier to curb it, says Dubois.There are also some personal habits you can change to help you take in less air:
Avoid carbonated beverages.Eat slowly and chew your food completely before swallowing.Always eat with your mouth closed.Don’t chew gum.Don’t drink out of cans or bottles, or through a straw.Avoid foods high in air content such as beer, ice cream, soufflés, omelets, and whipped cream.
Eat Small Meals
Large meals means you’re swallowing more (and swallowing more air) in one sitting. You may be able to avoid discomfort by eating smaller meals 5 or 6 times a day rather than two or three large meals, Snape says. MORE: 9 Foods That Soothe Heartburn
Nix A Nervous Burping Habit
Chronic air swallowers can belch forever—belching begets more belching—but even chronic swallowers can be helped. When all else fails, see a psychologist or counselor for relaxation exercises that may help reduce nervous swallowing, says Douglas A. Drossman, MD.
Say Good-bye To Gassy Goodies
On occasion, we all eat a little too much just a little too quickly, and we belch. Take small bites and chew carefully, says Dubois. You don’t want to eat big chunks of meat because big air comes with them. For people with upper-digestive-system gas, it may be useful to eat fewer foods that produce the problem. Those foods include fats and oils such as salad oil, margarine, and sour cream.
Smash Bubbles With Soothing Simethicone
To help alleviate a problem that already exists, digestive experts sometimes recommend over-the-counter antacids containing simethicone, such as Di-Gel, Mylanta, Mylanta Supreme, and Maalox Max, says Snape. Simethicone breaks large bubbles into small bubbles in the stomach, which may decrease burping. The caveat: It does not reduce the amount of gas, says Dubois. MORE: 7 Things Your Gas Is Trying To Tell You About Your Health
Is The Burping Because Of A Medical Condition?
Some individuals may have a mild medical condition called functional dyspepsia, says Drossman. They often fill up after eating and feel discomfort in their stomachs, which is relieved by belching. On rare occasions, burping can relate to an underlying medical problem such as gallbladder disease or a bowel obstruction. In these cases, a doctor can identify any medical condition and offer specific treatments to help relieve the excessive belching.
Sometimes It’s Better To Belch
Many physicians see no physiological need to stifle belching. They view it as a natural body function. “If you swallow too much air, it’s actually good for you,” says Dubois. In fact, in other countries, it’s perfectly normal to belch in public.
Panel Of Advisors
Douglas A. Drossman, MD, IS is a professor of medicine and psychiatry, and codirector of the University of North Carolina Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders at Chapel Hill. André Dubois, MD, is a gastroenterologist in Bethesda, Maryland. William J. Snape Jr, MD, is director of neurogastroenterology and motility at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.
