Causes of belching air

Many people, after eating food, have encountered such a problem as the accumulation of air in the stomach. Belching with air is a physiological phenomenon, but quite unpleasant, since the air often has an admixture of an unpleasant odor (due to food breaking down in the stomach cavity). But do not forget that frequent, repeated belching of air mixed with an unpleasant odor indicates pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

Causes of belching air

At first glance, aerophagia in a healthy person can be caused not only by changes in diet and diet, but also by many hidden anatomical features. The causes of burping air are:

• Defects of the gastrointestinal tract, esophagus – stenosis of the gastric lumen, formed hernia or the presence of a kink.
• Changes in the contractile function of the gastrointestinal tract, which are preceded by an inflammatory process of the gastric mucosa, increased or decreased acidity. In addition, in the future this can cause peptic ulcers or even cancer, so special attention should be paid to the specific pathology.
• Changes in liver function associated with impaired secretory function. In cases where there is an obstacle to the normal outflow of bile, belching appears and there is a bitter taste in the mouth.
• Changes in the functioning of the pancreas and diseases of the duodenum. During inflammatory processes, few enzymes are released in this system, which also provokes prolonged belching after eating – this is the first sign of inflammation of the pancreas and biliary tract.
• The development of pathological gastroesophageal reflux – a condition when the remains of what was eaten the day before pass from the duodenum back into the stomach, and from there into the esophagus.
• Tumor disease of the gastrointestinal tract, both benign and malignant. Because of this, not only secretion is disrupted, but peristalsis is also difficult, causing food to pass poorly through the gastrointestinal tract.

In more rare cases, belching is caused by diseases of the cardiovascular system, diseases of the central nervous system, as well as helminthic infestation (giardiasis, ascariasis, toxocariasis).

As you can see, there are a lot of reasons that cause aerophagia, so in addition to changing your diet, you need to visit a doctor and undergo the necessary tests.

Belching air after eating

During the process of eating, a small amount of air can enter the stomach cavity and this can cause rare physiological belching, which is quite normal. But belching air after eating can be repeated several times, which indicates more serious disorders. For example:

• Inflammation of the pancreas in the acute phase or a sluggish chronic form of pancreatitis.
• Tumors of the esophagus, malignant or benign.
• Inflammation of the duodenal bulb.
• Functional disorder of the gallbladder.
• Inflammation of the gastric mucosa, increased acidity.
• Inflammatory process on the esophageal mucosa.

In addition, repeated belching after eating may indicate other problems, for example, intolerance to certain foods or drinks, abuse of soda, chewing gum, overeating, overextension of the stomach, congenital gastrointestinal defects, high nervous tension, chronic stress.

If belching air after eating has become habitual, repeated repeatedly, or is accompanied by an unpleasant odor, then you should seek help from a specialized specialist as soon as possible in order to eliminate the root cause and such an unpleasant symptom as belching.

Constant belching of air

If after each meal you are bothered by constant belching of air and even some time after the belching still does not go away, then this is a good reason to think about a malfunction in the gastrointestinal tract. The reason for this phenomenon may be:

• violation of the nutrition system, neglect of nutritional standards;
• neurotic disorder causing aerophagia;
• pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract, both congenital and acquired (diaphragmatic hernia, which provokes problems in the functioning of the lower alimentary sphincter, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, gastroesophageal reflux, pancreatitis, duodenitis, cholecystitis);
• in rare cases, belching is an indirect symptom of cardiovascular pathologies (ischemia, arrhythmia, heart defects).

As for physiologically occurring belching, its causes are due to improper food intake. That is, if we say while eating, quickly swallow food, chewing poorly, the amount of swallowed air increases, which causes belching. Also, the cause may be overeating and poorly combined foods or foods that provoke the formation of gas during breakdown – eggs, meat, legumes, asparagus, milk, cabbage, then belching will not take long to occur.

Constant belching of air in pregnant women, starting from the second half of pregnancy, can also be considered physiologically normal – the reason for this lies in the pressure of the fundus of the uterus on the diaphragm.

Belching odorless air

Physiologically, the resulting aerophagia is completely harmless. Belching of odorless air usually occurs under the following circumstances:

• With fast, hasty consumption of food – with such dynamics, the percentage of swallowed air increases.
• The habit of talking while eating can not only lead to food getting into the respiratory tract, but also provoke belching.
• The habit of overeating.
• Abuse of soda and chewing gum.
• Excessive physical activity immediately after eating harms gastrointestinal motility, disrupts the secretion of enzymatic components of gastric juice, and also reduces the absorption of food and the quality of its digestion.
• Pregnancy. In late pregnancy, hiccups and belching are common in women, and the reason for this is pressure on the diaphragm of the fundus of the growing uterus.

Pathologically occurring belching of odorless air occurs when:

• gastrointestinal tumors;
• congenital pathologies – birth defects – bends, hernias, etc.;
• inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract – pancreatitis, gastritis, duodenitis, bulbitis;
• Much less often, belching is accompanied by diseases of the nervous system and cardiovascular pathologies.

If belching of odorless air begins to appear more often, regardless of food intake, and is accompanied by pain in the chest, stomach or right hypochondrium, then you should seek help from a specialized specialist as soon as possible. These symptoms may indicate very serious illnesses.

Nausea and belching of air

Often, malfunctions in the digestive system are indicated by nausea and belching of air. The appearance of these symptoms individually can be relatively harmless, for example, belching occurs when swallowing air, drinking soda or chewing gum for a long time. Nausea, of course, is a more serious symptom, but it is not necessarily an indicator of a serious illness.

If belching is accompanied by severe nausea, then this indicates several reasons:

• Quick, poor quality chewing of food.
• In addition to problems with the gastrointestinal tract caused by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the stomach, duodenum, esophagus, an attack of pancreatitis and duodenitis, nausea can be a manifestation of psychosomatic abnormalities. This may include severe fears and depression. If the main cause is eliminated, then the gastroenterological symptoms will disappear.
• If nausea is accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, and heartburn, then this indicates a very dangerous disease – peptic ulcer.
• If nausea and belching are accompanied by slight bloating and sometimes fever, this indicates inflammation of the gastric mucosa.
• Nausea, belching of air, bitterness in the mouth, and sometimes vomiting can indicate gastroduodenitis.

Nausea and belching of air – if these two symptoms appear simultaneously, then you cannot put off going to the gastroenterologist. All diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are much easier to treat at the initial stage, in order to subsequently save yourself from severe complications in the future.

Stomach pain and belching of air

Pain indicates changes in the functioning of an organ or an entire system. If stomach pain and belching of air appear more and more often, this is the first alarm bell indicating serious problems with digestion. Causes preceding this problem:

• Stomach ulcer. Accompanied by severe heartburn and stabbing pain. After eating, these symptoms stop bothering me.
• Inflammation of the pancreas – this disease is accompanied by severe pain, dyspeptic disorders, nausea, and belching.
• A history of chronic cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder), its acute phase. Accompanied by aching pain in the epigastrium and right hypochondrium, nausea, bitterness in the mouth, low-grade fever.
• Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the duodenum and bulbitis.
• Cancerous tumors of the stomach. Sudden weight loss, weakness, epigastric pain, vomiting, often with blood.

With just two symptoms – stomach pain and belching – it is impossible to make an accurate diagnosis, and even more so it is contraindicated to self-medicate. The first thing you need to do is consult a gastroenterologist and undergo all the necessary tests and detailed instrumental examination. It is much easier to treat any disease at an early stage, and this is the only way to prevent the occurrence of severe complications.

Belching of air and heaviness in the stomach

Diseases of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract develop gradually and are usually preceded by certain symptoms. One of the first warning signs is belching of air and heaviness in the stomach.

The feeling of heaviness can be caused by several reasons, the most common are:

• heaviness due to overeating. When a person eats the daily amount of food in one sitting, this affects the speed and quality of digestion, respectively, nausea, heaviness and belching do not take long to appear;
• lack of food hygiene – eating food quickly and preferring snacks in bistros and fast foods;
• abuse of alcoholic beverages and tobacco – this leads to irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa and digestive problems;
• addiction to fatty, fried foods and smoked foods – this is a very heavy food, and it is not always easy for even a healthy person to cope with it, and even more so if there are problems with the production of enzymes;
• abuse of high-carbohydrate foods, soda, as well as consumption of heavy foods – pork, lamb, mushrooms, eggs, mayonnaise;
• stressful situations and high mental load;
• a history of chronic forms of gastrointestinal diseases;
• dyspeptic disorders – accumulation of gases in the stomach and intestines, diffuse cutting pain throughout the abdomen, a feeling of nausea after eating and belching of foods eaten the day before, most often sour.

If belching of air and heaviness in the stomach appear even after eating light food, at rest, then you can’t do without consulting a specialist. It is better to contact a gastroenterologist as soon as possible and find out the root cause of these symptoms, and then undergo comprehensive treatment.

Belching and bloating

With poor nutrition and abuse of certain foods, belching of air and bloating appear, which is especially noticeable during holiday feasts. Most often, the appearance of these symptoms is not preceded by malaise, so it is enough to follow a few rules to avoid a recurrence of the problem:

• eat in a calm atmosphere, do not rush, do not drink food while eating. Drink either before meals or 30-40 minutes after;
• Do not forget that first courses help normalize digestion by stimulating the secretion of gastric juice with the required amount of enzymes. And in order to avoid increased gas formation, you must not forget about the second course;
• You should not eat fruit dessert or fresh vegetables immediately after a meal, as this stimulates the secretion of gastric juice, and its excess after the main course also leads to increased gas formation;
• binge eating. It is better to eat less, but more often – this will reduce the load on the stomach and there will be a greater chance that all the beneficial elements will be absorbed.

Other causes of belching and bloating include enzyme deficiency and diseases of the gallbladder and its ducts. In the first case, you can resort to the help of enzymatic preparations, but they must be taken with caution, since long-term use may inhibit the natural production of enzymes. In addition, in both cases, in addition to following a diet, you will also have to resort to drug treatment prescribed individually by a gastroenterologist.

Belching air in the morning

Under normal conditions, a small amount of air always accumulates in the stomach cavity. This is due to the fact that during the digestion of food, fermentation occurs, and the released gases exit through the mouth during the day. This air performs several important functions:

However, during inflammatory processes in the upper gastrointestinal tract, air accumulates in much larger quantities, which causes repeated belching, including air belching in the morning.

The causes are neurological conditions (fears, worries, severe stress that a person cannot cope with) or gastrointestinal diseases associated with impaired contractile function of the pylorus. Morning aerophagia can also occur in healthy people.

Separately, it is worth considering the appearance of morning aerophagia in pregnant women. In this situation, this is explained by the fact that in the second half of pregnancy the fundus of the growing uterus begins to put pressure on the diaphragm and intra-abdominal pressure increases. This is not a painful condition, so it does not require special treatment.

If belching air in the morning is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, weakness, weight loss, heartburn, sensation of a foreign body in the esophagus or stomach, then this indicates very serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract. The first thing to do is to contact a specialized specialist as soon as possible and undergo an examination.

Belching air at night

Belching refers to those symptoms that appear after eating and, depending on its nature, it can be assumed that it is the root cause. Belching air at night is often sour, and this is due to the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. It is usually caused by heavy foods – fatty meats, smoked meats, mushrooms, etc. In the future, this condition can progress, accompanied by severe heartburn, which leads to erosive gastritis and peptic ulcer.

The most common causes are inflammation of the gastric mucosa after gastroenterocolitis, pyloric hypotonicity, poor diet, and abuse of foods that stimulate the secretion of gastric juice.

To diagnose the root cause, you will need to consult a specialist – you should contact a gastroenterologist or therapist, and, if necessary, an infectious disease specialist (if infectious gastroenterocolitis is suspected). The diagnosis can be confirmed by blood counts, and after fibrogastroduodenoscopy and manometry.

If you follow the diet and medical recommendations, belching air at night will cease to be a problem and the functioning of the upper gastrointestinal tract will be completely restored.

Diarrhea and belching of air

Belching with an unpleasant smell of rotten eggs and dyspepsia are key symptoms that appear in somatic and infectious diseases, food poisoning. Diarrhea and belching of air are explained by a disruption in the process of digesting food, due to which it stagnates in the stomach, rotting and fermentation are activated and compounds of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide are released. As gases accumulate, they expand the stomach, causing the diaphragm to contract, the abdominal muscles and food particles, along with air, to be thrown into the esophagus. Some of the gases enter the intestines, causing bloating, pain and diarrhea.

The above symptoms arise directly from digestive problems, which arise for the following reasons:

• Failure to comply with dietary standards, abuse of soda and alcohol.
• Development of gastrointestinal infections, intoxications.
• The action of plant and medicinal poisons.
• Impaired functions of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas (pancreatitis, duodenitis, bulbitis).
• Benign and malignant tumors of the stomach, esophagus, intestines.
• Congenital anatomical anomalies – diverticula, kinks, underdevelopment of organs.

Diarrhea and belching of air signal very serious abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract (impaired digestion, absorption, motility), which negatively affects the general condition, causing vitamin deficiency, exhaustion and concomitant systemic diseases that require urgent treatment.

Belching air during pregnancy

For every woman, pregnancy is the most touching, responsible and partly the most difficult period in life. To the extent of physiological changes, the gestation period is accompanied by poor health (nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, heaviness in the legs and lower back, sometimes varicose veins). If nausea goes away in the first half of pregnancy along with toxicosis, then belching air during pregnancy can accompany the expectant mother until childbirth.

The reasons that cause belching during this period are as follows:

• Hormonal changes in the body.
• The growth of the fetus and the pressure of the uterine fundus on the diaphragm, which leads to compression and displacement of the stomach and intestines.
• Exacerbation of existing chronic diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract.
• Overeating, non-compliance with the pregnancy diet and a sedentary lifestyle.

You can cope with the discomfort from aerophagia by following a few simple rules. Eat right – do not eat a lot of sweet, floury, sour, fatty meats. Move and walk more, relax in the most comfortable position, avoiding sharp turns from side to side and prolonged stay in a horizontal position.

From eating too acidic foods, burping air during pregnancy can cause maximum discomfort, so the best way to get rid of it is to balance your diet, giving preference to dairy products, baked apples and boiled vegetables.

Belching air in a child

In infancy, belching in children is a normal physiological phenomenon – swallowing air helps normalize intragastric pressure. The baby’s digestive system has not yet adapted, so after eating, air is retained in the stomach cavity, provoking intestinal spasms. This causes the child a lot of discomfort; he becomes capricious and cries until he burps. To prevent burping of air in a child from causing colic, it is recommended to hold the baby vertically in your arms after feeding.

If the child is too nervous and often cries, then you need to prepare the baby for feeding by first playing with him and calming him down, and during the feeding process take breaks so that he can burp. If belching appears in a child after a year of life, then you need to seek additional advice from a pediatrician.

Causes of belching in children:

• poor nutrition, nutrition inappropriate for age;
• excessive excitability of the child when combining playing or watching a cartoon with eating;
• proliferation of adenoids, development of chronic tonsillitis and rhinitis.

In preschool and early school age, belching can be associated with gastritis, hepatitis, duodenitis, which requires timely diagnosis and comprehensive treatment at an early stage.

Pathogenesis

Normally, belching occurs after hastily consumed food, due to the air swallowed during eating. This physiological phenomenon is called aerophagia and is not a deviation from the norm. The main causes of this condition:

• Overeating, especially with insufficient production of gastric enzymes.
• Eating while talking also involves swallowing a lot of air.
• Drinking carbonated drinks in large quantities.
• High physical activity immediately after eating disrupts the natural peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract, so it is better to refrain from exercise for a couple of hours.
• Frequent use of chewing gum. This provokes impaired gastric motility and leads not only to belching, but also to the regurgitation of food particles.
• At the end of the second trimester of pregnancy – the beginning of the third, women experience belching due to the fact that the fundus of the uterus presses on the diaphragm.
• Swallowing air during sucking in infants. For infants, burping after feeding is also a common occurrence; it is enough to properly attach the baby to the breast to eliminate this problem.

If you eat your food slowly, chew it well, follow a daily routine, and eat a balanced diet, then air belching will not make itself felt so often and inappropriately.

Symptoms of belching air

Aerophagia is not always a pathology – a once-repeated belch after eating indicates that everything is in order with gastric motility. But if belching is repeated regardless of food intake, has a sour taste, is accompanied by severe bloating and an unpleasant odor, then this indicates serious problems with the upper gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms of air belching, indicating pathology:

• rotten belching – speaks of a putrefactive process in the stomach that develops when the food eaten the day before stagnates in it. It happens with gastritis with low acidity, malignant tumors;
• sour belching – speaks of gastritis, high acidity, which precedes gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer;
• bitter belching – indicates that bile is thrown into the stomach cavity, which cannot normally happen. It happens with a functional disorder such as reflux and cholecystitis;
• odorless belching indicates poor diet, addiction to soda and chewing gum. Less often – with sinusitis, runny nose (when, due to the inability to breathe, a lot of air is swallowed through wasps.

If belching causes discomfort and is accompanied by pain, weakness, nausea, then you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Diagnosis of air belching

Paying attention to other accompanying symptoms is a key method in investigating and finding the root cause of belching. Diagnosis of air belching occurs in several stages – questioning, prescribing tests, additional laboratory and instrumental research methods.

During the survey, the general picture of the development of the disease is established, the fact of the manifestation of other symptoms is clarified – dyspeptic disorders, pain, gastric bleeding, pain in the right hypochondrium, etc.

Laboratory and instrumental methods that have important diagnostic value include:

• carrying out a general blood test, a general urinalysis;
• conducting blood tests and determining glucose levels;
• determining the level of electrolytes in the blood;
• detection of antibodies to the bacterium Helicobacter pylori in the blood.

If there is a suspicion of a peptic ulcer or gastritis, then fibrogastroduodenoscopy is prescribed. To identify ulcerative lesions of the mucous membrane and tumors, radiography with a contrast agent is performed. Esophagofibroscopy is prescribed if pyloric hypotonicity is suspected. Another way to diagnose the acidity of the stomach contents is to conduct intraesophageal pH measurements. If cholecystitis and duodenitis are suspected, an ultrasound is prescribed, which makes it possible to determine the nature of the disease and the degree of functional disorder.

Treatment of belching with air

If the cause of belching is a banal non-compliance with the diet or other nutritional problems, then it is enough to follow some preventive measures:

• chew food well and take your time;
• do not use chewing gum;
• drink as little soda as possible or completely eliminate it from your diet;
• limit or eliminate foods that contribute to the formation of gases (eliminate legumes, cabbage, asparagus, corn, etc.)
• eat according to a schedule – often and in portions, do not overeat.

Traditional methods are also relevant for the treatment of belching. For example, a decoction of yarrow leaves, peppermint, dill seeds, and St. John’s wort. To prepare, you need to take each component in a 1:1 ratio, combine and pour two tablespoons of the mixture into 500 ml. hot water. Leave for 120 minutes, then strain and drink all day, in small portions of 30-50 ml.

If belching is accompanied by nausea, pain in the epigastrium, hypochondrium, or temperature, then you should immediately consult a doctor to clarify the diagnosis, conduct the necessary tests and, if necessary, additional examination. Only after obtaining the necessary data on the functional state of the gastrointestinal tract, conservative treatment of air belching is prescribed, including a diet and medication plan.

Medicines for belching air

Depending on how often the belching occurs and what precedes its occurrence, the appropriate medicine for air belching is prescribed. If belching is not caused by pathology and is short-term, then drug treatment is not necessary; in rare cases (overeating, eating heavy foods), you can turn to enzymatic preparations. However, it must be remembered that frequent use of enzyme-containing medications affects their natural production and can lead to their complete inhibition. Therefore, self-medication in this situation is excluded.

Pathological belching often occurs in diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by high acidity and heartburn. In such cases, Almagel, Gastal, Rennie are prescribed – these drugs normalize the level of hydrochloric acid and have an analgesic, enveloping effect. Gastal also reduces the likelihood of constipation.

If aerophagia appears as a result of peptic ulcer disease, then the most suitable drugs are De-Nol, Omez. They belong to the category of antiulcer drugs with an astringent antimicrobial and gastrocytoprotective effect.

Motillac is prescribed for weak motility of the walls of the stomach and intestines – it helps to quickly form a food bolus and push it through the lower gastrointestinal tract.

A doctor can prescribe medicine for air belching only after all the necessary tests have been carried out and a diagnosis has been established. Self-medication can cause irreparable harm to health.

Treatment of belching with air using traditional methods

A phenomenon such as belching usually does not cause much discomfort, but when it becomes constant and occurs regardless of food intake, then this is a good reason to think about your health.

Treatment of belching with air using traditional methods is one of the most affordable options that does not require special expenses. However, before you start taking this or that drug, you need to consult your doctor – this way you can avoid associated complications.

If the cause of belching is a stomach problem, then the following remedy will help: a quarter of a teaspoon of soda is diluted in a glass of water and drunk. This remedy will help get rid of sour belching and heartburn.

Crushed calamus rhizome also helps with heartburn; you need to take it 0,5 teaspoon 15-20 minutes before meals. A mixture of potato and carrot juice in a 1:1 ratio gives an equally effective result. You need to drink a glass of this liquid 15-20 minutes before meals, before each meal.

Preparing freshly squeezed juice can be difficult, so for a more dynamic lifestyle, you can try another option – eat an apple or carrot after meals. You can drink some warm water before eating.

if the acidity of gastric juice is low or zero, then when there is no exacerbation, drinking warm water with the addition of a teaspoon of honey and a tablespoon of juice from plantain leaves will help. It is enough to drink a quarter glass before each meal.

But do not forget that treating belching with traditional methods is always a risk, and any rash decision in this matter can be very costly to your health.

Diet for burping air

Normalization of diet and quality of products is the main component on the path to health. The diet for belching air should exclude foods that stimulate or, conversely, slow down the secretion of enzymes. This category includes smoked meat and fish, fried foods, spicy foods, sour dressings and sauces, and fast food. Vegetable foods, steamed meat and fish dishes, some vegetables and fruits will have a good effect on the motility of the stomach and intestines. But it is important to remember that you should not load your stomach and try to eat everything in one sitting – you need to eat in portions.

If you are worried about belching a rotten egg, then this indicates the accumulation of hydrogen sulfide in the stomach. It is formed during the breakdown of certain proteins, in particular they are found in canned food, poultry, red meat, eggs, milk, asparagus, peas, lentils, corn, so it is better to exclude these products for a while, and in the future simply not abuse them in the diet.

Also, the reason for belching rotten eggs after eating can be due to excessive bacterial growth – this leads to disruption of intestinal flora. Also, belching of rotten eggs occurs when lactose and fructose are not digested, in conditions such as Crohn’s disease and celiac disease. In this case, food cannot be digested and sulfur bacteria take part in the process, which is why a large amount of hydrogen sulfide is released.

Prevention

If belching continues to create discomfort, and fibrogastroscopy did not reveal serious pathologies, then you need to look for a way out of the situation in the simplest way. Compliance with diet and nutrition is the best prevention of air belching.

• The daily amount of food should be consumed several times, without overeating. We should not forget that