Let’s start with the good news – burping after eating is not, in and of itself, a bad health sign at all.
Swallowing air, eating too fast and the simple action of food hitting the acid in your stomach can be benign causes, for instance.
Healthcare provider The Mayo Clinic says on their site that even “excessive” burping is common. The gastro gas exchanges “usually don’t point to a serious underlying condition and are often reduced with simple lifestyle changes”.
However, gastroenterologist Dr Alison Schneider, MD, told healthcare provider The Cleveland Clinic that there’s a “normal” amount, and that going well above it on the reg may be a sign you need to see the doctor.
“Burping as many as four times after a meal is considered normal,” the doctor said.
This can occasionally go up according to what food you’ve eaten and how you’ve consumed it, she adds.
For instance, “you’re more likely to swallow air and burp if you eat too quickly, drink carbonated beverages, chew gum, suck on hard candies, drink through a straw or have dentures that do not fit well”.
The odd belching bonanza is likely harmless. But if keeps happening so much it interferes with your daily life, and/or if it’s paired with other symptoms like stomach pain, heartburn, bowel issues, bloating, or pain, you might need to see your GP.
If there are no other symptoms, but the belching is so common it’s affecting your quality of life, you may be affected by aerophagia and supragastric belching, health information site Medical News Today says.
These “are conditions in which a person moves air into their oesophagus, either consciously or unconsciously”.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and acid reflux may be to blame if you also experience heartburn.
Gastritis, which can also cause excessive burping, “can be associated with pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen, feeling full soon after eating a meal, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite,” Dr. Schneider said.
If it’s paired with bloating, gas, abdominal pain, diarrhoea or constipation, you may have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Excessive belching can also rarely be associated with more severe conditions like stomach cancer (which may also cause you to feel constantly full, lose weight, and feel lethargic) and peptic ulcers (which “often feels like a burning pain in your tummy,” per the NHS).
“If burping or belching too much is interfering with your daily life or if pain or other symptoms accompany this symptom, this may indicate another underlying illness requiring treatment,” Dr. Schneider told The Cleveland Clinic.
