Stop Belching

Belching — also known as burping, ructus, or eructation — is the expulsion of air or gas from the stomach through the esophagus and mouth. Even though it is a natural body function and can be socially acceptable in some cultures as a sign of appreciation for a good meal, it can also be inconvenient, too frequent, loud, or just bothersome.

Steps

Stopping Belching the Easy Way

  1. Eat and drink more slowly. Eating or drinking quickly can result in gulping extra air along with the food, resulting in unseemly burps. Slow your roll a little, compadre!
    • Eat in a relaxing environment. Eating in a relaxing place, without stress, is known to limit the amount of burping and flatulence you experience.
  2. Chew well with your mouth closed and don't talk while you eat. Chew food completely before swallowing. Talking while you eat also means your mouth is open and you are therefore more likely to swallow air along with your food.
  3. Drink water, tea, or other non-carbonated beverages. Carbonated drinks contain carbon dioxide gas. If you do drink carbonation, take smaller sips over a longer period of time.
  4. Sip from a glass instead of using a straw or drinking from a can or bottle. Straws take in more air along with the beverage. Slow sips take in the least amount of air.
  5. Avoid chewing gum, sucking on hard candy, and smoking. These habits all result in extra air being swallowed into the stomach.
    • If you can, avoid big yawning motions with your mouth. If you feel the urge to yawn, try to keep your mouth closed more than usual and wait for the urge to pass.
  6. Change your diet to include fewer gas-producing foods. Baked beans, lentils, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, onions, chocolate, and fruits such as apples, peaches and pears can produce gas during digestion, resulting in burping, bloating, and flatulence.
    • Also, avoid foods that contain large amounts of air, such as mousses, souffles and whipped cream. The more air you put down, the more air has to eventually come back up.

Stopping Belching Using Different Strategies

  1. Watch out for heartburn. Heartburn may be the culprit if you burp a lot. The good news is that heartburn is made worse usually by certain foods and eating habits. That means that both heartburn and excessive burping may be reducible, if not correctable.[1]
    • Avoid eating big portions, as well as food right before bedtime. Stomach stretching after a big meal puts the LES, the muscle that keeps stomach acids from moving in the wrong direction, under lots of pressure.[2] This often results in heartburn.
    • Avoid eating fatty foods. Fatty foods take longer to digest and sit around in the stomach longer. This causes the stomach to produce more stomach acid, and relaxes the LES.
    • Avoid overly acidic foods, like onions, tomatoes, coffee, salad dressings, red wine, and fruit drinks. Also avoid spicy foods, such as peppers, chili, and other spices.
    • Consider other factors relating to heartburn. Smoking, tight clothing, obesity, and lying down may all have a deleterious effect on heartburn.
  2. Avoid excessive swallowing when nervous. Some people gulp air as a nervous habit, even without realizing it. Have a friend keep an eye on you to see if you do this.
  3. If you have a cold or flu that involves nasal drainage, sip water instead of habitually swallowing the drainage to keep it out of your lungs. You will gulp air along with it, resulting in chronic burping and possibly an upset stomach.
  4. Check your dentures. Poorly-fitting dentures can result in swallowing air when you eat.
  5. Steam vegetables instead of boiling. This helps maintain their natural enzymes that aid in digestion.
  6. Take an over-the-counter antacid containing simethicone. This can help break-up larger gas bubbles into smaller bubbles.
    • Try an enzyme supplement like Beano. This can help reduce the risk of unwanted burping as well as flatulence.
  7. Wear loose clothing. Clothing that is tight around the waist can lead to abdominal discomfort and burping.
  8. Sip herbal tea after meals. Chamomile, raspberry, mint, ginger, and fennel may help reduce gas in the stomach.
  9. If you suffer from chronic burping, consult a physician to rule out medical causes. Excessive belching accompanied by indigestion, heartburn, nausea, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or abdominal pain can be symptoms of medical problems such as acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, ulcers, lactose intolerance or gluten intolerance, or gastroparesis. If you are already aware that you have one or more of these conditions, controlling them could also help reduce or eliminate the burping.

Tips

  • Until the gas passes, relief may be obtained by lying on the side or in a knees-to-chest position.
  • Allow hot drinks to cool before drinking.
  • Have someone else observe how you eat. You may be swallowing excessively or gulping air without realizing it.
  • Many people report relief when they cease drinking milk.

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/burping-lot-and-i-want-stop
  2. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/guide/common-heartburn-triggers-exercise-medications-and-large-meals

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