Belching - Treatment of Belching from So Many Remedies Available

In certain cultures, a belch after dinner is traditionally considered a compliment to the cook. In the Western world, if an adult belches after dinner-or at any time, for that matter-it is considered a breach of manners.

Babies burp, and it is certainly a satisfying sound to the mother or father who has been patting or rubbing the baby’s back. Children belch, too, because they think it’s a funny game, and sometimes the competition gets noisily intense. Over the years, however, such child’s play can turn into a habit of frequently and unconsciously swallowing air-a habit that can result in belching.

If you suffer from aerophagia-the medical name for repetitive belching-you have probably endured the embarrassment of an unexpected outburst at precisely the most inelegant moment. But your habit can easily be broken if you just become aware of when and how you swallow air and stop doing it. Here’s how:

Stifle it. “Chronic belchers may force lhemselves to belch because it provides temporary relief,” says Lawrence S. Friedman, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. In fact, it has been demonstrated that repeated belching produces more of the same. On a fluoroscope (a special type of X ray used to visualize a body part in motion), a belching person can be seen forcing air into the mouth and esophagus. So if you’re a chronic belcher, you need to make a concious effort to squelch that belch.

Don’t smoke. Here is yet another reason to give up smoking if you remain in the ever-dwindling population that still engages in the habit. “By inhaling on cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, you are swallowing excessive amounts of air-much more than the belch can let out,” says Gayle Randall, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine. And if you are counting on chewing gum or sucking on hard candy to help you kick the habit, think again; these activities stimulate air swallowing, too.

Mind your manners. Mom was right again when she told you not to talk with your mouth full. “This habit allows air into the mouth, which is then swallowed with the food,” says Thomas Stah M.D., assistant professor of general surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Anyway, he adds, it’s an unappealing form of behavior.

Eat slowly. People who gulp down food and beverages are, for one thing, swallowing excessive amounts of air. They’re also crowding the stomach with too much to digest, which causes a gaseous buildup. “Once you take a mouthful, put down your fork and chew your food well before taking another bite,” advises Randall.

Relax. Anxiety and stress can cause you to swal101 more often, which increases the amount of air taken in. “You’ll have to make a conscious effort II minimize air swallowing even though you may feel that your mouth is dry, because you’ll only complicate your stress with stomach gas,” says Stahl.

Don’t catch cold. One sure thing about a cold is that it brings along postnasal drip, which will probably make you swallow much more frequently, So try to blow your nose to clear your nasal passages. Better yet, you should try to protect yourself from exposure to cold viruses.

Avoid bubbly beverages. Drinking carbonated beverages, including beer, creates air in the stomach. “Stay away from these drinks,” advises Randall.

Go strawless. Drinking through a straw will only increase the amount of air you swallow.

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