Real-World Dilemma
"Why does my boyfriend burp so much,” co-worker G asks with the ever-so-calm demeanor that doesn’t quite mask the sheer annoyance in her voice. Her question came swift and serious over the cubicle screen as though I was hearing confession and nothing was sacred or forbidden or—expected.
I know, I know, by now I should be used to the openness that has blossomed around here. Hey, hold on (not too long—so not good for you) no one said this job was easy or predictable—kind of like the digestive process if you really, really think about it. Anyway, in her confession co-worker G (like her beloved belching beau) didn’t hold back.
I’ve met her beau (let’s call him Triple B) a few times and now picture the baby-faced man in the shower (behind the curtain of course) his guttural air expel-ations harmonizing with the bathroom steam.
“Ah, where’s your loyalty Gastro Girl: Are YOU picturing HER boyfriend in the shower?”
Get those minds out of the toilet folks. Co-worker G specifically described in detail the ritualistic evening arias, baritone loud, permeating her eardrums with the most explosive sound.
As Chaka Khan, says in a most danceable way (if I may add)—dear, dear co-worker G, “I feel for you.” In fact, I think we all do!
Girl, What’s Up With Your Belching Beau?
Although I couldn’t absolve anyone of anything at this point, I did the Gastro Girl thing and put myself in Coworker’s G’s shoes, or was it her slippers?
My mind raced around Triple B’s belching—is it a habit? A serious gastro problem? A cruel and wicked curse? Or simply something that I so want to know more about and darn it, I’m going to flip (for answers) through all the educational materials that cover my desk like overgrown wildflowers (note the image I want you to draw here: quite pretty, colorful and a bit scattered, unorganized organization—you know how those flowers grow.)
Even the Simpsons had fun with belching.
Then I found it—just the explanation needed—all compiled neatly in a blue and white pamphlet from the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD).
Here’s the Scoop:
First: A little word about the words.
When Triple B belches he is, according to the dictionary, bringing forth wind noisily from the stomach. Did you know that while some of you may use burping and belching interchangeably—the word, burp doesn’t even appear in some dictionaries—but appears to mean, according to the IFFGD, “cause to belch,” as one would burp a baby. Betcha didn’t know that little tidbit, did ya? Me neither!
Bringing Forth Stomach Wind: What’s Normal
Belching after a large meal is a physiologically normal, indeed a necessary venting of air from the stomach. In some countries, nothing says thanks for the great meal like a resounding belch. And, says the IFFGD, belching even has comic associations as with Sir Toby Belch in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
By the way, Co-worker G just informed that she was, “Sir Toby Belch” for a high school play—years later. And given her current situation---how truly apropos.
When You Should Worry About Belching
Some people are plagued by sudden attacks of belching, which is intrusive and embarrassing. IFFGD says these folks are often convinced that the gas or air that is belched comes from the stomach---indicating an underlying gas-producing condition. But folks, that’s rarely the case.
What is it then?
All available evidence points to swallowed air as the source of the stomach gas and the perceived need to “bring it up.” (Source: IFFGD)
And there’s a word for this process of “bringing it up”: Aerophagia
Sure, air swallowing is normal. Did you know that newborns have no gas in their intestines until they take their first breath? Then the air shows up progressively down in the gut. It’s normal for the esophagus to contain some swallowed air. But if you have a disorder called achalasia, where the valve at the lower end of the esophagus (gullet) can’t relax, your stomach contains no gas at all. (Source: IFFGD)
Here's what happens when you swallow air:
1. When you inhale, the pressure in the esophagus (gullet) falls, drawing in air.
2. Deliberate inhalation against a willfully closed windpipe draws even more air into the esophagus. This air can be forced out again as pressure within the esophagus increases with exhalation. (Remember grossing out (or amusing) your family and friends with those “forced” rather baritone burps?—yep, this is how you did it!)
However, this action is beneficial to those who have lost their larynx (voice box) because of cancer: this learnable skill allows these people to generate esophageal speech. I think this is quite interesting! (Source: IFFGD)
Still Not Sure
Co-worker G’s says she isn’t sure what is causing the chronic belching in her beau. A part of her thinks his actions more habitual than anything else. See, she borrowed the IFFGD pamphlet and learned that commonly, aerophagia is an unwanted habit in those who repeatedly burp, sometimes in response to a sense of abdominal bloating (but keep in mind that belching and abdominal bloating often occur independently).
So does Triple B fall into this category? Only a doctor can help determine this.
See my original post and the comments on this post at Revolution Health.
Gastro Girl (aka Jacqueline Gaulin) is Revolution Health's Digestive health center communicty manager and is not a licensed professional in this field. Opinions expressed here are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of Revolution Health. Ask her about anything digestive-health related or just tell her what's on your mind.
