You may burp if you swallow too much air. Eating and drinking slowly may prevent burping. Some health conditions, including H. pylori infection and GERD, can cause excessive burping.
Burping (belching) is as common and natural a bodily function as passing gas (farting). Excessive burping can sometimes be accompanied by discomfort or bloating.
Although these symptoms can interfere somewhat with certain daily activities, they typically don’t indicate a serious underlying condition.
But if they’re frequent, they may be caused by an underlying health condition, like an infection, that affects the digestive tract. If this is the case, you may also experience other symptoms like heartburn.
Keep reading to learn why people burp, what causes excessive burping, and how doctors recommend managing it.
Burping is your body’s way of getting rid of excess air from your upper digestive tract. Belches contain oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.
You may also experience bloating or a feeling of distension (swelling) in your abdomen.
Depending on the cause, you may also experience other symptoms.
Usually, burping results from swallowed air building up in your esophagus, the tube connecting your throat to your stomach. This buildup of air is often brought on by:
- drinking or eating too quickly
- talking while you eat
- drinking and eating with poorly fitting dentures
- consuming carbonated drinks
- smoking
- sucking on hard candy
- chewing gum
- eating certain foods, like garlic and onions
Other causes of burping often occur with additional symptoms such as abdominal pain or heartburn. These include:
- aerophagia, which is swallowing air as a nervous habit
- gastritis, an inflammation of the stomach lining
- gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), which may result from improper functioning of the sphincter at the end of the esophagus;
- acid reflux, which causes stomach contents to travel into the esophagus
Symptoms of GERD and acid reflux may be different in infants and children. They may experience bloating or discomfort if they can’t clear the trapped air on their own.
Sometimes, serious health conditions can cause excessive burping that occurs with other severe symptoms.
Emergency symptoms associated with excessive burping
Seek emergency medical care if you’re experiencing severe or concerning symptoms that may include:
- severe abdominal pain that won’t subside
- trouble swallowing (dysphagia)
- blood in vomit or black vomit that resembles coffee grounds
- bloody stool or tarry, black stool (which can indicate bleeding in the upper part of the digestive tract)
Excessive burping can be a symptom of a Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacterial infection.
Although it may be present in
In addition to excessive burping, other symptoms of H. pylori infection include:
If you experience these symptoms, it’s best to talk with a doctor. They can run tests to determine if you have an H. pylori infection and, if so, recommend antibiotics to treat it.
Over time, untreated H. pylori infection can increase your risk of complications, such as:
If excessive burping only happens occasionally, you may be able to prevent or reduce it by following certain practices to decrease burping, such as:
- Slow down while you eat and drink.
- Avoid eating when stressed.
- Avoid carbonated beverages, including beer.
- Avoid drinking through a straw.
- Stop smoking.
- Stop chewing gum and sucking on hard candies.
- If you wear dentures, make sure they fit properly.
- Take a short walk or get other light exercise after eating.
You can also manage occasional heartburn with over-the-counter (OTC) medications that relieve mild symptoms.
If heartburn symptoms are frequent or severe, it’s best to talk with a healthcare professional, such as a primary care physician or a gastroenterologist, a doctor who specializes in the digestive system.
Depending on your insurance plan, you may need to talk with a primary care doctor for a referral to see a gastroenterologist.
They can order tests to determine the reason for excessive burping.
Tests may include:
- upper endoscopy, a procedure that involves using a camera to visualize the structures of your esophagus and stomach that a gastroenterologist typically performs to diagnose GERD
- a breath test to test for H. pylori infection
After you receive a diagnosis, your healthcare professional can recommend appropriate treatment. Treating these conditions commonly includes:
- prescription medication, such as proton pump inhibitors for GERD or antibiotics for an H. pylori infection
- changes to your behaviors around eating, such as eating smaller meals and avoiding lying down after eating
- changes to your diet, such as avoiding spicy foods, onions, and garlic
However, if you experience severe pain or other concerning symptoms like blood in vomit or stool, you may need emergency medical attention.
Although burping is a natural bodily function, excessive burping could result from an underlying condition. This is especially true if it’s accompanied by other symptoms, such as abdominal pain or heartburn.
It’s best to talk with a doctor about your symptoms, as some underlying causes can worsen over time and cause complications. A doctor can determine the cause and recommend treatment.
If excessive burping occurs alongside severe symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, bloody vomit or stool, or intense and recurring abdominal pain, you may need emergency care.