Whenever Sameer belched, Savita his wife cringed with embarrassment and disgust. It was one thing when he burped so loudly in the privacy of their home soon after they finished dinner, but when it happened in company or at a restaurant and smelled foul too, it made her want to disappear under the table or leave the room.
Sameer agreed to go with Savita to the appointment she set up with a gastroenterologist as he himself hated the belching and burping. It had lately started turning his wife off and he didn't like to see the unease on her face.
Dr. Deven Shah, their gastroenterologist explained to them that belching, also known as burping, was the simple act of expelling gas through the mouth. He went on "when we eat or drink we tend to swallow some air along with the food, which then reaches the stomach. This gas sometimes causes mild to severe distension and therefore, discomfort. Belching is nature's way of relieving this discomfort."
Dr.Shah clarified that belching a couple of times after meal's is normal and not a matter of concern. But, if it continues through the day and is also accompanied by a foul smell, it should be addressed immediately.
Though this cause-and-effect equation seems simple, there may be several reasons why a person may end up with excessive air in the stomach.
Causes:- Maldigestion - If this is the cause, then one should try and avoid the offending food.
- Intolerance of a specific food - In most cases, lactose (the milk sugar) has been found to be the causative factor. Again, it's better to opt for foods that do not contain the component one is intolerant to.
- Consumption of certain (gas-producing) foods which contain starches that are difficult to digest. For example, vegetables like potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, most lentils, beans etc are known to cause bloating. This, however, does not mean that one should eliminate all gas-producing foods because they provide a lot of valuable nutrients too.
- Disorders of the digestive system - Disorders like hiatus hernia, acid reflux, pancreatic insufficiency etc also cause excessive gas production in the stomach. These can be tackled by taking appropriate medications for the causative factor. Talk to your physician about this.
- Partial obstruction in the digestive tract - An obstruction means that the emptying of the stomach is partially hampered. If the obstruction is removed either by surgery or a bypass, the problem can be resolved.
- Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine - This can be treated by taking antibiotics under the guidance of a qualified physician.
If you suffer from excessive belching, analyze the cause and address it today.because, it not only is offensive to others, it is unhealthy too!
Tips:So, if you belch noisily several times a day, and it is foul smelling too, or if occasionally the belching also causes bile to backup into your throat you need to do the following:
1. Talk to your primary doctor and make an appointment with a gastroenterologist.
2. Avoid eating foods that make you feel gassy and bloated.
3. Don't eat fried, greasy foods
4. Exchange fizzy drinks and sodas with fresh coconut water or plain water.
5. Eat smaller meals, more frequently.
By.
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