What Does Chronic Belching Mean?

Adolescents may disagree, but chronic belching is a problem. It's embarrassing for the person who does it, and it can be nauseous for anyone within earshot. Chronic belching sometimes suggests a disorder of the gut, but often it's just a sign that you're swallowing too much air.

Significance

• Chronic belching makes social situations such as dinners and parties uncomfortable. It can cause frustration and concern that something is wrong.

Identification

• Belching during or after a meal is normal, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Frequent belching before a meal or in between them, however, is not.

Causes

• Chronic belching often results from the person swallowing too much air. It also can result from a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract such as gastroesophageal reflux disease or gastritis, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Considerations

• People with gastroesophageal reflux disease may elect surgery to relieve their symptoms, but that surgery can cause belching all over again. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, gas-bloat syndrome is a complication of GERD-correcting surgery.

Prevention/Solution

• According to the Mayo Clinic, people who belch frequently can reduce the problem by eating and drinking slowly, avoiding carbonated drinks (especially beer), not chewing gum and candy and not smoking. People who wear false teeth should ensure they fit correctly; ill-fitting teeth can cause a person to swallow air.