Dorothy FarrarBelching and heartburn after eating
Belching and heartburn after eating . These symptoms can occur in particular after large meals (including sour, sweet, spicy and high-fat foods) or a glass or two of alcohol. Occasional belching and heartburn, while uncomfortable, are usually harmless. A change in eating habits usually leads to a significant improvement.
What is belching and heartburn?
Belching is the involuntary and uncontrollable release of air from the stomach after eating. This is caused by excess pressure that the natural seal between the stomach and esophagus can no longer withstand. This sphincter muscle opens particularly easily after eating very fatty or acidic, spicy and flatulent foods. When you drink heavily carbonated liquids in haste, this belching is expressed in what is known as belching.
Heartburn is the reflexive regurgitation of bitter stomach contents and stomach acid , which is usually associated with a painful burning sensation in the esophagus . Smokers, for example, often have to belch because a lot of air is fed into their stomachs. The excess gases in the stomach must be removed from there. In addition to belching, this also happens through flatulence from the intestines. Both processes are completely normal, but can become distressing if they occur too frequently.
Causes
Heartburn and belching can also be caused by an inflamed stomach lining. Bacterial infections are often present here. Sometimes even undigested food components come back up when you burp. This can be an indication of a narrowed esophagus, which may be affected by the growth of a tumor.
Frequent belching after consuming certain foods or drinks usually indicates a specific food intolerance. It could be lactose intolerance or celiac disease (gluten intolerance). In such cases, those affected often experience improvements if they change their daily diet accordingly. It is not uncommon for psychotropic drugs and other medications to cause muscle paralysis, which negatively affect the functioning of the stomach occlusion.
Excessive burping can also indicate various diseases. For example, acid reflux produces too much acid in the stomach, causing it to regularly flow back into the esophagus. If this acid regurgitation becomes noticeable repeatedly over a longer period of time, the esophagus can be seriously damaged. It is then exposed to the particular risk of inflammation, which may later lead to the development of cancerous growths. The early preventive consultation of a doctor is therefore unavoidable.
Pregnant women often complain of increased belching or heartburn because the baby is putting increasing pressure on the stomach, which discharges upwards. After birth, however, this regulates itself again to a large extent.
When to the doctor?
If, despite the use of all these remedies, annoying side effects remain the order of the day, you should definitely ask your family doctor for advice. This applies to repeated belching of undigested chyme, foul or sulfur-smelling air and persistent pain in the stomach area or generally in the abdomen.
Diagnose
The doctor will first get an idea of the patient’s lifestyle and eating habits. Based on previous illnesses and the current intake of medication, he establishes possible connections to excessive belching. A minor physical examination often provides information about the causes of the symptoms.
The doctor feels the abdomen to determine whether the patient has pain in the stomach area or organs such as the liver appear enlarged. Finally, routine blood tests and, if necessary, the stool provide clear indications of infections, inflammations and food intolerances.
If there are still major doubts, the doctor uses imaging methods to be able to precisely identify the stomach and esophagus, and possibly also the lungs, intestines and pancreas. For this purpose, the doctor uses ultrasound or X-rays, a gastroscopy (endoscopy) or computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Treatment and therapy
Nutrition
With daily nutrition, annoying belching and heartburn can be suppressed in most cases with simple means. An initial improvement can be achieved quickly if you eat slowly and chew consciously. Eating quickly, taking large bites, and talking with your mouth full will draw more air into your stomach than is good.
Too many drinks with a high carbon dioxide content and flatulent foods (onions, cabbage, legumes, yeast and also coffee) should be avoided. Instead of a few large ones, several small meals should be kept a day. Teas such as caraway, fennel and anise have beneficial effects on the stomach. Regurgitation and heartburn are relatively easy to treat with over-the-counter, plant-based medications.
The burping and acid reflux (backflow) usually get worse while lying down. Therefore, all triggering foods should not be eaten shortly before going to bed. Irrespective of this, drinking a glass of warm water every morning before the first meal will calm the stomach in the long term.
Silica also helps against excessive stomach acid, which at the same time combats bad breath caused by rising gases. The upper digestive tract can also be relaxed by taking flaxseed or oatmeal before each meal. Basically, hazelnuts, almonds and white bread help more or less quickly against sudden belching. Peppermint and chamomile tea can also help effectively here.
Oatmeal and milk are known to neutralize excess acid, thus reducing burping. A very effective natural remedy for belching and heartburn is the so-called Rollkur. Before the actual beginning, a good cup of chamomile tea is drunk. Then lie on your back, right side, stomach, left side and back again for five minutes each. In this way, all the active ingredients in chamomile can be distributed well over the entire gastric mucosa. The roll cure should initially be performed every morning and evening for a week.
Home remedies
Proven home remedies for belching after eating are lemon balm, cardamom , ginger , fennel , marshmallow root and nettle . If it is a result of permanent psychological stress, valerian can also have a beneficial effect. However, in such mentally conditioned cases, if they persist for a period of several weeks, psychiatric treatment is advisable in the future. Homeopathy offers Acidum sulfuricum and Robinia pseudacacia for belching and heartburn, for example. However, since these remedies can also address certain side effects, it is best for the naturopath or a specially trained doctor to decide on their exact use.
The same applies to Schuessler salts (e.g. sodium phosphoricum or calcium phosphoricum), with which some good successes against reflux have already been achieved. Common medicines in general medicine usually contain the active ingredients simethicone and dimeticone. Both have a defoaming effect in the gastrointestinal area by lowering the surface tension of the gas bubbles that form. Finally, as soon as the number of gas bubbles has been significantly reduced, the belching and heartburn also subside very quickly.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.