"I Can't Burp!"

[Dr Steve]

I want to say that I love hearing your shows on xm 202. Very radio voice and VERY interesting info. I have a good medical question that has never been answered for me. I have not burped in 20 years. I am 24. I cannot burp. If I drink and get full and such, I either pass gas or I get these VERY small gurgle noises that feel like an unpressurized burp. I open my mouth and a little trickle comes out. I've tried swallowing air and such and nothing works. It's like I dont have the 'umph' to get a burp out. Its very annoying because when drinking I have to throw up if I get too much carbonation built up in me. Is there anything wrong with me and is there anything I can do to regain burping abilities? Anything you can suggest is much welcomed.



Thanks for the kind words! Weird Medicine is still a work in progress. :-)

Ok, on to your problem.

You have a very tight "lower esophageal sphincter". This is a valve that is designed to keep acid out of the esophagus. If it's too tight, though, you can't burp.

You CAN fix this, sometimes with medication and sometimes with balloon dilation:

http://www.shands.org/health/graphics/images/en/15154.jpg

however, you have to weigh the risk of all of a sudden having gastric acid "REFLUX" and all the things that come with that (including an increased risk of esophageal cancer) versus not being able to burp and having bloating and flatus all the time.

You could talk to a gastroenterologist about it...if you really want to get something done they could try some gentle dilation first to see if it helps.

My friend Todd eats chinese food and then burps these nasty, disgusting burps that chase us out of the room...I wish he had your problem.

[TheMojoPin]

I had this problem up until about the age of 20. When I finally started burping it was like a revelation.

[LaBoob]

This might be more common than I'd previously thought... I have a friend with the same problem... I'm going to send him a link to this thread.

[Dr Steve]

I had this problem up until about the age of 20. When I finally started burping it was like a revelation.

This is a good point, too...the lower esophageal sphincter tends to relax with age, so it may just get better on its own, given enough time.

Reasons to see a gastroenterologist NOW for this:

1) food sticks on the way down
2) you have pain in the stomach area
3) you vomit undigested food (food really really sticking and not making it into the stomach)
4) blood anywhere near your GI tract


steve

[Soupy_Dreck]

i, too, cannot burp but i don't care. i get like a long hiccup that relieves some pressure but most just exits the rear. fun times cutting gassers and chasing people out of areas...

[jonyrotn]

Holy Fucking Shit!!! I have this exact problem and I've never met anyone else
who had it..I get so jealous when someone does a giant burp because not burping is so annoying..

We should start a support group..I nominate myself as secretary of the treasury..I've always wanted to to embezzle from a non-profit organization..You know, like Jerry Lewis and Mikeyboy.. :tongue:

[silks]

Wow... I don't feel so alone now. I can't burp either.

[Boom Boom]

Holy Shit! I'm the friend of Laboob that can't burp. Wow! I can't believe there are actually other people out there that can't burp. I get those little gassy non-burps too. They make funny noises coming up. Some people laugh at it, while others are disgusted by it.

I've had this issue for years. Actually, I get bloated almost every time I eat. If it's really bad, I roll on the floor to get up as many of those girggling non-burps as I can to get some relief.

A few years ago I went to a GI doctor because I thought it was reflux. He never told me about the possibility that the lower esophageal sphincter was tight. I even had an Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and he told me that I had reflux. He gave me medication, but it never worked so I stopped taking it. Since then I figured it was gas and not reflux and have come to live with it. I'd love to change it, though. It really sucks sometimes. Laboob will vouch for that.

By the way...Why would I have reflux if the esophagus is tight? Was the doctor wrong?

[LaBoob]

Holy Shit! I'm the friend of Laboob that can't burp. Wow! I can't believe there are actually other people out there that can't burp. I get those little gassy non-burps too. They make funny noises coming up. Some people laugh at it, while others are disgusted by it.

I've had this issue for years. Actually, I get bloated almost every time I eat. If it's really bad, I roll on the floor to get up as many of those girggling non-burps as I can to get some relief.

Yeah, it's kinda gross... at least my natural reaction is to make a face like "ew...", but I wouldn't say I'm disgusted by it. It's just weird.

I have been witness to Boom Boom rolling back and forth on his stomach on the floor and that's probably the best part about him not being able to burp... at least for me. It's hysterical! :lol:

[ahhdurr]

esophically retentive? Is there a Freudian connection?

[sailor]

my wife also can't burp. if the pressure gets to be too much she'll stick a finger down her throat and then will have a loud, long burp.

[Boom Boom]

I have been witness to Boom Boom rolling back and forth on his stomach on the floor and that's probably the best part about him not being able to burp... at least for me. It's hysterical! :lol:

I bet it looks funny. I feel kinda retarded when I do it, but I gotta do something at that point. I feel like I'm gonna explode. Maybe I should get that lower esophagul dilation thingy to help me burp.