Ewww, rotten egg smelling burps! There are some interesting reasons why a burp can stink like a rotten egg.
“Rotten egg burps occur when gastric emptying is delayed and food in the stomach is partially fermented,” says Larry Good, MD, who’s been a practicing gastroenterologist for 40+ years. Dr. Good has a private practice in Lynbrook, NY and is affiliated with Concierge Choice Physicians, a leading provider of personalized care in the U.S.
“This can occur in diabetics with gastroparesis or patients with partial gastric outlet obstruction. It can also occur after binge drinking, alcohol related gastritis and vomiting.”
So in other words, a burp shouldn’t have a stink.
Certainly, if you inhale near someone’s mouth right as they are belching, you are bound to smell something foul.
But if you are actually smelling your own burps…something is clearly amiss and needs to be fixed – especially if what you are sniffing resembles rotten eggs – a most unpleasant odor.
Shutterstock/Aaron Amat
So if this is happening to you, ask yourself if any of the aforementioned situations apply to you.
The good news is that if you are noticing that sometimes your burps seem to have a rotten egg smell, this does not mean anything serious like cancer or an ulcer.
If it keeps happening, see a gastroenterologist to rule out the above-mentioned conditions. And binge drinking is never the smart thing to do.
Dr. Good has additional expertise in the diagnosis/treatment of IBS and inflammatory bowel disease, and is extremely proactive in genetic testing, individualization of pharmacologic treatment, and risk mitigation in cancer screening/prevention. Concierge Choice Physicians
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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