Are you a burping machine?
- Do your burps smell?
- Scared that your new-onset burping is a sign of cancer?
- What about acid reflux? Can this cause belching?
- Is there ANY solution to all the embarrassing belching? Especially if it’s noisy?
“The average person burps about three to six times after a meal or drink,” says J. Mark Anderson, MD, DABFM, of Executive Medicine of Texas and who is board certified in family medicine.
Smelly Burps
“Burps usually smell like the food that was recently consumed,” continues Dr. Anderson.
Ever burp after eating sausage? Better make sure you’re not around anybody.
Dr. Anderson explains, “Some burps, however, are excessively stinky. These are known as sulfur burps.
“Sulfur burps smell similar to rotten eggs because they contain hydrogen sulfide gas.
“This smell can be caused by something a person ate, like boiled eggs, or by other health issues such as GERD or IBS.
“Pregnancy, anxiety, prescription drugs and stress have been linked to sulfur burps as well.
“Keep in mind that some medications and supplements can change the smell of burps.
“This is often a complaint of people who take a fish oil supplement for omega-3 supplementation.”
Noisy Burps
Loud belching is often done on purpose. It’s easy to make your burps roar.
It’s also easy to quiet them down when you’re in the presence of others.
Sure, a big burp after gulping down soda may seem difficult to contain, but it’s possible — and safe — to make an effort to keep the volume down. Burps do not need to be heard across a room.
More Information about Burping including Link to Cancer, Stress and Angina
Below are links to articles for which I interviewed doctors for responses to specific questions.
- What kind of cancer can cause burping?
- How does stress cause burping?
- Can angina (chest pain) cause burping?
- What if you constantly need to burp? What’s going on?
Dr. Anderson is coauthor of the award-winning book, “Stay Young: 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health,” and host of the nationally syndicated Staying Young Show which goes to podcast as Staying Young Show 2.0.
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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