Gas in the Abdomen Repetitive Belching

Gas in the Abdomen Repetitive Belching

Some people experience frequent and or repetitive belching. The causes are : 

• 1. Swallowing of excess air. 
  2. Belching may lead to regurgitation of stomach material back into the oesophagus. To clear the regurgitated material from the oesophagus, the person has to make frequent swallowing movements. This leads to intake of excess air which promotes belching. 
  3. When a person belches, atmospheric air enters the oesophagus and is immediately expelled, giving rise to another belch. This in and out flow of air causes people to belch continuously at will, even when there is little or no air in the stomach. 

Belching-related Problems

Occasional belching is normal. If a patient has chronic belching or if there are signs of upper abdominal pain, an examination of the oesophagus, stomach and upper small intestine may be required. 

Heartburn(reflux), gastritis or stomach ulcers: These should be considered in persons having chronic belching. 

Meganblase Syndrome : This syndrome is a result of chronic belching which leads to the formation of large gas bubbles in the stomach. It occurs particularly after a heavy meal. The fullness in the stomach and subsequent shortness of breath can be very painful and feel similar to a heart attack. 

Intestinal motility disorder : Visible distention of the abdomen may be the result of an intestinal motility disorder such as splenic-flexure syndrome. This is a chronic disorder in which gas is trapped in the bends in the colon. Symptoms include bloating and abdominal discomfort. 

Malabsorption, colon cancer, Crohn's Disease : Occasionally, bloating may be the symptom of disorders such as malabsorption, colon cancer or Crohn's Disease. 

Adhesions: Adhesions (bands of scar tissue) usually result from abdominal surgery but can also be the result of injury to the abdomen. 

Ulcer disease : Formation f excessive gas also occurs with Helicobacter pylori infection. These bacteria are associated with ulcer disease. To get rid of the extra gases, the patient belches.

Diagnosis 

Detailed dietary history and accurate description of symptoms is necessary for proper diagnosis. Maintaining a record for a week or two of the food consumed helps in identifying the foods responsible for the production of gases. If an individual complains of excessive gas but passes gas fewer than 20 times a day, the problem is likely to be something other than too much gas. For example, the problem may be foul odour of the gas or the lack of ability to control the passing of gas. These problems, however, are not due to excessive gas production, and their treatment is different. 

Lactase deficiency can be diagnosed with a breath or blood test. However, this test is not easily available. Consumption of lactose-free diet for about two weeks is an effective way to find out whether lactose is creating excess gas. If there is less gas on lactose-free diet then there is a possibility of lactase deficiency. 

Plain abdominal X-rays : X-rays of the abdomen taken during an episode of bloating or distention can often confirm air as the cause of the distention, since large amounts of air can be observed within the stomach and intestine. This test also suggests the cause of the problem by observing where the gas has accumulated. 

Small Intestinal X-rays : Barium X-rays are useful for determining if there is an obstruction of the intestines. 

Gastric emptying studies : These studies measure the ability of the stomach to empty its contents.

Ultrasound, CT Scan, and MRI : these MRI are useful in defining intra-abdominal problems. 

Stool fat measurement : If maldigestion and/or malabsorption exists, the amount of fat in the stool will increase. 

Hydrogen/methane breath tests : This is a simple and reliable test for bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. In this test lactulose, a non-digestible sugar, is consumed. When lactulose reaches the colon, the bacterial breaks it to form hydrogen and/or methane. Some of the hydrogen or methane is absorbed into the blood and eliminated in the breath. Multiple samples of breath are collected at regular intervals for analysis.

Gas in Abdomen Belching
Causes Of Gas In Abdomen
Gas in Abdomen Repetitive Belching 
Treatment of Gas in Abdomen