Belching
Belching is the medical term for excessive burping. This body process is a natural response in expelling gas from the body. The excess accumulated air is trapped in the esophagus and is needed to release for relief. It is also essential because too much air swallowed through the stomach will prompt the abdomen to distort or expand. Some causes of belching include eating or drinking too quickly, drinking a carbonated beverage, and anxiety. But excessive belching may manifest a more severe condition such as hiatal hernia.
Hiatal hernia can only cause belching when the hiatus is large enough to allow food and stomach acid to return to the esophagus. Some people with hiatal hernia don’t experience belching. This is because the hiatus or hole in the diaphragm is small enough to block stomach acids and gas. Gas can be trapped due to the pinched diaphragm, which causes the stomach blockage of air or gas. Because of this, patients with hiatal hernias may feel bloated, urging them to burp and release gas.
