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Question: Why is my husband physically unable to burp?
My husband is physically unable to burp. Instead, a gurgling sound comes from his throat. He's had this problem his whole life and it makes eating or drinking carbonated beverages somewhat uncomfortable. It's embarrassing for him to eat at work or in public, due to the fact that he can't control the gurgling. What would cause something like this? Dr. Joshua Rassen responds:
Burping is due to gas or air bubbles arising from the stomach through the esophagus. We have a muscle sphincter at the lower end of the esophagus that opens up to let food and liquid get in to the stomach. Then the job of the sphincter is to stay closed so that the contents of the stomach will be digested and pass on into the next part of the intestinal tract. The problem I hear quite often is related to the sphincter not working well enough, so that a person will get heartburn. I can’t recall that I have ever been asked to consider the problem you are describing! I suspect your husband already avoids the type of liquids that form a lot of gas. I am intrigued by your description of gurgling in the throat. t may be worth discussing with your physician if there might be a throat or esophagus problem. Your physician will probably have other questions that may help narrow the problem and might suggest further tests. An examination of the esophagus or the throat may be helpful. If the tests are all normal, then your husband will at least know that he does not have an abnormal condition, only an uncomfortable one. Thank you for your question. Dr. Joshua Rassen -- Joshua Rassen, MD, is a board-certified internist and geriatrician in northern California. He has a private practice in geriatrics and internal medicine and is the Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine at California Pacific Medical Center.
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First published March 29, 2005
Copyright © 2005 Consumer Health Interactive
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