Dec 22, 2023 08:33 PM
https://gizmodo.com/cant-burp-disorder-r...1851115668
INTRO: A life without burps might sound like a blessing, but a new study shows it’s anything but. Researchers interviewed patients with the rare condition retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (R-CPD), which makes them unable to burp or belch, about how it affected their daily life. Not only did patients report unpleasant symptoms like constant farting and gas, they also often felt embarrassed, depressed, and socially awkward.
Burping plays an important biological function. When food and water goes from the mouth to the stomach, it first passes through the cricopharyngeus, a muscle at the top of the esophagus that opens and closes as needed. Sometimes we swallow air or carbon dioxide while eating, and this can lead to a build-up of gas in the esophagus or stomach. Normally, this excess air is sent back through the cricopharyngeus, and we burp it out. In those with R-CPD, the cricopharyngeus still opens up to let food through, but for some reason, it can’t relax to let burps out.
Though the first case reports of R-CPD date back to 1987, the condition itself was only formally named and classified in 2019. And there’s still been very little research into it, including on the personal experiences of sufferers. For lead author Jason Chen, a MD candidate at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, it’s a topic that hits close to home... (MORE - details)
INTRO: A life without burps might sound like a blessing, but a new study shows it’s anything but. Researchers interviewed patients with the rare condition retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (R-CPD), which makes them unable to burp or belch, about how it affected their daily life. Not only did patients report unpleasant symptoms like constant farting and gas, they also often felt embarrassed, depressed, and socially awkward.
Burping plays an important biological function. When food and water goes from the mouth to the stomach, it first passes through the cricopharyngeus, a muscle at the top of the esophagus that opens and closes as needed. Sometimes we swallow air or carbon dioxide while eating, and this can lead to a build-up of gas in the esophagus or stomach. Normally, this excess air is sent back through the cricopharyngeus, and we burp it out. In those with R-CPD, the cricopharyngeus still opens up to let food through, but for some reason, it can’t relax to let burps out.
Though the first case reports of R-CPD date back to 1987, the condition itself was only formally named and classified in 2019. And there’s still been very little research into it, including on the personal experiences of sufferers. For lead author Jason Chen, a MD candidate at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, it’s a topic that hits close to home... (MORE - details)
