Belch

belch

Etymology From Middle English belchen, from Old English bielċan, from Proto-Germanic *balkijaną, *belkaną, related to Dutch balken (“to bray”), Middle Low German belken (“to shout”), Low German bölken (“to shout, bark”), Old English bealċettan (“to utter, send forth”). See also English bolk, boak.

Belching or passing gas (flatus) is natural and common. Excessive belching or flatus, accompanied by bloating, pain or distention, can occasionally interfere with daily activities or cause embarrassment. But these signs and symptoms usually don't represent any serious underlying condition and are often decreased with simple lifestyle measures.

When belching, gas or bloating interfere with your daily activities, there may be something wrong. Find out how to reduce or avoid gas and gas pains, and when you may need to see your doctor.

Belching: Getting rid of excess air
Belching, or burping, is your body's way of expelling excess air from your upper digestive tract. Most belching is caused by swallowing excess air. This air most often never even reaches the stomach but accumulates in the esophagus.

You may swallow excess air if you eat or drink too fast, talk while you eat, chew gum or suck on hard candies, drink carbonated beverages, or smoke. Some people swallow air as a nervous habit — even when they're not eating or drinking. This is called aerophagia.

Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can sometimes cause excessive belching by promoting increased swallowing. Chronic belching may be related to inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis) or to an infection with Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium responsible for some stomach ulcers. In these cases, the belching is accompanied by other symptoms, such as heartburn or abdominal pain.

belch /belCH/ Learn to pronounce verb 1. emit gas noisily from the stomach through the mouth.

Similar: bring up wind rift burp gurk bolk rout ruck eruct eructate 2. (especially of a chimney) send (smoke or flames) out or up. "a factory chimney belches out smoke" Similar: emit issue vent gush discharge eject expel empty evacuate give off give out pour out disgorge spew out spit out vomit cough up throw up disembogue noun an act of belching. "he gave a loud belch" Similar: burp gurk bolk ventosity rift eructation