Living With No Burp Syndrome

No burp syndrome, a condition formally called retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction, causes the cricopharyngeus muscle to not relax and prevents air from leaving the stomach. Instead of venting upward as a burp, swallowed air builds up and causes bloating, chest or abdominal discomfort, gurgling sounds in the neck, and excessive flatulence. Doctors can treat it by injecting Botox into the cricopharyngeus muscle to weaken it, which allows trapped air to escape and often relieves the symptoms.

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