Aerophagia

Aerophagia (var. aerophagy) is a condition that occurs when a person swallows too much air, which goes to the stomach. It causes gas bloating of the abdomen and frequent belching. It may cause pain, too, which sometimes is difficult to diagnose.

Aerophagia can occur without any act of swallowing. Aerophagia is associated with chewing gum, smoking, drinking carbonated drinks, eating fast and wearing loose dentures. A Ukrainian study ^[1] showed that in people with cervical spinal blockages, inhaling also caused air to go down into the esophagus and stomach. The study recommends cervical spine therapy as a method of treatment.

Aerophagia is not uncommon in psychiatric disorders. In one case ^[2] aerophagia was successfully treated with thorazine, a typical antipsychotic sometimes used to treat hiccups.

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References