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People who are unable to burp would not necessarily be more distinguished than others. On the other hand, they are exposed to more than one health and anxiety problem, says a resounding study.
If you never burp, you may not know it, but you have what is called CPD-R (for retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction), or more commonly “non-existent burp syndrome”. A strange, even anecdotal, formulation, which can still harm your well-being according to a study carried out on the subject.
Pain, bloating and poor mental health
Non-burp syndrome occurs when the cricopharyngeus muscle in the throat is unable to relax to allow gas to pass upward. But when the gases are unable to rise, they must move differently, which creates daily discomfort. “After eating or drinking something, pain is felt. Some patients have to lie down for the gas to come back up, and others have to go so far as to make themselves vomit to end the discomfort. explains Yakubu Karagama, ENT in a London hospital in a BBC article.
Bloating, gurgling and flatulence can also be present, which is not conducive to the person’s social well-being. The authors of a study, carried out on 51 people suffering from this syndrome, also state that it can affect mental health, anxiety, and even depression.
The authors observe a strong “general prevalence of psychiatric symptoms” in these people with difficult-to-diagnose disorders. They believe that this can also be the case for people who do not know the origin of their digestive problems. “Therefore, it is essential to explore the mental health implications of this syndrome.”they note.
An unknown disease, 9 out of 10 patients untreated
The authors also found among the people studied that half of the people had mentioned their discomfort to their doctor, but that 90% had not received adequate help. A problem linked to several things: on the one hand, it is an illness that is still too little known and studied, even within the medical profession. On the other hand, embarrassment can also play a role in poor care. “If you go to a doctor and say, ‘I have a problem, I can’t burp,’ there’s a good chance he or she will laugh in your face.”denounces Yakubu Karagama.
In fact, there is currently no official treatment for this syndrome. To treat it, only one solution exists: botulinum toxin injections, which would relax the cricopharyngeal muscle. “This solution has changed the lives of almost everyone who has tried it” confirms Doctor Karagama, who has been using it since 2016. A treatment which is not common, and does not benefit from coverage by social security or mutual insurance companies.