The GP and TV doctor offered advice for people during a recent Lorraine appearance
An NHS doctor has offered advice for people who struggle with indigestion and burping. Dr Amir Khan is known for his slots on ITV morning shows.
In a recent appearance on Lorraine, the TV doctor shared a remedy for people who can't stop burping. Dr Khan helped a caller who said they had been taking medication for indigestion and felt embarrassed about burping. The doctor explained that a breathing exercise could help to minimise the problem.
First, Dr Khan explained that people should see a GP if they experience new indigestion. He said: "So the general rule of thumb: in new indigestion, in anyone over the age of 55, that can't be explained, needs investigating things like gastric cancer or food pipe, oesophageal cancer.
" However, in many cases, the issue might be caused by something called supergastric belching. Dr Khan continued: "Now, if you're getting regular burping, despite everything, and you've had all your investigations, actually, this could be a habit that your body's made of itself without you knowing about it. We call it supergastric belching, and the body naturally takes in air into the top of the food pipe, and then lets it out as gas.
" He said: "You don't know you're doing it, but it happens all the time. We can fix this with a simple breathing exercise. It's called diaphragmatic breathing. I'm gonna demonstrate it here.
"Lie down on the floor or the sofa. Put one hand on your chest, one on your belly, like that. Breathe in through your nose. You want your belly to rise and your chest to lay still.
And then out through pursed lips.
"So gentle breathing retrains that muscle under your ribs, called the diaphragm. You do that, three or four times a day, for four or five minutes at a time, over the course of four weeks, your body will learn, actually, rather than belching, we're gonna breathe.
" The doctor concluded: "And when you get the sensation to belch, try practising that as well. You've got to retrain things here. So four weeks, three or four times a day, it will solve this.
" Can indigestion cause burping? Indigestion often leads to burping. When you have indigestion , gas and extra air can get trapped in your upper digestive system. Burping is how your body naturally gets rid of this air to ease pressure and discomfort.
In addition to burping, indigestion can also cause other symptoms such as bloating, nausea, and a sensation of being uncomfortably full after meals. The NHS said: "A pharmacist can recommend medicines to ease the burning feeling or pain that can come with indigestion.
" The guidance added: "Some indigestion medicines are best to take after eating as their effects last longer. Check the information leaflet that comes with the medicines for more information. "
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