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Re: Lee: I dont beleive in air swallowing - please comment

From: Sam Carvajal, M.D.
Date: 12/23/00
Time: 15:34:54

Comments

Everybody swallows some air when eating. It is impossible not to. Carbonated drinks contribute greatly to bloating problems. Any air you burp has been swallowed. Different kinds of food will not make any difference except that you may swallow different amounts of air with different kinds of food. In the small bowel and colon, certain kinds of food can be turned into gases (methane) by bacteria. This is not the case for the stomach. Certain individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorders swallow air as a nervous habit. Patients who do this often don't know that they are doing it. Gastric emptying problems can also contribute to this problem. Finally, medications that contain mylecon can help dissolve air into liquid and make the bloating more tolerable.

Last changed: January 11, 2008