Aerophagia

What is aerophagia?

Aerophagia involves swallowing too much air — so much air that you experience symptoms like bloating, gas or gas pain. You may find yourself burping (belching) frequently as your body tries to get rid of the extra air.

Aerophagia comes from Greek words that mean air (aero) and eater (phagia). Being an “air eater” isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. After all, swallowing small amounts of air aids digestion. It’s natural for some air to enter your mouth when you’re chewing, breathing or talking. We’re all “air eaters” by virtue of being alive.

As with many things, though, good health is about balance. Swallowing some air is good. Too much air can get stuck in your gut and lead to unpleasant symptoms.

How common is aerophagia?

Adults, adolescents and children can all experience aerophagia. Recent research shows that nearly 4% of school-aged children experience aerophagia.

Is aerophagia serious?

Healthcare providers don’t usually consider aerophagia serious or dangerous. But it can become a problem if common symptoms, like flatulence (farting) and burping, embarrass you. For example, research focusing on the effects of aerophagia on children shows that it can cause stress and anxiety that can affect their performance in school.

It’s important to determine what’s causing the issue to prevent physical discomfort as well as emotional distress.

What are the symptoms of aerophagia?

Symptoms include:

• Repetitive burping. (Up to 10 belches an hour is normal. With aerophagia, people belch up to 120 times an hour.)
• Excessive flatulence. (On average, people fart up to 20 times daily. People with aerophagia may break wind more frequently.)
• Gas and gas pain.
• Bloated stomach (a full feeling in your belly).
• Distended abdomen (visible swelling in your belly).

While mild symptoms may make you feel uncomfortable or a little embarrassed, more severe symptoms (like gas pain) can feel downright painful.

What causes aerophagia?

The simple answer is “swallowing too much air.” In reality, there are lots of ways to swallow excess air without even knowing you’re doing it. For example, you may swallow excess air while eating or drinking. Aerophagia may also be a side effect or complication of a condition or medical treatment.

Lifestyle-related things that can cause you to swallow too much air include:

• Eating too fast.
• Talking while eating.
• Sucking on hard candy.
• Chewing gum.
• Using straws.
• Drinking carbonated beverages.
• Smoking.

Causes of aerophagia related to medical conditions and treatments include:

• Loose-fitting dentures. Ill-fitting dentures make your mouth produce more saliva (spit). In response, you swallow more. The more you swallow, the more air you ingest.
• Stress, anxiety or depression. Researchers continue to study the link between specific behavioral health conditions and aerophagia. We do know that these conditions affect your breathing rate. Heightened stress and anxiety can manifest as a nervous tic, like frequently gulping in more air.
• Using a CPAP machine for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). With OSA, your airway partially narrows or closes at night, disrupting your sleep. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines deliver continuous airflow that keeps your airway open. As a result, you don’t experience sleep disruptions. Getting more air from the machine than your body can get rid of can cause aerophagia.

How is aerophagia diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and check to see how long you’ve had them. Part of the diagnosis involves experiencing aerophagia symptoms for at least two months.

They’ll also ask about the symptoms you’re not experiencing. This helps rule out other, more serious conditions that also involve symptoms like vomiting or trouble swallowing. You may need diagnostic procedures, like imaging tests, to rule out these conditions.

Your provider may exclude:

• Bowel obstruction.
• Chronic acid reflux (GERD).
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

In some cases, an aerophagia diagnosis helps providers diagnose conditions that are causing you to swallow more air, like anxiety or depression.

How do you get rid of aerophagia?

There’s no single treatment for aerophagia that works for everyone. Instead, your healthcare provider will work with you to identify what’s causing you to ingest more air. Then, they’ll recommend treatments.

They may recommend that you:

• Change how you eat and drink. Chew your food slowly and ensure you’ve swallowed one piece of food before taking the next bite. Take sips from a glass instead of a straw, if possible. Have conversations after — instead of during — meals.
• Change what you eat and drink. You may need to reach for drinks without carbonation. Steer clear of chewing gum, mints or hard candies that you suck, like lollipops.
• Quit smoking. Quitting smoking provides an endless list of health benefits. One of them includes reducing excess gas buildup in your gut.

If your aerophagia is related to a health issue, you may need to:

• Get fitted for dentures that fit properly. Your provider may need to adjust your dentures, so they fit snugly.
• Adjust CPAP treatment. You may need to wear a chin strap to hold your mouth in place, so you don’t ingest extra air at night. Or, your provider may switch you to automatic positive airway pressure (APAP). Instead of consistent airflow, APAP sends more or less air based on how much you need to keep your airway open. Alternatively, your provider may recommend lower bilevel positive airway pressure (BIPAP®) therapy. BIPAP provides higher pressure when you breathe in and lower pressure when you breathe out, which can reduce aerophagia.
• Work with a behavioral health specialist. A behavioral health specialist can teach you how to identify when your breathing changes in response to stress. This type of mindfulness allows you to stop yourself from gulping extra air to ease anxiety.
• Work with a speech-language pathologist. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can teach you how to breathe in the right amount of air to speak. Learning breath control can keep you from gulping in too much air when you’re trying to talk.

What can I expect if I have aerophagia?

Identifying what’s causing you to gulp in excess air goes a long way toward getting yourself relief. It can take a while to land on a diagnosis and pinpoint the cause. But once you realize what’s happening, you can take steps to reduce or even eliminate aerophagia symptoms.

What questions should I ask my healthcare provider?

Questions to ask include:

• Will I need tests to rule out conditions related to aerophagia?
• What’s the most likely cause of my condition?
• What treatments would you recommend?
• Are there particular foods or drinks I should avoid?
• Will I need to work with a specialist, like a therapist or speech-language pathologist?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Although air is something you typically inhale, not swallow, ingesting some air is just a part of life. Usually, it happens without issue. But if you’re swallowing too much air, your body will let you know. Symptoms like frequent burping, farting, bloating or gas pain may signal many conditions, including aerophagia. Take ongoing symptoms seriously and see a healthcare provider to pinpoint the issue. Doing so can spare you the discomfort of having to deal with excess gas.