Aerophagia involves swallowing so much air that it collects in your gut, producing unpleasant symptoms. It may cause excessive burping or farting, bloating and gas pain. Causes include habits that may cause you to swallow too much air (like talking while eating). Other causes include anxiety and ingesting too much air while using a CPAP machine.
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.
Adults, adolescents and children can all experience aerophagia. Recent research shows that nearly 4% of school-aged children experience aerophagia.
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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.
Symptoms include:
While mild symptoms may make you feel uncomfortable or a little embarrassed, more severe symptoms (like gas pain) can feel downright painful.
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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:
Causes of aerophagia related to medical conditions and treatments include:
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:
In some cases, an aerophagia diagnosis helps providers diagnose conditions that are causing you to swallow more air, like anxiety or depression.
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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:
If your aerophagia is related to a health issue, you may need to:
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.
Questions to ask include:
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.
Last reviewed on 08/16/2024.
Learn more about the Health Library and our editorial process.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy