Staying Healthy
By the way, doctor: What can I do about excessive belching and feeling full?
Every time we swallow we take in a little bit of air. Some of it travels down the esophagus and gets into the upper part of the stomach. When the stomach starts to stretch out, sensors in its wall may trigger a reaction that opens the small ring of muscle, or sphincter, that operates as a valve between the esophagus and the stomach. The air that has built up in the stomach gets vented back up the esophagus and, voilà, we belch. So, if it's not excessive, belching is actually a protective mechanism against the stomach getting overinflated.
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