no burping / gurgling in throat

[mcelanor]

I am 19 years old, female, healthy, normal eating habits, etc, but I do not burp. I've tried drinking soda, swallowing air, etc, and it just makes me feel uncomfortable but doesn't make me burp. Instead, my throat gurgles. The best way to describe the sound is like a stomach growling, only in the throat. It's incredibly embarrassing and I can't prevent it from happening. It tends to happen a lot after I drink juice or soda, but also sometimes after meals where I only drank water. Along with the gurgle I feel some light pressure in my lower throat, near my collarbone, like there's air trying to get out (no pain). The pressure is momentarily relieved after I "gurgle", but then it comes back and I need to "gurgle" again.

I have met one or two other people who experience the same thing, including my sister, and seen other complaints online, but have found no explanation for why this happens, or how to prevent it. Any help?

I very rarely throw up either (only once in the past 8 years), I don't know if that's connected at all but I thought I should mention it.

[terra121]

Have you found anything else out?

[Alex__]

Wow am I glad to have found a 'community' of people who suffer from this strange condition like I do!

I am a 25 y/o male.

I've got the symptoms:
    - Strange gurgling noises (sometimes after big meals, sometimes after drinking water, sometimes completely randomly)
    - I have never really been able to burp
    - I have a hiatus hernia

I've been experimenting with various things over the years to try to combat these gurgles.

1 ) I have tried domperidone (speeds up gastric emptying), which didn't help much.
2) Tried probiotics
3) Tried a PPI - specifically pantoprazole

Currently trying this regimen:
4) PPI + amitriptyline

Amitriptyline is a tri-cyclic antidepressant (in higher doses). I am currently on 25mg at night.
It has often been prescribed for gastric issues. My gastroenterologist explained to me how it can reduce nerve activity in the oesophagus and essentially 'relax' it.

So far the results have definitely been promising, my gurgles have reduced in both severity and number of occurrences. Although not down to a level that I am happy with. I still have to give it another month or two to see if results improve further.

Will update in time...

[whenugottagougottago]

I'm 21, female, caucasian, and I also have the same problems.
I don't remember having these gurgles when I was younger, but sometimes when I woke up early for school, I had this horrible pain in my stomach, which wouldn't stop unless I slept. I guess it was caused by anxiety, but actually I didn't feel anxious at all, so most of the time the only thing that stopped it was sleeping. It's been 5 years maybe, since I've had these gurgles, and I don't know if they're connected with the "disease" I mentioned earlier.
Even if I walk for LITERALLY hours, the air just won't go away, and I feel like I have a massive block on my chest. It's like something is stuck in my throat and can't come out, and it's also difficult to breathe properly! The more air I inhale, the more I feel heavy. It's just frustrating. The only thing that makes me feel better is sitting in a specific way: usually I sit on the bed leaning my back on the wall; it's not a 90 degrees position, the abdomen needs to be relaxed, without any pressure on it.
It's also true that my dad suffers from acid reflux and has trouble with digestion, and sometimes I suffer from reflux too, but he has always been able to burp, while I can't. People don't take me seriously, or they think it's impossible that I'm not able to do such a natural and spontaneous "act". They say I'm lucky because I can't do something as embarrassing as burping... of course, I'm having a blast trying to cover up Big Foot in my throat, but for sure it is weird that I can't burp and expel this air properly. I believe there must be a problem and I hope to find a solution.
Good luck to all of you! I don't feel weird and lonely anymore.

[GurglingGirl]

I've rarely burped in my life. I'm 22 and only burp (very slightly) about twice a year. No matter how much fizzy drink I have. It's mad. My throat will gurgle though, as will my stomach... I also rarely throw up. When I do it's  very loud. Like a forced and prolonged cough maybe? So strange...

[Jad_Clee]

It's a response to an overactive esophagus valve. I did the barium swallow, gastric emptying, manometry test and had a EGD done. Everything was fine except the manometry test showed that the lower esophagus valve did not relax all the way. I have all the symptoms everyone is mentioning. Doctor said a Botox injection will work for only 3 months but in the long run of you may need Hellers Myoectomy you may do more damage. Blood pressure pills but I already have low blood pressure so that would just make me fatigued.

[jerbear931]

I have the same problem. The inability to burp really sucks. The only way I can fix it is if I trick my body into throwing up. Let try to explain. So have u ever thrown up and u have that ugly burp right before the puke comes up? That’s the burp that normal people do. The only problem is that I really do feel like I’m going to throw up. I usually go to the restroom when I do this as it can take some time to do it. Forcing yourself to throw up feels dumb but when the air is released it feels amazing. If I’m drinking beer, after I feel the air building up, I go to the restroom and burp (throw burp). I’ve never had actually throw up come up but I’ve been close. Next time you drink try it. It’s the only fix that I know of.

[Ellysian]

I'm 21. Female. Average everything
I cannot burp, I can't remember the last time I've thrown up, I don't believe I have a higher than average rate of flatulence, I am not in pain only discomfort.
I've been aware of my throat gurgles as early as Middle School.
My gurgles usually appear after eating but sometimes I feel like I can just will them into existence even without overly swallowing saliva. The gurgles are typically spaced at a rate of 10 seconds before another slowly creeps up and they happen immediately after every swallow. They rise from the bottom of my throat at my collar bones and stop at my "adam's apple" area. When I open my mouth they are louder (obviously) but still, no air escapes at all unlike a burp. If I take a HUGE yawn/inhale to the maximum and hold it, I can feel a gurgle wanting to escape but it can't until I exhale. I've attempted to force out the gurgle powerfully but while it does resemble the sound of a burp, it doesn't improve the gurgle rate at all.
I've avoided carbonated drinks and gum for the past two years and this has severely lowered the rate and power of the gurgling but I still get them on a daily basis.
I also believe mine are influenced by nervousness as well. Just as some people burp when nervous, I gurgle.
I've found that if I lay on my right side (and sometimes my back), my gurgles cease ENTIRELY but I only tested this before going to bed.. I want to test it during the day then standing back up after laying down for some minutes to see if they die down at all.
If my gurgles have been happening all day long, by the end of the day my throat will feel tight and I start to feel nauseous. The gurgles leave a feeling of a ball in my throat and I feel the need to swallow a LOT with barely any saliva. Eventually, the urge to throw up gets stronger even to the point where my saliva starts rushing and my throat tightens but I never puke anyways. It's at this point where it becomes impossible to do anything but to lay down to rest just as you would from a migraine or tummy ache. (Because of this, I don't think it's fair to have our gurgle problem dismissed as insignificant..)
This is my first time Googling for a solution. From what I've read on here, it can be caused by a number of things..
Some of which has medical terms and may have surgical solutions but I am choosing to ignore these because I wouldn't be caught dead getting surgery done for this (terrified of surgery) Ask your Doctor.
Other ideas have included changing your diet. From either fully changing what you eat to simply making sure you don't over eat. The latter of which seems worth the try anyway.
Also, to take probiotics I guess?
Another intriguing idea was to force yourself to gag.. personally, this sounds 10 times more uncomfortable than just dealing with gurgles all day every day but.. It does sound reasonably legitimate. You're essentially getting your esophagus to practice opening or whatever which hopefully leads to you being able to burp which then hopefully leads to no gurgles!
Lastly, I have zero knowledge of what acid reflux is but some people are saying that's what this gurgling is from? I don't recall ever experiencing heart burn ever before but I know that my gurgles do not cause burning sensations or any pain at all for that matter.. Regardless, I see no harm in trying an Alka Seltzer.

It's nice to know that we're not alone and I hope our gurgles are brought to justice soon enough. ~bump

[tigerknitting]

I’ve found that eating small portions helps a lot, and staying hydrated.  I sip water all day, no gulps.  

[gogola819]

Hi everyone,  (ESPECIALLY THOSE IN/NEAR PHILLY)

I wanted to share some knowledge to get the information out there. I am a 30 year old female in Philadelphia who also has constant throat croaking/gurgling after eating or drinking, frequent bloating, and inability to burp.

I had already seen an GI dr who did an endoscopy, diagnosed me with GERD and Gastroparesis. I am taking  antiacids now (as of 4 wks), with no avail to the throat noises that he doesn't seem to have a good explanation for. I  was looking into the option of flying to Chicago to see Dr. Bastian, who I have learned about through research online. (He apparently is very successful with botox treatments for this problem). when I remembered that my best friend's father in law is a ENT, and I wanted to explore all of my options before making such a big decision. Dr. Joesph Speigel works  in the Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery - Voice & Swallowing Center at Jefferson in Philadelphia. He (as well at the nurse who saw me first) knew exactly what I was talking about when I explained the symptoms. This issue is one of his specialties. I am going to get a specific type of scope to find out where in the esophagus is the issue. He told me my GERD and Gastroparesis are both part of the problem, and that they could have caused the throat issues or the throat issues caused them. After the gets the results of the scope, there are several treatment options in addition to staying on the meds as they should become effective after 4-5 months. (Remember this is just my feedback/experience and your symptoms/causes may be different)

The reason I wanted to post on here:: I asked him about Dr. Bastian and his botox treatment. He told me that he and Dr. Bastian go far back! He told me he also does botox injections in where the problem exists calls for that.

I have done a lot of searching on the internet about this issue and it seems that as a whole, people have the experience that not many doctors know about this or minimize it. It seems the online community has learned that Dr. Bastian is one of the only options for successful treatment. I want to let people know that it appears there ARE other doctors who know about this and can treat it. If you are close to Philadelphia, Dr. Spiegel ( and probably others in his group at Jefferson), is a great recommendation! I feel hopeful!

[gurglenomore]

Hi all,

Great to see that so many other people know exactly what I've been through. Some of you might be excited to read that I "cured" myself of this condition when I was about 23 (I'm 28 now). I can't guarantee that this will work for everyone; I can only tell you that this method, for whatever reason, stopped the gurgles and helped my body figure out how to burp naturally.

First, understand that my problem was that the sphincter at the top of my esophagus simply didn't open to release built-up gas. The gas would remain in my esophagus, gurgle around, and not go away until it made its way through my digestive system and was released in the form of flatulence.

So, I would stick my fingers down my throat to release the gas whenever I felt the pressure of the gas in my chest/throat. I tended to feel the gas and pressure after eating acidic food like fruit, dairy, and sweets. Anyway, I would just head into the bathroom, stick my fingers down my throat to induce a big gag and therefore a burp to release the gas. I would just do this a few times until I felt that all the pressure was relieved (i.e. all the gas had been released). After doing this multiple times a day for several months, one day I was sitting at my desk and out of no where I just BURPED. Really loud. For the first time ever. I continued the fingers-down-throat trick for a few more months, and noticed that I started burping on my own more and more. I gather that inducing burps for so long somehow loosened the upper esophageal sphincter, and allowed it to open when it needed to in order to release gas.

It's been several years, and I can now burp properly after eating food. I certainly can't make myself burp on command, and I do still occasionally get a gurgle that I have to release manually, but overall I can say that I am no longer afflicted by these loud gurgle-y burps and the uncomfortable pressure.

I hope this helps someone out there. Just stick with it - you never know if it'll "cure" you too!

[OHShink]

You just solved my pain struggles. 32, been living with it since forever. It's became unbearable the past 7 years. THANK YOU!!!  

[gurglenomore]

Hi all,

Great to see that so many other people know exactly what I've been through. Some of you might be excited to read that I "cured" myself of this condition when I was about 23 (I'm 28 now). I can't guarantee that this will work for everyone; I can only tell you that this method, for whatever reason, stopped the gurgles and helped my body figure out how to burp naturally.

First, understand that my problem was that the sphincter at the top of my esophagus simply didn't open to release built-up gas. The gas would remain in my esophagus, gurgle around, and not go away until it made its way through my digestive system and was released in the form of flatulence.

So, I would stick my fingers down my throat to release the gas whenever I felt the pressure of the gas in my chest/throat. I tended to feel the gas and pressure after eating acidic food like fruit, dairy, and sweets. Anyway, I would just head into the bathroom, stick my fingers down my throat to induce a big gag and therefore a burp to release the gas. I would just do this a few times until I felt that all the pressure was relieved (i.e. all the gas had been released). After doing this multiple times a day for several months, one day I was sitting at my desk and out of no where I just BURPED. Really loud. For the first time ever. I continued the fingers-down-throat trick for a few more months, and noticed that I started burping on my own more and more. I gather that inducing burps for so long somehow loosened the upper esophageal sphincter, and allowed it to open when it needed to in order to release gas.

It's been several years, and I can now burp properly after eating food. I certainly can't make myself burp on command, and I do still occasionally get a gurgle that I have to release manually, but overall I can say that I am no longer afflicted by these loud gurgle-y burps and the uncomfortable pressure.

I hope this helps someone out there. Just stick with it - you never know if it'll "cure" you too!

[GurglingGirl]

Strange, but interesting. Thanks!

[Mealz15]

Hey y'all. I developed this problem about 8 months ago and have been living in absolute misery. The belching sounds start at the base of sternum and travel up my esophagus. It happens no matter what time of day, whether I eat nothing or eat too much and I seem to really struggle in anxious situations. The issue forced me to quit school because I would uncontrollably croak in the middle of silent classes, during tests and while I thought i could play it off as stomach growls, I started noticing people making fun of me. I've had so many hopeless theories about my LES being permanently dysfunctional and worried that maybe drinking too much coffee has affected me forever. I would exercise and monitor my first consistently. I was reluctant to seek medical answers after reading other stories with the same issue and no answer. I tried every antacid and home remedy which all seemed to make the problem worse. After reading this post, I feel so thankful. I purchased the CBD oil and already notice improvements on the first day. I'm so amazed and astounded with this product. Go get it right away!

[jessSEPIA]

Alright. So, I've posted a couple of times on here before but I have (hopefully) found an update. I, too, have never been able to burp like a "normal" person. Both of my kids have the same problem. I mention this to EVERY medical professional I know in hopes of someone having some type of diagnosis. A couple of years ago, I was also diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus and prescribed a lifetime of Prilosec. Doesn't make me burp but eases the pain in my belly some. I DO NOT like the idea of a lifetime of PPI meds to not fix everything. But, I don't want esophageal cancer, either. So, I started researching AGAIN. Turns out that 90% of people diagnosed with GERD or related stomach acid problems actually produce too LITTLE. Therefore, the entire digestive tract is affected. Basically, there is too little HCL in the stomach to ward off the bacteria, leading to overgrowth of bad bacteria (including H. pylori) in the intestines. Also, food is not broken down and does not absorb properly....especially carbs. End result is gas produced in the gut and malfunction of the LES. Is this the answer? I don't know but I am about to go on a strict diet and an HCL supplement. Will update when I find out more!

[emma_elizabeth]

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM!! For the longest time I thought I was the only one!! After every meal/drink I have this weird sound coming from my throat (along with all the side effects you named like the pressure and the no burping) and people give me weird looks and it is SUPER EMBARRASSING. I have tried to stay away from carbonated drinks but it didn't help. If anyone knows how to treat this or what it's called please tell me!

[Blattslatt]

hey guys i just wanted to give an update on my post which is towards the end of the thread. I stopped taking the CBD oil ( without the thc) and at this point I can burp like a normal person, or more beastly shall i say. So i highly recommend everyone to try it. The gurgling has practically vanished and i know how annoying it is at all times of the day, so PLEASE try it out, extremely cheap for the benefits that it can bring to your life

[lilmissfroggy]

I have struggled with the same issue all of my life...

-I am a 20 year old female
-can't burp (except a few little ones ever in my life accidentally)
-rarely vomit (a few times in my life - NOT COMPLAINING)
-weird croaking / gurgling
-occasional/rare acid reflux
-good metabolism
-and one last thing that I haven't seen mentioned is I hiccup randomly as well after I eat (not always and it's always just one) Anyone else have that along with their issues??

I read EVERYONES posts and there doesn't seem to be a general cure :(

Please help - I have never mentioned this to a doctor but after reading all of this I think I will!

[GurglingGirl]

Hi, I have the exact same symptoms as you. Good to know we aren't alone but it's just bizarre. Why do medical professionals not know much about it? I wonder...

[lilmissfroggy]

I have struggled with the same issue all of my life...

-can't burp (except a few little ones ever in my life accidentally)
-rarely vomit (a few times in my life - NOT COMPLAINING)
-weird croaking / gurgling
-occasional/rare acid reflux
-good metabolism
-and one last thing that I haven't seen mentioned is I hiccup randomly as well after I eat (not always and it's always just one) Anyone else have that along with their issues??

I read EVERYONES posts and there doesn't seem to be a general cure :(

Please help - I have never mentioned this to a doctor but after reading all of this I think I will!

[yanalkazan]

Hello, my fiance has this problem and we need to find relief.  In what form did you take the oil, how much did you take, and how long before relief.

[SolutionNeeded99]

Thank god I found other people who have this problem. Exact same symptoms as everyone else, wont list them again. I only started getting this a few years ago, maybe when I was 15 but I've never been able to burp as well. I always played it off as nothing and my friends thought I was so weird for not being able to, I'm now 21 and the gurgling has gotten to an all-time annoying level, so much so that I cant sleep at night and have to just wait for it to go away. I was diagnosed with acid reflux but i rarely, if ever, have symptoms of it, I take all the meds for it and have tried all the home remedies but it's not acid reflux I'm trying to cure, I'm just  misinformed. I now know what it is and am starting the Omeprazole today to try and stop it for good. I did notice that when i cut carbs out, it stopped for a bit, ive since started eating them again and it's come back. Hope this stuff works because it's unbelievably annoying in class or with people. Good luck to everyone.

[Blattslatt]

hey guys unfortunately, after taking the proiotics for a about a couple of months, my gurgling returned, however, not at the same level but it was still annoying. However, I tried something called CBD oil, which is supposed to be some sort of detox for your body that is very healthy. Im not sure if it was some freak coincidence or whatever it was, but I am now burping after starting to drink that CBD oil. The gurgling is still there but to a veryyyyy small degree which does not really bother me anymore. I dont burp like a normal person, but it is enough to get the gas out. I'd highly recommend you all to try to get your hands on this CBD oil if you cant burp. Its quite expensive but for me it was well worth it. You can buy it from either a marryjane clinic or probably even online if you can find  a legitimate source

[jessSEPIA]

I take it that this would be the CBD oil with THC? Do you know if the kind without the THC is effective at all? Living in NC, that's the only kind I can get my hands on right now...

[SolutionNeeded99]

is this still working for you? I'm looking for anything to do at this point, I've tried all this acid reflux crap but I dont even think I have acid reflux, it's just this annoying throat gurgling sound.

[kdawg81]

I had this condition every since I was a little kid, up until just a few years ago. Just lots of very very loud gurgling. Eventually horrific heartburn also became a major problem. Lately I have had heartburn so bad that I will just start coughing til I puke. However, I think my gurgling has mostly gone away. I'm not sure why, considering I still drink a ton of sodas (which I am trying desperately to quit). Mine always was the worst when I was around other people, especially on dates. I think mine had a LOT to do with nerves. Maybe I was tense and that messed up my throat somehow. Anyway, I've been trying to figure out what I have been doing differently and the only thing I can think of at this point is that I eat a lot of fermented foods, mostly sauerkraut. I know that fermented foods are supposed to help with digestion issues, so it is worth a shot for you all to try. Make sure it is raw and fermented (i.e. don't get the shelf stable stuff). I love Bubbie's brand but there are tons more out there. Kimchi is also fermented, just make sure it is raw and hasn't been pasteurized. If someone tries this, I would be interested to hear if it helps them or not. I also do a lot of stretching now, maybe twisting your body around in yoga type positions helps? All I can say is that I used to not be able to burp without a lot of effort and now I burp all the time. I burp loudly and proudly, even at work. lol.

[Blattslatt]

I would HIGHLY recommend you all try taking probiotics for at least a month ( as cleopharm suggested a few posts above). My gurgling has improved a lot . I took the walgreens 4 strain probiotic. Please try this i know how much it ***** very horribly to have the gurgling all the time throughout the day.

[kdawg81]

Oh yes, I take probiotics now and my gurgling has mostly gone away as well!!! I never even made the connection.

[SolutionNeeded99]

is this still working for you?

[HeavyWater]

Hey, blattslatt, could you post a link or give the brand of probiotics you use? I'd like to get the same and try them out. You say it may take months to fully see the effects?

[HeavyWater]

What are the probiotics?

[Piggy14]

If you are still on here or get this, please contact me.  Pretty sure I have the same symptoms and I try the same things.  Are you any better?  

[Pleasehelpme6571]

I have the same problem as you! My throat gurgles and so does my stomach. My doctor recommended a blood test so I got one last week, and the results were fine. My stomach still gurgles as well as my throat 24/7. I have been having bad smells from the bowels also. My anxiety has been getting to me because of this. I take an over the counter acid stopper every morning because I had acid reflux in the past and my doctor told me to take it every morning. I will be going to the doctor soon, but can someone help me out!

[Dvin2014]

I have the same issue.  I've had it for awhile but it has only gotten worse. Pressure builds up and I have the gurgle of air and fluid. I rarely burb.  My situation is complicated by a bad smell like from the bowels. Do you have any other symptoms?  What have you found to help?

[Cindyleej]

I have exactly the same issues and have all my life, sometimes it goes on for hours with very little relief. That is the only way I can ease it is to make myself gag with forces air and a horrible sound out. Not fun and not somehting you can do discretely.