# How to get someone to burp? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 6, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586 "2003-03-06T22:20:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/1 "2003-03-06T22:20:36Z")
My boyfriend has a strange condition that affects him every so often. There is a stabbing pain in his abdomen and a pressure in his chest. He’s been to many doctors and none of them can figure out what causes it or have given him any sort of medication to help him. He’s found that burping helps alleviate the chest pressure and also makes his abdomen feel a bit better. Is there any sort of drink or food or some technique that we could do that would help him to burp more often? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![dragongirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@dragongirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragongirl)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/2 "2003-03-06T22:34:26Z")
Soda makes me burp. My disgusting little kids can burp at will by swallowing air. I have no idea how they do that. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/3 "2003-03-06T22:34:33Z")
I am loathe to suggest something as simple as an antacid, since it seems entirely too obvious that what you are describing is gas. Surely this has been tried? ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/4 "2003-03-06T22:55:43Z")
Coca-Cola guarantees many burps. ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/5 "2003-03-07T00:44:30Z")
Ever tried tapping his back, like people do with babies? It works like a charm with my 4 month old, I don’t see why it shouldn’t work on an adult too. ---
**Author:** ![ChalkPit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@ChalkPit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChalkPit)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/6 "2003-03-07T08:37:33Z")
Put him over your shoulder and walk up and down the stairs a couple of times - works on my son. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/7 "2003-03-07T14:09:04Z")
Eat a banana and chug a Coke™. He’ll burp like it’s going out of style (if he doesn’t puke first). ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/8 "2003-03-07T15:43:05Z")
Speaking as a disgusting little 24 year old, the secret to burping at will is to suck air in to your stomach by expanding your chest just like you’re taking a deep breath while simultaneously dropping the your throat (in an extended swallowing motion) so your epiglottis opens slightly and lets air down both pipes. Experts arealso able to use this method to break wind at will. After a delay, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Philuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Philuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philuk)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/9 "2017-07-22T23:32:43Z")
> [@kimera](#): > > My boyfriend has a strange condition that affects him every so often. There is a stabbing pain in his abdomen and a pressure in his chest. He’s been to many doctors and none of them can figure out what causes it or have given him any sort of medication to help him. He’s found that burping helps alleviate the chest pressure and also makes his abdomen feel a bit better. Is there any sort of drink or food or some technique that we could do that would help him to burp more often? > > Thanks. Sounds very much like a hiatus hernia I think he should have an endoscopy to check this out and the drug omeprazole should be prescribed in most of these cases. quite a common thing these days but can be controlled. ---
**Author:** ![Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delicious)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/10 "2017-07-22T23:36:32Z")
Get him to do sit-ups, it’ll probably squeeze the gas out & you get abs as a bonus ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/11 "2017-07-22T23:48:53Z")
> [@dragongirl](#): > > Soda makes me burp. My disgusting little kids can burp at will by swallowing air. I have no idea how they do that. … love this … ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/12 "2017-07-22T23:55:30Z")
> [@Philuk](#): > > Sounds very much like a **hiatus hernia** I think he should have an endoscopy to check this out and the drug omeprazole should be prescribed in most of these cases. > > quite a common thing these days but can be controlled. _Hiatal_ hernia. ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/13 "2017-07-23T00:13:46Z")
Pat your belly and after a while it’ll come. It’s the same thing with patting a cake batter to get the air bubbles out. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/14 "2017-07-23T00:18:25Z")
> [@Philuk](#): > > Sounds very much like a hiatus hernia I think he should have an endoscopy to check this out and the drug omeprazole should be prescribed in most of these cases. > > quite a common thing these days but can be controlled. This thread was started in 2003. I doubt he’s still suffering from this 14 years later. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/15 "2017-07-23T00:21:11Z")
Am I late? ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/16 "2017-07-23T01:28:56Z")
Philuk! You dog! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/17 "2017-07-23T02:47:43Z")
> **[Acupressure Points for Gas You Should Know](https://www.newhealthadvisor.org/Acupressure-Points-for-Gas.html)** > > Acupressure points for gas refer to points on your body that can relieve gas and stomach problems when you apply pressure on them, located on stomach, feet, hand, etc. Here are some acupressure points to help you burp ,they really work ! Acupressure treatments would help too , my mom would burp like crazy when she had treatments . I use the points on my legs when I get gas and it helps me burp. ---
**Author:** ![Hocus\_Pocus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/41988e/32.png) [@Hocus\_Pocus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hocus_Pocus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/18 "2017-07-23T03:14:05Z")
At times I have the feeling of being bloated. While I do have a hiatal hernia, I don’t know if it’s related. One thing that seems to relieve the pressure is chewing gum. After about an hour of chewing most if not all of the bloated feeling has gone. Does he also have any problems with reflux? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/19 "2017-07-23T06:52:29Z")
> [@kimera](#): > > My boyfriend has a strange condition that affects him every so often. There is a stabbing pain in his abdomen and a pressure in his chest. He’s been to many doctors and none of them can figure out what causes it or have given him any sort of medication to help him. He’s found that burping helps alleviate the chest pressure and also makes his abdomen feel a bit better. Is there any sort of drink or food or some technique that we could do that would help him to burp more often? > > Thanks. I suffer from exactly this problem - the pain is debilitating when it happens - it feels like a spike has been driven right through me from front to back. Drinking something carbonated, or a fizzy antacid solution (bicarb) usually allows me to burp and this relieves the symptoms. If no soda or other drinks are available, the only thing that works is to drink a lot of water, lie down on my back and roll from side to side slowly to try to allow the gas to find its way out. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586/20 "2017-07-23T11:03:28Z")
Wow, don’t even wanna think about zombie gas. Carminative: > **[Carminative](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carminative)** > > A carminative, known in Latin as carminativum (plural carminativa), is a herb or preparation intended to either prevent formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract or facilitate the expulsion of gas from the gastrointestinal tract, thereby combatting flatulence. > The word carminative is a derivative of Latin cārmen "card for wool", according to Hensley Wedgewood, on the humoral theory that carminatives "dilute and relax the gross humours from whence the wind arises, combing them out like the ... > [@](#): > > _A carminative, also known as carminativum (plural carminativa), is a herb or preparation intended to either prevent formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract or facilitate the expulsion of said gas, thereby combatting flatulence_. As you’ll see in the Wikipedia entry, there are many. Licorice is one that seems to help me, although I’d suggest you look into it further before trying any of them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-someone-to-burp/159586.md?page=2)