If I make myself burp by drinking a lot of water, my heartburn seems to go away for a few hours. Why is this?

B.K.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common condition in which acid from the stomach refluxes back into the esophagus and causes irritation, often experienced as heartburn or an acidic taste in the back of the throat. The cause of GERD includes a poorly functioning lower esophageal sphincter (which allows the contents of the stomach back up into the esophagus), as well as poor muscle function of the esophagus (which delays clearing of the acidic contents from the esophagus).

The most common drug therapy for GERD involves reducing stomach acid production. However, there are other things that may temporarily alleviate GERD symptoms. Some patients notice that their discomfort goes away when they swallow saliva or drink milk or other fluids. This fleeting relief occurs because swallowing triggers contractions of the esophagus, clearing away acid. In addition, saliva and milk contain bicarbonate buffers that help to neutralize the acid.

Therefore, I suspect that the relief of your heartburn is not due to your forced burping, but due to your water drinking, which washes the stomach acid out of your lower esophagus. Interestingly, since a burp occurs when the pressure in the stomach exceeds the pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter, belching is actually more likely to cause reflux rather than ease it.