Intractable Belching as a Psychiatric Consequence: A Case Report

Division

East Florida

Hospital

JFK Medical Center

Document Type

Case Report

Publication Date

9-25-2024

Keywords

belching, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychiatry, psychotherapy, supragastric belching

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Psychiatry | Psychiatry and Psychology

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Belching is a common physiological occurrence, but it becomes bothersome when it occurs excessively and disrupts one's quality of life. It is hypothesized that psychiatric diagnoses may be an etiology and exacerbation for intractable belching. Case presentation: We present a case report of a female in her 70s with a psychiatric history of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) with symptoms of intractable belching. This patient was diagnosed with supragastric belching (SGB), which is likely behaviorally induced as a result of her psychiatric comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS: In patients presenting with intractable belching, along with other intractable somatic symptoms, psychiatric comorbidities should be considered as a possible etiology or contributing factor. Especially with known psychiatric comorbidities, patients should have maximized psychiatric treatment (including pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy) in order to be managed most effectively.

Publisher or Conference

Cureus

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