You could be among the many Americans who have a hard time dealing with burping commonly referred to as belching. High chances are that burping will be accompanied by diarrhea.
When you have too much air in your stomach, it comes out as a burp through your mouth. Sometimes, it has the smell of the food you have taken but there are cases where the smell is that of rotten eggs. This is when the burps are referred to as sulfur burps. These burps are very embarrassing and would stop you from ever eating in public.
What causes Sulfur Burps and Diarrhea
You will need to understand what exactly leads to burping and diarrhea so as to find preventive measures and the necessary treatment. Below are the most common causes of sulfur burping and diarrhea;
Gallbladder disease
People with gall bladder disease experience inflammation of the bile duct. The gall bladder is essential for the process of digestion to be complete. Symptoms that come with the gall bladder disease include burping and diarrhea.
If you have any problems that hinder a smooth flow of bile and there is obstruction in the way it functions, your digestion is slowed down leading to bloating. While belching may be normal, bloating could lead to sulfur belching. Additionally, you may find yourself experiencing terrible episodes of diarrhea. [1]
Food poisoning
1 of every 6 Americans report cases of food poisoning each year.[2] Food poisoning is ranked among the major causes of burping and diarrhea. Burps and diarrhea in humans are caused by a bacterium found in intestines of healthy or infected people as well as in animals such as poultry, pets and cattle.
Stool from these creatures is likely to contaminate vegetables, milk, recreational water, soil and drinking water. When you take any of the contaminated foods, you experience bloating and consequently burping and diarrhea. Burps released following bloating have the smell of rotten eggs and can be very disturbing.
Upset stomach
Burping and diarrhea are in most cases an indication that your stomach is not in order. Sometimes, you may consume foods that have hydrogen sulfide. When the proteins in these foods are broken down, you are likely to experience sulfur burps.
Moreover, your intestinal tract could be affected and you end up with a stomach upset. Foods that are likely to irritate your stomach due to high protein content include; eggs, dairy, poultry, and red meat. When your stomach is irritated, you end up with too much gas which is released as sulfur burps. In some incidents, you experience diarrhea as a way of your body getting rid of irritating foods.
Statistically, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that, about 51 million people report to their doctors due to stomach problems.
Chronic health conditions
If you are experiencing some chronic conditions in your digestive system, you are likely to get diarrhea and sulfur burps. Such chronic conditions include; gastrointestinal reflux disease, celiac disease, pancreatitis, crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.
If you are an elderly patient, belching is sometimes a sign of a heart attack as explained by Robert Glatter; the American College of Emergency Physician spokesman. [3]
Digestive tract Infections
The food you consume may contain microbes that reduce sulfur content in those foods. This results to production of hydrogen sulfide. This hydrogen sulfide will be released from your body and it has the smell of rotten eggs. Your stomach lining is likely to also be distracted and this discomfort leads to diarrhea.
If you have sulfur burping and diarrhea, you may need to see your doctor to diagnose for the following infections;
- H pylori; it is characterized by bloating and heartburns which eventually translates to sulfur bloating and at times diarrhea.
- Giardia lamblia; if you have this parasite which comes from contaminated water, you will have a bloated abdomen, sulfur burps, passing of bad gas and diarrhea.
- Normal intestinal flora; if you have a problem tolerating fructose, you likely to have bloating, diarrhea and sulfur burping. Your doctor, after diagnosing you with intestinal flora, will prescribe antifungal medicines for you. It is therefore important to seek diagnosis before embarking on any form of treatment.
Mal-digestion and mal-absorption
There are times when you do not have normal digestion and absorption of nutrients. In such a case, bacteria get residue nutrients to feed on. Even that, this is never a major issue if it happens in the upper gut but it is a major concern if it interferes with the lower bowel.
This is usually noticed in conditions such as gallbladder disease whose symptoms include sulfur burping and diarrhea. While mal-absorption and mal-digestion may not directly lead to burping and diarrhea, it is the conditions it causes that bring about sulfur burping and diarrhea.
Overgrown bacteria
You have so many bacteria that live in your gut. These bacteria are viewed as intestinal flora and maintain your bowel health. However, you are at risk at the point where the bacteria increase excessively.
Even though your gut may not be disturbed in any way, your body may be distracted and result to undesirable effects such as sulfur belching and diarrhea. [4]
Sulfur burps and diarrhea while pregnant Causes
As much as burping and diarrhea can attack anyone, it is most common among pregnant mothers. The main reason pregnant mothers experience sulfur burping and sometimes diarrhea is because their digestive system does not function normally at that time.
You are likely to experience burping during early pregnancy. During this period, you have increased levels of progesterone. This slows down your digestion. It is when the digestion is slowed down that your body has more time to produce so much gas. This gas is released in form of sulfur burps.
Additionally, if you are pregnant, your intestines shift to the lower abdomen. This is due to the expansion of the uterus. When your stomach is pushed you are likely to experience bloating which worsens the situation in your stomach causing burps and cases of diarrhea.
Sadly, having too much gas during pregnancy can be the worst moment since you can hardly hold back the gas in public. During pregnancy, your muscles are so much relaxed and you cannot influence how they respond. This means, the sulfur burps can attack you at any time.
While this may be considered a normal reaction of the body during pregnancy, you are highly encouraged to see a doctor should you notice that the burps are accompanied by severe diarrhea. [5]
Diarrhea and burping a lot Causes
As earlier discussed, build up gas in the digestive tract is a normal occurrence in your day to day life. Nevertheless, there are times the gas is too much that it causes excessive belching and diarrhea. [6]
You need to study closely the major causes of severe diarrhea and burping in addition to the causes discussed above;
Overeating
You will have increased belching when you eat more than your body can contain. Chemical digestion in your body produces excess gas. When you eat too much and too fast, you increasing the rate at which air is swallowed.
Food intolerance
Your body may at times be choosy with the nutrients it can digest. The nutrients that are left irritate the digestive tract. This is how excessive diarrhea and belching occurs. For instance, your body usually has a hard time tolerating lactose. Food intolerance is also caused by malabsorption.
Home remedies for sulfur burps and diarrhea
You can get rid of sulfur burps while at home. The following remedies will be helpful;
Aloe Vera juice
You can soothe your stomach and digestive system using Aloe Vera juice. This juice contains healing and anti-inflammatory properties which help you get rid of egg burps and diarrhea.
You are advised to take a cup of aloe Vera juice; twenty minutes before every meal. Even that, you are advised to be cautious not to take an overdose since too much aloe Vera juice leads to a laxative effect.
Apple cider vinegar
Abbreviated as ACV, Apple cider vinegar is used to treat numerous conditions. Sulfur burps and diarrhea are no exception. Apple cider vinegar ensures a balanced level of PH in your body as well as ensuring normal functioning of your digestive system. You are required to follow the procedure below;
- Add 2 teaspoons of organic ACV into a cup of water.
- Before taking any meals, drink the mixture of organic ACV and water you have prepared.
- Repeat the procedure severally until the egg burps and diarrhea disappear.
Licorice root
Try licorice root and you will realize it is a great solution when you want to treat egg burps and diarrhea. This root has stomach healing properties. It soothes mucous membranes and protects your gut lining. The instructions below are important when using licorice roots;
- In a cup of water, add a teaspoon of licorice root powder
- Boil the solution so that it is strained
- Drink the solution twenty minutes before consuming food especially foods that have very high protein content.
- You should drink it at least two times daily
Cumin
Cumin seeds are very nutritious especially when it comes to influencing the way your digestive system works. Cumin stimulates the processes involved in digestion and hence helps eliminates issues such as bloating, gas and acidity. This way, sulfur burping and diarrhea is stopped.
Procedure
- Add cumin seeds to a cup of water and heat it to boil.
- Let your cumin seeds steep in the water for about five minutes prior to straining it
- If that does not work for you, add cumin seeds to your food when preparing it
Baking soda
It is commonly referred to as sodium bicarbonate. It acts as a natural antacid and hence relieves you of egg burps or instances of diarrhea. The follow steps should be followed;
Procedure
- Add a teaspoon of baking soda into a cup of water
- For a quick relief, you are advised to take the solution as soon as it is prepared
Visit your physician so that you are guided on how many times to take the solution depending on the seriousness of your condition. Prolonged intake of baking soda is highly discouraged. If you have high blood pressure, try any other home remedy that does not involve use of baking soda. High concentration of baking soda works against your blood pressure.
Lemon water and honey
High chances are that you have sulfur burping and diarrhea because of stomach problems. You should try warm water and honey. The instructions below are useful;
- Squeeze half a lemon juice into a warm cup of water
- Add a teaspoon of honey so that you sweeten it
- Drink the solution each morning. This way, you are able to clear sulfur and toxins from your system[7]
Eat right
This sounds so easy yet it would be all you need to do to get rid of sulfur burps and diarrhea. What you are eating is probably the cause of the burps. All you will need to do is avoid foods that have very high protein content. Eggs should be the first food you need to get rid of; then dried fruits, high sugar foods, and dairy.
However, you do not have to do away with the foods completely. When you start to feel better, you can add back the food to your diet slowly. [8]
Sources & References
[1] https://steptohealth.com/6-symptoms-gallbladder-infection/
[2] http://www.healthline.com/health/worst-foodborne-illness-outbreaks#eme-coliem3
[3] http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/g2380/signs-stomach-pain-isnt-normal/
[4] http://www.treatnheal.com/conditions/sulfur-burps-farts/
[5] http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-blog/gas-in-pregnancy/bgp-20055810
[6] http://www.healthhype.com/belching-and-diarrhea-causes-and-other-symptoms.html
[7] http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Sulfur-Burps-and-Diarrhea.html
[8] http://www.treatnheal.com/conditions/sulfur-burps-farts/
