Gas, burping, or bloating that begins after eating or drinking

Gas, burping, or bloating is common after you swallow air, eat foods that cause gas, or drink carbonated beverages. This is normal and usually can be prevented by making some simple changes.

Gas, burping, or bloating after eating or drinking also may be caused by an inability to:

• Digest certain sugars, such as lactose, fructose, or sorbitol. These sugars are often added to processed foods and medications to make them taste sweet. Lactose is found in milk, cheese, and other dairy products.
• Properly absorb nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from the digestive tract (malabsorption syndrome). Causes of malabsorption syndrome include:
  • Absence or low levels of certain digestive enzymes.
  • Diseases of the pancreas, such as cystic fibrosis.
  • Diseases caused by parasites, such as giardiasis, worms, or amebiasis.
  • Changes in the bacteria normally found in the intestinal tract.
  • Diseases that affect the intestine itself, such as celiac disease, which often develops in childhood after foods that contain gluten are added to the diet.
  • Surgery that alters or reduces the length of the intestinal tract.
  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Your doctor can check your symptoms to find out what is causing them and recommend treatment. Treatment may include changes in your diet, medication to replace digestive enzymes and help reduce symptoms, and nutritional supplements such as iron.