Rotten Egg Burps

What are Rotten Egg Burps?

The smell of rotten egg is very foul, but this type of smell sometime comes up from our mouth during burping. Expelling of accumulated gas from stomach is quite a common incidence and almost everybody experiences it. This event is termed as burping.

Image 1: Rotten Egg Burps

Burps with rotten egg smell are not usual, it denotes digestive disorders and patient feel malaise when frequent rotten egg burps expels. Medical science explained why this foul smell comes from our physiological system. Digestion process starts from mouth and ended at small intestine.

The proteinous substances are breakdown in our stomach. In presence of acid environment of the stomach other digestive enzymes break protein to smaller unit and final metabolism occur in the small intestine. If in small intestine sulfur reducing microbial growth is developed due to certain disorder, then this causes production of hydrogen sulphide gas (H2S). The smell of H2S is similar like rotten egg and when it accumulates in GI tract then expels as burps with rotten egg smell.

What causes rotten egg burps?

The conditions which increase sulfur containing protein substances or intestinal environment where H2S gas synthesize and cause rotten egg burps. The following are some reasons which accelerate the H2S gas formation in GI Tract:

Rich source of sulfur containing food items

High protein substances mostly contain sulfur in their chemical structure. High protein with rich source of sulfur is present in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian items.

Image 2: Foods contain sulfur

Vegetarian food materials

• Fruits containing sulfur are avocado, watermelon, bananas and coconut.
• Vegetables rich in sulfur are cabbage, broccoli, asparagus, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, pack choi, mustard, parsley, Swiss chard, yams, watercress etc.
• Enlisted legumes which contain sulfur are alfalfa, peas, carob, beans, soy, lentils, jicama etc.
• Some cereals, seeds and nuts are also enriched with sulfur and named them as oats, corn, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, cashews, almonds.
• Drinks like tea and coffee

Non-Vegetarian food materials

• Red meats
• Poultry
• Egg
• Dairy products including milk

Food supplements

• Dietary supplements like Whey proteins,

• Thiamine and biotin (vitamin B1 and H),
• Amino acids (methionine, cysteine).

Medications

Consumption of certain medications creates sulfur burps as they contain sulfur in their ingredients. Those who suffer from egg rotten burps, before taking such medications should check the quantity of sulfur which is mentioned in level.

Certain Infectious Disease Conditions

Some microbial development in the GI tract causes digestion disorder and creates rotten egg burps. These are:

Giardiasis

A zoonose parasite which causes giardiasis is commonly known as Giardia. Giardiasis is parasitic water born infection mainly associated with diarrhoea.  Other associated symptom is rotten egg burps.

Infection caused by H. Pylorie

1. Pylorie is responsible for gastric ulceration and promotes abdominal muscle spasm, heart burn, rotten egg burps etc due to digestion error.

SIBO

SIBO (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) occur when multiplication of intestinal bacteria is high and that results bloating and burping.

Other Gastro intestinal disorders

Different diseases associated with indigestion like Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Lactose intolerance, Celiac disease, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Pancreatitis and Crohn’s disease cause rotten egg burps.

Treatment of Rotten Egg Burps

Treatment of rotten egg burps are divided into two categories: natural remedies and therapeutic medicaments.

Natural remedies

These home based natural treatments are easily obtained by following measures:

Restricted diet

Diet which are rich source of sulfur, enlisted above, should avoid from diet chart which can help to subside the rotten egg burps.

Baking soda with water

Take one tablespoonful of baking soda with one cup of lukewarm water, helps to reduce the rotten egg burps. Precautionary measure should be taken during consumption as this drink increase the chance of vomiting.

Lemon juice with honey and water

Prepare a drink by mixing juice of one lemon with one teaspoonful of honey and one cup of lukewarm water and take this drink in every morning before taking breakfast.

Therapeutic medicaments

Homeopathy

Sulphur 200 5 pills is a homeopathic medicine available in the market which can reduce the rotten egg burps. Take this medicament for five days before going to bed.

Allopathy

Image 3: Medication for Rotten burps

• Pepto Bismol is available in the drug store which can reduce the rotten egg burps as bismuth present in this preparation bind with accumulated sulfur.
• Alka-Seltzer can neutralize the acid content and reduce the expulsion of gas.
• Any GI infection causing rotten egg burps can be subsided with proper treatment with antibiotics of infectious diseases.

References

1. http://www.healthhype.com/sulphur-or-rotten-eggs-burps-belching-foul-smelling-gas.html
2. http://www.newhealthguide.org/Egg-Burps.html
3. http://www.diagnose-me.com/what-causes/rotten-egg-burps.html
4. http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2268480-nausea-diarrhoea-and-rotten-egg-burps-wtf-please-help
5. http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/askquestion/12259/home-remedies-for-burp-odor.html