Overview

• Retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (R-CPD), also known as 'no burp syndrome', is a condition that prevents sufferers from burping, leading to symptoms such as abdominal bloating, excessive flatulence, and socially awkward gurgling noises.
• The condition, which was only officially named in 2019, is believed to be common but is often undiagnosed due to lack of awareness among health professionals.
• R-CPD can have significant impacts on sufferers' quality of life, causing feelings of embarrassment, anxiety, depression, and disruptions to relationships and work.
• Current treatment for R-CPD involves Botox injections to relax the cricopharyngeus muscle in the throat, allowing gas to pass upwards. However, this treatment is currently only available privately.
• Researchers are calling for increased awareness and research into R-CPD to improve diagnosis and treatment rates, and to better understand the condition's impacts on mental health and daily life.