In a fascinating video that went viral on Reddit this summer, Lucie Rosenthal’s face transitions from focused uncertainty to sheer surprise as she lets out a croak-like belch, marking only her second burp ever.
The Denver resident exclaims with delight, “I got it!” but the joy quickly turns into uncontrollable burping episodes, leaving her amused and bewildered.
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Reflecting on the newfound ability that came at the age of 26, Rosenthal shares, “It’s really rocking my mind that I am fully introducing a new bodily function at 26 years old.”
She continues, “Sorry, excuse me. Oh, my god. That was a burp. Did you hear it?”
Rosenthal is just one of over a thousand individuals who have undergone a procedure to help them burp since 2019 when a doctor in Illinois first documented the intervention in a medical journal.
The inability to belch can lead to discomfort, bloating, chest pain, and excessive flatulence as trapped air seeks alternative exit routes. People suffering from this condition describe it as an alien trying to escape or akin to a heart attack relieved by a fart.
The procedure to address this, technically known as retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction or “no-burp syndrome,” involves injecting 50 to 100 units of Botox into the upper cricopharyngeal muscle.
Various doctors worldwide, spurred by discussions on Reddit’s r/noburp community, have since offered this procedure to patients. An increasing number of individuals have sought relief from this once-obscure syndrome.
It remains a mystery to healthcare professionals why this muscle, crucial in swallowing, fails to allow air passage upwards. Patients treated have reported ongoing burping even after the Botox loses its effect.
Despite uncertainties, the success stories like Rosenthal’s and Daryl Moody, a car technician, adventuring into skydiving post-treatment, shed a hopeful light on the procedure’s efficacy.
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