Reddit users are rallying around an unconventional treatment for a lesser-known condition characterized by the inability to burp, known as retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction or “no-burp syndrome.” Members of communities such as r/noburp, which boasts around 32,000 members, have been sharing their experiences with Botox injections to alleviate symptoms like bloating, excessive gas, and discomfort.
In June, Reddit user Lucie Rosenthal, 26, shared a video celebrating her first burp following Botox treatment, which involves injecting 50 to 100 units of the toxin into throat muscles controlling the esophagus. Rosenthal expressed amazement at the transformation, telling , “I have a whole new body function at 26, which is astonishing.”
The treatment was first discovered in 2019 by an Illinois doctor for patients with upper esophageal sphincter relaxation difficulties. Dr. Robert Bastian, an otolaryngologist in suburban Chicago, introduced the method after a patient with persistent symptoms requested an experimental approach. Botox has previously been used to treat throat issues, such as post-stroke swallowing difficulties.
Dr. Bastian noted that even after Botox’s effects wear off, patients often retain the ability to burp with greater ease. “To my surprise, people would say to me at six months, eight months, twelve months, ‘I can still burp,’” Bastian told. “It’s like training wheels… People find that little hook to the burp and they practice it.”
Despite its growing use from Norway to Thailand, the procedure is expensive and often not covered by insurance, with costs reaching up to $25,000 in Southern California, $16,000 in Seattle, and $25,000 in New York City. Some critics suggest the treatment’s perceived success may be due to a placebo effect or social media-induced “cyberchondria.”
However, social media’s role in popularizing this treatment is undeniable. Rosenthal’s Colorado doctor first learned about the Botox method in 2020, when a patient brought information about the procedure found on Reddit.
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