Regurgitation occurs as a symptom of some ailments that affect thedigestive system.

It causes newly consumed food to back up into your throat before it is digested.

The problem can cause a bitter or sour taste in your mouth.

person burping into hand

10'000 Hours / Getty Images

This action is often linked to issues likeacid refluxorgastroesophagealreflux disease (GERD).

Treating the problem usually starts with finding the underlying condition that triggers this symptom.

Relief can often be found with drugs, lifestyle changes, and surgery.

This article describes regurgitation’s causes and characteristics.

It also discusses ways to prevent this problem and keep food down.

Regurgitation typically occurs as a symptom of a disease that interferes with the normal digestive process.

It also prevents food from coming up out of the stomach and back into your esophagus.

Regurgitation often involves problems with either the upper or lower esophageal sphincter.

These contents can include stomach acid orbile(a yellowish-green digestive fluid).

Occasional GER is considered normal.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

GERDis a chronic (long-lasting) form of GER.

With GERD, symptoms are frequent.

Episodes of acid reflux become common enough to cause problems with your daily life.

This can include trouble sleeping or damage to your esophagus.

Approximately 80% of GERD patients experience regurgitation with varying degrees of severity.

People with this behavioral disorder rechew, swallow, or spit out the contents.

Rumination disorder occurs as a reflex without effort.

They can also differ in severity based on the cause of your regurgitation.

This occurs before the food is digested.

The problem can feel like acid is moving up from your stomach into your throat or mouth.

It can cause a sour or bitter taste in your mouth.

This can lead to bad breath and tooth decay.

This issue is a symptom of several types of gastrointestinal problems.

It can also occur from a rare eating disorder or a physical problem.

Many of these problems have similar symptoms so getting the right diagnosis can be a challenge.

Chronic regurgitation can decrease your quality of life.

Treatment that includes lifestyle changes, proper breathing, and drugs can often provide relief.

For more severe cases, surgery that repairs the lower esophageal sphincter can often reduce symptoms.

Harvard Health Publishing.When to seek a doctor’s help for heartburn.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of GER and GERD.

University of Utah Health.When is heartburn considered gastrophageal reflux disease?

Kahrilas PJ.Regurgitation in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y).

2013;9(1):37-39.

National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).Rumination disorder.

University of Rochester Medical Center.Rumination syndrome.

(2012).Vomiting, regurgitation, and dysphagia.

In:Symptoms and Signs in Pediatric Surgery.

Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-31161-1_20

AGA GI Patient Center.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for GER and GERD.

Bell RCW.Management of regurgitation in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.Current Opinion in Gastroenterology.

2020;36(4):336. doi:10.1097/MOG.0000000000000649