Occasional burping after a meal is normal — it's how the body releases swallowed air. Constant, uncomfortable burping is usually a sign of something specific: aerophagia, or excess air swallowing, often from eating too fast, talking while eating, carbonated drinks, or chewing gum. In people with reflux, burping can also be the body's response to gas building up against a stomach valve that isn't closing properly, which pulls some stomach contents up along with the air — leaving a sour taste behind. Slowing down at meals, cutting carbonated drinks, and avoiding chewing gum reduce the air-swallowing side of the problem. If burping regularly comes with a sour taste or chest discomfort, that points more toward reflux than simple air swallowing, and it's worth addressing as such.
