Woman thought inability to burp was normal — until rare condition was diagnosed
For years, Irma Edīte Ģirupniece believed her inability to burp was simply normal, until she discovered she has a rare condition called retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction (R-CPD).
For most of her life, Irma Edīte Ģirupniece assumed that being unable to burp was nothing out of the ordinary. Discomfort and pain in her chest and stomach, along with frequent nausea, were simply part of her everyday life, and she had learned to live with them.
When she raised these complaints with doctors, she was repeatedly told there was no reason for concern. This continued for years until, during the Covid-19 pandemic, someone mentioned to her that not being able to burp actually was not normal at all.
That remark prompted Irma to start researching her symptoms online herself. After a lengthy search for information, she found that her condition had a name: retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction, or R-CPD, a rare disorder that prevents the body from naturally releasing gas trapped in the stomach and esophagus.
Once diagnosed, Irma had to learn new techniques to manage the condition. By her own account, she even had to learn how to burp — something that might sound amusing to others, but which brought her real relief after years of unexplained discomfort.
R-CPD remains a little-known diagnosis, and many people affected by it, like Irma, spend years without understanding the real cause of their symptoms, partly because the condition is not widely recognized even within the medical community. Irma's experience highlights the importance of persistently seeking answers when health complaints persist, even if doctors initially dismiss them as minor.
