What is RCPD?

Retrograde Cricopharyngeus Dysfunction (RCPD), often called “no-burp syndrome,” is a condition in which patients are unable to burp or belch. It occurs when the cricopharyngeus muscle, a sphincter at the top of the oesophagus, fails to relax to let trapped air escape.

Although RCPD isn’t dangerous, it can have a significant impact on quality of life. Patients often describe their lifelong inability to burp (even after fizzy drinks or large meals) as causing uncomfortable bloating and chest or abdominal pressure. It can also cause embarrassing symptoms like loud, involuntary gurgling noises and excessive flatulence, as trapped gas has to pass through the gut instead.

In some cases, patients experience difficulty vomiting or a fear of vomiting. Many patients have lived with these symptoms since childhood or adolescence without a diagnosis, often having been told previously that they have reflux or IBS. Increased awareness, much of it driven by patient communities online, means more people are now recognising their symptoms and seeking treatment. The diagnosis is made clinically and with high resolution manometry prior to treatment options.