Aerophagia may also refer to an unusual condition where the primary symptom is excessive flatus (farting), belching (burping) is not present, and the actual mechanism by which air enters the gut is obscure or unknown.
[13][14] In people with cervical spinal blockages, inhaling can cause some air to enter the esophagus and stomach involuntarily.
[15] Aerophagia is diagnosed in 8.8% of cognitively delayed patients[16] where the coordination between swallowing and respiration is impaired and not well-defined.
[17] Aerophagia is a dangerous potential side effect of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), commonly used in treatments of respiratory problems and cardiovascular critical care or in surgery when a general anaesthetic is required.
Belated detection or response to aerophagia may lead to gastric distension, which in turn could elevate the diaphragm or cause aspiration of the stomach contents into the lungs[18] or pneumatic rupture of the esophagus due to extreme gastric insufflation.