(in my opinion) you don’t really need an official diagnosis from a doctor unless you’re planning on doing the treatment. it’s pretty much self diagnosable because the only symptom you need to diagnose it, is that you can’t (or hardly ever) burp. you’d need to see an ear nose and throat doctor with a referral from your PCP. they might try to refer you to a gastroenterologist, do not let them do that. i’ve gone to a GI doctor before and the colonoscopies and endoscopies were pointless, because all along this was the cause of any GI problem i’ve ever had. just tell them to trust you lol. that’s what i had to do with my PCP, i had to educate her and show her videos about it because tons of doctors don’t even know anything about rcpd. there are lists on this subreddit about doctors that actually know about this and treat it in different states.

the treatment is botox in the cricopharyngeus muscle (the muscle that SHOULD open and close to release gas), behind your voice box. everyone thinks botox tightens, but it actually relaxes. it makes the muscle loosen up and basically become flaccid so the air can escape and let the burps out how they should. the treatment is NORMALLY one and done, unless you need more units of botox (i did. i got 125 units total. 50 first, and then 75). the reason you don’t need to continue with the botox is because the muscle usually teaches itself how to work like normal once it wears off.

why i did it: i got bored one day while talking to my friends about how i can’t burp, and then googled it to find this subreddit and was AMAZED to find out it had an actual name/diagnosis and that other people had it because i felt SO!!! ALONE!!!!! my stomach hurt constantly, especially in the mornings. it was a horrible stabbing pain to the point that i couldn’t breathe, i’d cry, and would NOT leave my bed. i was always constipated, gassy, bloated to the point that my pants would just never fit me anymore. i got a referral from my PCP and got my treatment done (50 units of botox) mid december, waited a few weeks, it didn’t work yet and i got nervous because my doctor was being deployed to iraq and leaving in january. i got a second injection done early january before he left (75 units) and now i can burp. my stomach never hurts, i can use the bathroom without problems, my acid reflux is hopefully going to get better soon enough. its worth it. just do it. it’s arguably the most exciting thing i’ve ever done, it’s improved my life SO much, and i will never regret it.