Rumination Syndrome

Symptoms

To be considered rumination syndrome, regurgitation of recently ingested food needs to occur for at least six weeks, though it may come and go. Regurgitation typically:

• Is effortless (as opposed to forced vomiting)
• Isn't associated with heartburn, abdominal pain or nausea
• Begins within 30 minutes of ingesting a meal
• Is associated with either reswallowing or spitting out food
• Stops within 60 minutes or when regurgitated food becomes acidic-tasting
• Doesn't occur while lying down or sleeping
• Isn't associated with a physical obstruction
• Doesn't respond to standard treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease

Frequency of rumination varies greatly and not all people have all the features listed above. Some ruminate only a few times a week, while others ruminate after every meal.

Rumination syndrome can be confused with gastroparesis, an upper gastrointestinal motility disorder that results in slow stomach emptying. Rumination syndrome differs from gastroparesis in that:

• It occurs often; for some, after every meal.
• It occurs very shortly after a meal.
• The regurgitated material tastes like food.
• Reswallowing occurs often.