The best way to treat rumination syndrome, a functional gastrointestinal disorder, is with behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy – specifically diaphragmatic breathing for rumination syndrome – retrains the body to keep food and liquids in the stomach instead of traveling up the esophagus and into the mouth. You can practice diaphragmatic breathing exercises at home – before, during and after eating and drinking to halt rumination. Recognizing rumination, learning how to re-swallow food, as well as new chewing and swallowing techniques can also be helpful.
