The frequency of "wet burping" was linked to the length of a singer's career and the number of hours spent practicing and performing, according to an article in the journal Gastroenterology.
And there's more bad news for singers. "Wet burping" is one common symptom of gastro-esophageal reflux. Heartburn is another, and, according to The Guardian, researchers found that ailment to be almost twice as common among opera singers as the rest of the population.
The project coordinator, Giovanni Cammarota, told the ANSA news agency, "Over the years we came upon many cases of opera singers who suffered from reflux. On the basis of this observation, we guessed that it might not be a coincidence."
He suspects that opera singers are so susceptible because of the pressure they exert on their diaphragms as they attempt to control their breathing. "Future studies will be needed," he said, "to clarify whether gastro-esophageal reflux in professional opera choristers is stress-induced and therefore may be considered as a work-related disease."