Side neck sit ups and neck stretches
Quick summary
- A side neck sit up means lying on your side and lifting your head up towards the ceiling, then lowering it.
- Some people on r/noburp say it worked when the Shaker exercise alone didn't.
- Turning or tilting the head can lower the squeeze at the top of the food pipe. But side neck sit ups haven't been tested for R-CPD.
What are side neck sit ups?
They're a neck exercise you do lying on your side. You lift your head sideways towards the ceiling, as if trying to touch your ear to your shoulder, then lower it again. A 2026 review of R-CPD describes the video people share as repetitively flexing the neck sideways while lying on the side (opens in a new tab).
How do people do side neck sit ups?
This is how people on r/noburp describe it (patient reports, not medical advice):
- Lie on your side on a bed or mat, with your bottom arm stretched out or under your head.
- Lift your head slowly sideways towards the ceiling, then lower it gently. Keep it smooth, with no jerking.
- Do 20 to 30 on each side. One person did the Shaker first, then side neck sit ups 20 times each side (opens in a new tab). Another did 30 reps each side (opens in a new tab).
- Add a gentle neck stretch. One person who said the Shaker gave no results after 2 weeks (opens in a new tab) did 3 sets of side neck sit ups on each side plus a 30 second neck stretch, and said they learned to burp.
- When you feel a gurgle, sit up and try to relax into the burp.
People share this video (opens in a new tab) to show the move. We haven't checked who made it, so treat it as a guide only.
Why might it help?
We don't know for sure. A 2026 review says that head turning is known to reduce UES pressure (opens in a new tab). The UES is the ring of muscle at the top of your food pipe. Head turning is already used to help people with swallowing problems. Side neck sit ups may also strengthen the neck muscles around it.
What do people with R-CPD say?
“Within a few weeks of doing the exercise and stretches above I've gone from 1-2 micro-burps a day to about 100 burps a day.”
“I think I stopped doing them all together after a month or so, because I could always burp without them.”
“I did a variation of this known as side neck flexion raises used in calisthenics and it literally cured me.”
“Start with shakers & build up gradually to 3 x 60 second holds & 30 sit up style per day . Add in side shakers which are also mentioned on here a lot”
Patient reports. Short quotes, linked to the original post. We leave out usernames.
What does the evidence say?
- No study has tested side neck sit ups for R-CPD.
- The 2026 review lists them among patient-generated descriptions (opens in a new tab) of how people learn to burp, and says there are no published reports of R-CPD going away other than with Botox or surgery (opens in a new tab), apart from one hypnosis case.
- In a small US study, a speech therapist taught people a head turn and tuck (opens in a new tab) as part of a burping routine. See speech therapy and physio.
Frequently asked questions
What is a side neck sit up?
You lie on your side and lift your head sideways towards the ceiling, then lower it. People with R-CPD share it as a way to help learn to burp (opens in a new tab).
How many side neck sit ups should I do?
People on r/noburp often did 20 to 30 on each side (opens in a new tab), once or twice a day (patient reports). Start with fewer and build up.
Can neck exercises hurt?
They can if you overdo them. Move slowly, stop if it hurts or you feel dizzy, and check with your GP or a physio if you have a neck problem.
Sources
- Lehmann and Kahrilas 2026, narrative review (free full text) (opens in a new tab)
- Keltz et al. 2025, Laryngoscope (opens in a new tab)
- r/noburp self-cure megapost (Internet Archive copy) (opens in a new tab) (patient reports)
Other things people try
- Shaker exercise (head lift)Lie flat and lift your head to look at your toes. The exercise people mention most.23 of 120 people mention it
- Relaxing into the burpNotice the gurgle, relax your throat and let it come up. Don't force it.78 of 120 people mention it
- Side neck sit upsLie on your side and lift your head towards the ceiling. Often done with the Shaker.12 of 120 people mention it
- Throat massage and pressureGentle massage around the voice box. Never hitting or squeezing your neck.21 of 120 people mention it
- Back, chest, yoga and postureGym work, yoga, physio for the back, and sitting up straight.23 of 120 people mention it
- Fizzy drinks and positionsLying on your left side, chin tucks, head turns, and practising with a fizzy drink.47 of 120 people mention it
- Swallowing airA few people gulp air to practise. It can make bloating worse, so read the warnings.25 of 120 people mention it
- Diet: less gasLow FODMAP, fewer fizzy drinks, eating slowly. Can ease symptoms while you try other things.7 of 120 people mention it
- HypnosisThe only non-Botox, non-surgery case in the medical papers so far.Backed by one published case
- Speech therapy and physio (BERP)A therapist teaches you positions to let a burp out. Tested in a small study.7 of 120 people mention it
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