Jade Thirlwall has revealed the impact of a rare condition that she has been suffering from for years.
The former Little Mix singer, 33, felt relief after stumbling upon a TikTok community of others also diagnosed with the condition.
Retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction – also known as R-CPD – means Jade is unable to burp due to a muscle in her neck not relaxing.
Jade has opened up about the effect it’s had on her body, while other symptoms include chest pressure, severe bloating and painful trapped air.
The singer came across a video shared by Gemma Renwick, who is campaigning to spread awareness about the condition.
In the comments, Jade wrote: ‘Omg I finally feel so seen and understood.
‘It’s always been a fun fact that I can’t burp but it’s caused issues my whole life and I’m sick of people commenting on my weight and body onstage when I’m just bloated af. I want to get the throtox but worried it’ll affect my vocals.’
Gemma’s petition, which closes on December 22 and has received over 4,800 signatures, asks for the Government to review the adequacy and recognition of people with R-CPD.
The campaigner wrote: ‘We believe too many sufferers are dismissed or misdiagnosed before paying privately for treatment – patients deserve better awareness and NHS access to care.
‘We want the Government to work towards improving recognition and NHS treatment access for Retrograde Cricopharyngeal Dysfunction (R-CPD), a condition that prevents sufferers from being able to burp. R-CPD can cause severe bloating, pain and major impacts on daily life. We believe patients deserve better awareness, referral pathways and NHS access to treatment.’
It’s the first time Jade has revealed a true insight into how the condition affects her life, but she did briefly mention her struggle in 2023.
She captioned a TikTok video: ‘Shout out to my fellow “no burp syndrome” queens,’ and ‘I’ve never burped in my life but I’m still stunning.’
Jade has been open about her relationship with her body after being diagnosed with an eating disorder, anorexia, when she was 13.
‘I have a daily battle with myself not to go on Ozempic,’ the popstar told The Guardian in 2025. ‘I don’t judge people that do, but because I have a history of eating disorders, I don’t know where taking something like that would end for me.’
She added: ‘Little Mix fans were all about empowerment and celebrating your body however you look. Now I’m in my 30s and the healthiest I’ve ever been, but every time I post a picture, there are comments saying, “She must be pregnant.” The sad thing is that it’s usually women. But people are used to seeing me in a group environment five or 10 years ago when I was stick-thin because I was in my early 20s with an eating disorder.’
Jade went on to detail how she has had to break the pattern of controlling her life by restricting food in a ‘very toxic way.’
It’s been a busy summer for Jade, who has performed at festivals promoting her 2025 album That’s Showbiz Baby! and attended special events, like her Little Mix bandmate Perrie Edwards’ wedding.
However, she’s also been privately dealing with the breakup of her relationship with Jordan Stephens, who she dated for six years.