What Is Stomach Growling
Stomach growling is a normal phenomenon that most of us come across. It is often associated with hunger, slow or incomplete digestion, or some kind of food. It is also known as borborygmi. These growling noises always do not come from the stomach, and they can also come from the small intestine or further along the digestive tract. Stomach growling occurs as food, liquid, or gas goes through the stomach and small intestine.
What Is Stomach Churning
Stomach churning and gurgling can be an uncomfortable feeling in the abdomen. Although a queasy stomach is usually only temporary if you have an upset stomach for a week or longer it could be a sign of an underlying condition.
If you have ever experienced stomach growling, especially stomach gurgling after eating, then you may well know the other symptoms that run alongside it. Other symptoms of a sour stomach can include nausea and digestive issues.
Moreover, continue reading to find out what causes upset stomach and gas. We also explain when you should see a doctor, and further signs to look out for.
Stomach Noises such as stomach churning and gurgling and Pain: Causes and Symptoms for Those Belly Noises and Cramps
What Is An Upset Stomach
When I was growing up, in my Irish mammy’s house, an ‘upset tummy’ or ‘upset stomach’ was used as a euphemism for all sorts of ailments. My brother used to say he had an upset tummy while holding his head – it took a while to figure out that it was an earache he was talking about. He was a small boy at the time, with a limited vocabulary.
My mother was simply too polite to ever confess to a galloping case of diarrhoea or a massive wind attack. She didn’t want ANY mention of action below the waistline.
An upset stomach can be taken to mean some, any or all of the following troubles. You will see that many of these are not related to the stomach per se, but hey, it’s all connected:
- Nausea, a feeling of queasiness as if you are going to vomit.
- Churning which can come in waves.
- Vomiting, throwing up, spewing, puking, heaving or up-chucking.
- There may be belching or a feeling of unpleasant fullness.
- Pain and discomfort in the abdomen, that is anywhere between the bottom of the ribcage and the pelvis.
- The actual stomach is located in a cosy corner, tucked up under your left rib cage. Pain may be felt up here and can sometimes be mistaken for heartburn.
- An ‘upset stomach’ will more often be experienced as general abdominal pain and cramping.
There may also be
Recommended Reading: How To Clean Your Stomach In One Day
Why Does My Stomach Make Noises Whats Normal And When To Seek Help
Those rumbling and gurgling sounds from your stomach are they a sign of hunger, indigestion or something more serious? Eva Alsheik, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Henry Ford Health, frequently hears these questions from her patients.
These noises are normal, as long as they arent accompanied by other gastrointestinal symptoms, such as pain, nausea, excessive bloating, distention, diarrhea or constipation, she says.
Here Dr. Alsheik explains what causes these stomach sounds, ways to reduce stomach rumblings and minimize discomfort, and when you should see a doctor for a medical evaluation.
Make an appointment with a Henry Ford gastroenterologist or your primary care doctor today.
Does A Stomach Rumble Always Mean Hunger
The muscle contractions that cause a rumbling stomach actually happen all of the time, not just when we are hungry. However, they are more audible when the stomach or intestines are empty, as nothing but air is helping them travel around. When your stomach is empty, contractions happen about three times per minute, and usually multiple contractions occur at different places in the stomach. When it’s full, those contractions don’t stop completely, but they soften and slow down.
A couple of hours after your last meal moves out of your stomach, your stomach produces a hormone called ghrelin that signals hunger to your brain, causing the digestive system to restart peristalsis.
Not only does this trigger your body to consider where its next meal will come from, it acts as a bit of housekeeping for your insides – sweeping any remaining food and liquids down the digestive tract and into the intestines, leaving your stomach clean.
A growling gut doesn’t necessarily mean you need to eat. It can simply be a sign that your most recent meal has moved further along your digestive system.
Don’t Miss: How To Lose Stomach Fat While Sleeping
Celiac Disease And Ibs
Borborygmi may also occur in people with celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten, a protein in wheat and other grains.
In people with celiac disease, borborygmi may happen alongside other symptoms, such as nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, and bloating.
Celiac disease can have symptoms that are similar to irritable bowel syndrome . People with IBS may also report borborygmi along with symptoms like stomach pain, gas, bloating, and diarrhea or constipation.
Start Here: What’s Your Biggest Gut Problem
Your symptoms: Diarrhea and blood in your poop.
You could have an inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes ulceration and inflammation of the large intestine. You might have diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and pain, but the classic symptom is blood in the stool. “If it’s been going on for months and there’s a lot of bleedingyou’ll see blood mixed with the stool, rather than streaksit’s most likely colitis,” says gastroenterologist Lisa Ganjhu, DO, clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center. An abnormal immune system response may be involved heredity can also play a role. Mild cases may benefit from lifestyle changes, such as avoiding foods that seem to cause flare-ups and reducing stress. Research suggests that a low FODMAP diet may help some IBD patients. Most cases require prescription drugs, such as anti-inflammatories, steroids or immune suppressors. In some cases, surgery may be needed.
Your symptoms: Diarrhea , along with abdominal pain.
Your symptoms: Diarrhea , and occasional bloat. Symptoms are worse after you eat dairy.
You likely have lactose intolerance, an inability to digest the milk sugars in cow’s milk. Besides diarrhea, you may experience bloating or notice gurgling or other stomach noises after having pizza, a latte or other dairy. You’ll need to cut out dairy or take lactase enzyme pills to ease its digestion.
Recommended Reading: Why Is My Lower Stomach Hurting
Infections And Gastrointestinal Inflammation
Stomach growling can also happen due to bowel infections or inflammation, especially in people with a history of Crohns disease. In these cases, other accompanying symptoms are expected, such as pain and discomfort, malaise, nausea or diarrhea.
What to do: If gurgling combined with other symptoms emerge in the presence of intestinal infection or inflammation, proceed to the emergency department so that dehydration, nutritional deficiencies and other complications can be prevented. Additionally, its important to rest, follow a healthy diet, and use medication only if indicated by a doctor.
Stomach Gurgling And Gas
The presence of gas in your intestines is a normal digestion process, as it forms when your large intestine ferments non-digestible carbohydrates. As the gas passes in your large intestine, it creates a noise that echoes through your stomach.
However, if you notice an excessive amount of gas expulsion , you may have an underlying issue. Hyperactive bowel sounds with gas include:
- IBS: While unclear, gastroenterologists suggest that people with IBS have a diminished ability to effectively transport gas through their GI tract. This, therefore, creates an excessive build-up of gas and increased abdominal sounds.
- Ulcerative colitis: The intestinal condition causes an overgrowth of bacteria in the large intestine. This bacteria then ferments, causing hyperactive bowel sounds and gassiness as it passes through the GI tract.
- Diverticulitis: A chronic condition where small pouches grow in your GI tract, leading to excessive bowel noise and acute cramping in your abdomen due to trapped gas.
- Crohns disease: As the disease limits the small intestines ability to digest food, more bacteria are passed into the large intestine. Consequently, this creates excessive gas presence and bowel sounds.
Also Check: Does Trintellix Cause Stomach Issues
How Can I Prevent Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis can spread easily. Keep yourself, your family, and your surroundings clean to help prevent the spread of gastroenteritis:
- Wash your hands often. Use soap and water. Wash your hands after you use the bathroom, change a child’s diapers, or sneeze. Wash your hands before you prepare or eat food.
- Clean surfaces and do laundry often. Wash your clothes and towels separately from the rest of the laundry. Clean surfaces in your home with antibacterial cleaner or bleach.
- Clean food thoroughly and cook safely. Wash raw vegetables before you cook. Cook meat, fish, and eggs fully. Do not use the same dishes for raw meat as you do for other foods. Refrigerate any leftover food immediately.
- Be aware when you camp or travel. Drink only clean water. Do not drink from rivers or lakes unless you purify or boil the water first. When you travel, drink bottled water and do not add ice. Do not eat fruit that has not been peeled. Do not eat raw fish or meat that is not fully cooked.
How To Treat Stomach Pain Cramping And Diarrhea
There are many effective home remedies to help effectively treat the symptoms of stomach aches and pain that are accompanied by diarrhea.
The best kind of natural ingredients to use if you have stomach pain and diarrhea are ones that help reduce stomach spasms and soothe irritation. It is also important to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
Chamomile. Research has shown that chamomile contains anti-spasmodic properties and can help to relieve stomach pain. The benefits of chamomile also help reduce the frequency of loose stool and improve symptoms of digestive upset.27
Chamomile tea and ginger tea are just 2 herbal teas that can help improve your digestion.
When you feel that your symptoms of an upset stomach and loose stools are getting better, you should switch to a bland diet. This contains foods that are low in fiber and donât place a burden on your digestion.
At the same, you should avoid fatty or spicy foods to prevent burning bowel movements and irritation of the extra-sensitive lining of your digestive system.
For more information, please check out my article on how to naturally get rid of diarrhea based on science.
You May Like: Why Does Your Stomach Hurt When You On Your Period
Stomach Making Loud Gurgling Noises And Diarrhea: 10 Causes Explained
Our content is not intended nor recommended as a substitute for medical advice by your doctor. Use for informational purposes only.
The most likely causes of the stomach making lough gurgling noises with diarrhea include:
- Acute gastroenteritis .
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
- Lactose intolerances and other forms of food intolerance.
- Caffeine and alcoholointolerance.
- Gallbladder removal.
What Causes Stomach Gurgling
Stomach gurgling can be attributed to various causesâbut it generally means that your digestive track is doing its job! Here are some of the causes of gurgling stomach:
1. Digesting food
When consuming food, the movement of the food and fluids through the gut can be a vigorous process. Strong muscle contractions are constantly churning the food and attempting to push it through the gut. Though the gurgling sounds are normal after consuming a meal, there can be times where certain foods and drinks contribute to louder and excessive noises.
One major contributor is carbonated beverages. These beverages can increase gas in the body and contribute to loud gurgling sounds in stomach. Eating too fast or swallowing air while consuming food can also increase gas in the bowels.2. Over-activity in the gut
Increased bowel activity can lead to louder stomach gurgling sounds in the stomach and bowel. This is usually due to gastroenteritis and food poisoningâtwo conditions where the bowels are irritated.
Alcohol or even different types of medication can upset the gut. Gut over-activity is not always caused by consuming substances disease, anxiety, and psychological stress have also been known to alter bowel activity.
3. Hunger
When you hear a rumbling or growling sound in the gut, it may be your bodyâs way of reminding you that you need to eat. When youâre hungry, the stomach is put into action it begins to churn and then signals the brain that itâs time to eat.
Don’t Miss: How To Lose Stomach Bulge Fast
Avoid Food And Drink That Cause Gas
Certain food and drink produce more gas than others. If stomach growling is caused by large amounts of gas moving through the digestive tract, then avoiding these foods and drinks may solve the problem of borborygmi.
Gas-producing food and drink include:
It may be beneficial to remove one food or drink at a time to pinpoint the source of the excess gas and intestinal noises.
Noisy Abdomen / Rumbling
A noisy gut does not always mean youre hungry. There may be other reasons why your stomach is churning and gurgling. The digestive system causes belly noises, known as borborygmi when fluids or air moves around your small and large intestines.
Borborygmi Definition: The term for the gurgling or rumbling noises made by the movement of gas and fluids in the intestines. During the process called peristalsis, the small intestine and stomach muscles contract and move contents forward in your gastrointestinal tract. These gas noises in stomach can occur both when the stomach is empty and when its full.
Peristalsis Definition: A series of wave-like contraction and relaxation of stomach muscles. Two hours after the stomach contents are emptied, the brain signals the digestive muscles to begin peristalsis again. The belly noises and contractions of an empty stomach can make you hungry. A noisy gut may be louder in this case because the intestines and stomach are empty the stomach noises and pain are not muffled. Take note that you may swallow a lot of air because of eating too fast or talking while eating. This can lead you to have louder stomach rumbles after eating.
You May Like: What Is The Home Remedy For Stomach Ache
How Can I Manage My Gastroenteritis
- Drink liquids as directed. Ask your healthcare provider how much liquid to drink each day, and which liquids are best for you. You may also need to drink an oral rehydration solution . An ORS has the right amounts of sugar, salt, and minerals in water to replace body fluids.
- Eat bland foods. When you feel hungry, begin eating soft, bland foods. Examples are bananas, clear soup, potatoes, and applesauce. Do not have dairy products, alcohol, sugary drinks, or drinks with caffeine until you feel better.
- Rest as much as possible. Slowly start to do more each day when you begin to feel better.
What Is Stomach Gurgling
As mentioned, stomach gurgling refers to noises made within the intestines that commonly occur during digestion. The intestines are hollow chambers that allow food to pass through them. Because of this hollowness, we can sometimes here the food and liquid we consume passing through the intestines, much like one might here the sound of water flowing through a pipe.
Stomach gurgling sounds are usually a normal part of the digestive process. However, if you frequently here your stomach gurgling, the gurgling is occurring for a long time, or the gurgling is abnormally loud, then it might indicate that there is an issue with your digestive system.
Also Check: What Will Help An Upset Stomach
Fast Facts On Stomach Growling:
- Stomach growling occurs as food, liquid, and gas go through the stomach and small intestine.
- Stomach growling or rumbling is a normal part of digestion.
- There is nothing in the stomach to muffle these sounds so they can be noticeable.
- Among the causes are hunger, incomplete digestion, or indigestion.
There are reasons why stomach growling occurs, some of which are described here:
To help digestion
When food reaches the small intestine, the body releases enzymes to help break down the foods and to facilitate nutrient absorption. Peristalsis is a series of wave-like muscular contractions that take place to move the food along the digestive tract.
These activities, which involve the movement of gas and partially-digested foods, contribute to the growling and rumbling sounds of borborygmi.
To signal hunger
Even if no food has been consumed in the previous hours, the body will regularly undertake the process of peristalsis. The stomach and intestines will also release acid and enzymes to prepare for the ingestion of food.
The noises can persist for up to 20 minutes at a time and may recur every hour until food is consumed.
To indicate underlying issues
Sometimes, stomach growling can be linked to an underlying medical issue, particularly if accompanied by other symptoms such as pain, constipation, or diarrhea.
Issues that can cause stomach growling include:
Hunger Causes Gurgling Stomach
Hunger is one of the most common reasons for a gurgling stomach. When you havent eaten for a few hours, your gut sends signals to your brain to get your digestive system working. But, why would your stomach emit noises if it is empty?
The journal Frontiers in Pharmacology explains that the connection between your brain and gut can cause the stomach and small intestines to become more active when they are empty. This is described as the Migrating Motor Complex. The noisy contractions from your tummy could be the stomach clearing out accumulated food in the intestines to get ready for the next meal.
Gastroenterologist, Dr. Laurence Bailen, explains that the noises usually stop when you put some food in your system. This is because your digestive muscles start breaking down the food to digest it properly. Dr. Bailen recommends eating food slowly and not talking at the same time to prevent stomach gurgling during digestion.3
Don’t Miss: Why Is My Poop Green And My Stomach Hurts