Stomach Noises: 5 Main Causes And What To Do
Stomach noises are normal and most of the time happen after a meal. This is because after eating, the walls of the digestive system need to contract to allow foods to pass from the stomach to the intestines, which leads to stomach gurgling.
Besides that, stomach noises can also be a clear sign of hunger, since the increase in the levels of the hormone responsible for the hunger sensation can also cause the intestines and stomach to contract, resulting in stomach noises.
However, when stomach gurgling comes with other symptoms such as pain or increase of the abdomen, it can also indicate some health problems such as infections, inflammations, or constipation. In these cases, it is important to visit the doctor to identify the cause and start adequate treatment.
The main causes of stomach noises are:
Could This Be Bowel / Stomach Cancer
Hi all
In about December my stomach started playing up, i had one day of diarrhoea;that did go quickly. ;Anyways since then all day every day my stomach has been making loud and i mean loud gurgling / rumbling noises. ;Everyone around me can hear them and its worse after i have eaten but they are there all the time.
Before Christmas i did go and see a GP she was very dismissive and although she did a physical check of my stomach bascially sent me on my way and made me feel like i had waisted her time.
So on to today..the noises are still there louder than ever and show no sign of going away. ;I am going to make an appointment with my GP but waiting times are about a week, I am 41 year old male by the way.
Could this be a sign i have bowel / Stomach Cancer? Dr google is freaking me out and i am conviced i now have that.
Thanks for any input
Hello Chris and welcome to Cancer Chat!
Im sorry you are feeling poorly and dismissed by the GP you saw before Christmas. Have you managed to book an appointment with your GP after that?
Looking up things on Dr Google is something we all do from time to;time, but;at least in my experience the more we;do the;more we worry so try to refrain from doing so if you can.
As for the question you ask, if you feel like speaking to someone on the phone you can give our cancer nurses a call, they are available Monday – Friday between 9a.m – 5p.m on 0808 800 4040, this phone number is free of charge from a UK landline.
Best wishes,
Causes Of Stomach Gurgling
Hunger:;Sometimes, stomach gurgles are your bodys way of telling you its time to eat. These stomach gurgles can be louder if you dont consume food but fill yourself with coffee or alcohol. When your stomach speaks, its important that you listen.
Intestinal disorders:;Conditions like;irritable bowel syndrome;could cause stomach gurgling. You may also experience accompanying symptoms like;abdominal pain.
Lack of sleep:;When you dont sleep, your body becomes stressed, which can trigger overeating and an increase in stomach gurgling.
Nervousness:;When were anxious;or nervous, we experience what is known as butterflies in the stomach. Well, those butterflies can also cause your stomach to get noisier, contributing to gurgling.
Food intolerance:;When a person is intolerant to a certain food for example, dairy your stomach becomes more distressed, which triggers gurgling. You may also notice the accompanying gas or pain when you consume a food that your body cant process.
Sedentary lifestyle:;Regular exercise and activity boosts digestion, and lack of exercise can cause a sluggish digestion and slower intestinal motility, which can result in;constipation.
Carbonated drinks and fast food:;Carbonated beverages and fast food combined can increase;stomach distress;along with gas and acid production. The high-fat food coupled with carbonated beverages leads to indigestion, heartburn, and stomach gurgling after eating.
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Explained: The Link Between Stress And Stomach Problems
If you are experiencing stomach problems, then you may also be feeling stressed. When we experience high levels of stress, our gut also feels this stress. Stress and anxiety have been linked to chronic health problems such as heart disease, depression, and obesity. There is also a connection between stomach gurgling and bloating, constipation, and stomach pain. Further symptoms of stress induced stomach gurgling include:
- Bad Bacteria Grows, Good Bacteria Dies
- Leaky Gut
- Reduced production of Serotonin
If your stomach gurgling is a symptom of stress, there are many things you can do to change your behavior and response to stress. In general, most of us will often respond to stressful events in a poor way. We will wait and hope that the source of our stress goes away by itself, excessively shop, drink alcohol, treat ourselves to something we want, or gamble. As a result, we then experience more stress and get stuck in a vicious circle.
There are far better ways to handle stress, including:
- Meditation
- Remove the Source of Stress
- List Ways to Solve the Problem
Learn these 3 simple steps to boost digestive health in the morning from BIOHM Health:
How do you manage stomach disturbances? Are you experiencing persistent stomach growling after eating? Lets talk about gut health in the comments below.;Up Next:
What You Can Do About A Noisy Tummy
There is no specific treatment for a noisy movement of fluid and gas in the GI tract. Loud bowel sounds may occur with changes of intestinal function. Common conditions causing this are dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome . Dyspepsia is a condition with indigestion and upper abdominal discomfort. IBS is a common GI condition characterized by changes in bowel habits and abdominal pain or discomfort.
Dietary adjustment may help if you have a malabsorption issue . It may also be helpful to change a diet high in fructose or the artificial sweetener sorbitol. These sweeteners are commonly present in diet gums, candies, and preserves. High amounts of these sugars may cause diarrhea, flatus, and increased intestinal noise. Flatus is gas occurring in the intestines or stomach
Bowel sounds are normal. But if you feel that your bowels noises are interfering with your enjoyment of life, you should discuss the problem with your healthcare provider.
Adapted from IFFGD publication #234 A Noisy Tummy: What Does it Mean? By: Darren Brenner, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Northwestern University Adapted from article by: W. Grant Thompson, M.D., Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Edited by: Lin Chang, M.D., UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles
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Why Does My Stomach Grumble
Stomach grumbling, known as borborygmus, is the sound of gas or food particles moving through your digestive tract.
When you eat, your intestines move food and liquid along by contracting and relaxing, a process known as peristalsis. Once the food has been digested, your intestines continue to move air along your digestive tract, creating rumbling sounds.
Stomach grumbles simply mean that you havent eaten in a while. Your intestines are always working to move food and air through your body. Youre more likely to hear sounds when youre hungry because theres no food in the intestines to muffle the noise.
So there you have itwhen you hear stomach grumbles, it just means that there is no food being digested. If you feel hungry, go ahead and enjoy a meal or snack, but just because your stomach is making its presence known does not mean that your body needs a large meal. Listen to your hunger, and eat what you need to feel satisfied.
Once you eat something, youll notice the sounds start to quiet down. Even just a quick snack or small meal could be enough to quiet your gurgles.
Its important to note that a constant rumbling sound may mean that youre experiencing a chronic gastrointestinal condition such as irritable bowel syndrome. If you also notice frequent bloating, constipation or diarrhea along with the gurgling sound, talk with your doctor.
Eating For A Healthy Gut
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Stomach Rumbling And Food Intolerance
Rumbling noises are completely natural and usually nothing to worry about. Therefore there is no need for the majority of people to cut food groups out of their diet. However, for some individuals, incomplete digestion of food can lead to excess gas in the intestine, which may be a contributing factor to borborygmi.
Often this may be due to incomplete digestion of carbohydrate-containing foods, including:
- Milk and other dairy products
- Gluten – protein in wheat, barley and rye
- Certain fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes
- High-fibre whole grains
Avoiding foods that you have identified as triggering your symptoms before important work or social events may therefore help reduce embarrassment.
How To Stop Stomach Rumbling
While a rumbling stomach is perfectly natural, it can of course be a tad embarrassing. As everybody experiences it, its an easy one to laugh off, but if youd like to reduce the gurgles, there are a few things you can try with may help:
Take time over your food, eat more mindfully and chew your food well.
Avoid using straws, which can cause you to swallow more air.
As hunger can initiate stomach rumbling and make it louder, try eating smaller meals or snacks more regularly.
Slowly sipping on a glass of water to help fill the stomach may also be helpful.
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Causes Of Stomach Rumbling
Bowel sounds that accompany digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome , or other symptoms such as bloating, excess gas, diarrhoea, constipation, reflux, food intolerances or feelings of fullness, may need to be investigated by a healthcare practitioner, in order to rule out any more serious underlying causes.
If no serious causes are identified then you can focus on optimising your diet to reduce symptoms, you may wish to consider working with a registered nutrition practitioner.
If you are suffering from any of the symptoms listed below, the following advice may help:
Bloating
Stomach bloating can often be a sign of an imbalance in the micro-organisms in the gut. Generally speaking, more beneficial species produce a lot less gas when fermenting fibre, whereas more pathogenic, unfriendly species produce a lot more gas.
Supporting a healthy microbial balance by regularly consuming traditionally fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, live yoghurt and miso, is recommended.
Bloating may also indicate sub-optimal levels of digestive enzymes or stomach acid needed to properly digest foods. To increase levels naturally, concentrate on mindful eating and reducing stress levels.
Irritable bowel syndrome
Constipation
Diarrhoea
: 01-10-19
A Stomach Rumble Dont Always Mean Hunger
When the stomach hasnt had food our Migrating Motor Complex gets to work.
This is your internal intestinal housekeeper which sweeps away debris from the insides of the small intestine, but it only kicks in when you havent eaten for around 2 hours. When your tummy rumbles and your digestive tract is empty the sounds will be louder.
This action of the MMC can make a bit of gurgling and doesnt necessarily indicate hunger.
Notice whether you feel hungry and eat if you do!
Malabsorption of food can lead to stomach rumbling
If you dont break down your food effectively then excess gas can be created which may be accompanied by bloating, pain or cramps. This is often down to partially broken down carbohydrates or sugars.
People with IBS typically have issues with breaking down foods and so have increased gas, bloating and water in the bowel.
- People sensitive to sugars, like fructose, or sweeteners like sorbitol / xylitol, or those with lactose intolerance may experience gurgling stomach noises.
- Beans commonly cause excess gas which can be linked to a noisy rumble.
Stomach rumbling and IBS
People with IBS often experience more stomach rumbles than other people, which can be embarrassing.
A noisy digestion is a common occurrence in SIBO where bacteria are fermenting foods in the small intestine causing excess gas and bloating.
Certain foods increase stomach rumbles
Alcohol, fizzy drinks, veg like cabbage, or sprouts can lead to gurgling in some people.
I can help you to:
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What Should I Do If I Have Gas In My Stomach
Keep a food journal to identify foods that trigger gas. Write down everything you eat and drink, and then make a note of any gas symptoms. Next, eliminate certain foods from your diet one by one to see if gas improves, and then gradually reintroduce these foods one at a time. You can also prevent gas by swallowing less air.
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Surgeon Response To Loud Stomach Growling After Gastric Bypass
Dottie,
The symptoms which you are describing are quite common in all people, even those who haven’t undergone bariatric surgery!
However, as you describe your symptoms as being quite severe and dating to the time of your procedure, they may be related to a partial small bowel obstruction.
This may cause fluids behind the partial obstruction to ‘back up’ and then ‘squirt through’ the area of partial obstruction creating the discomforting gurgling sounds that you describe.
One investigation which you could consider would be do undergo an abdominal/pelvic CT scan to look for dilated small intestinal segments. Alternatively, an upper gastrointestinal fluoroscopic study may identify an area of partial obstruction.
If an obstruction is identified, surgical repair may address your symptoms.
In the absence of a mechanical cause of your symptoms, you may find that certain foods exacerbate the problem and you may find some relief with avoidance of those foods.
Similarly, anti-gas medications such as Simethicone may be of some benefit to you.
John Rabkin,
DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the details provided. The above should never replace the advice of your local physicians as they have the ability to evaluate you in person.
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Abdominal Sounds And Medical Emergencies
If you have signs of a medical emergency, such as bleeding, bowel damage, or severe obstruction, youll need to be admitted to the hospital for treatment.
For some people, receiving fluids by vein and allowing the intestinal system to rest will be enough to treat the problem. Other people may need surgery.
For example, if you have a serious infection or injury to your intestines or if the intestines are found to be completely blocked, you may need surgery to correct the problem and treat any damage.
Growling Belly Why Your Stomach Rumbles And How To Stop It
In social situations, theres nothing worse than your stomach doing the talking for you.
The grunting, growling, egregious sounds emanating from the human belly are letting you and sometimes everyone around you know that its time for you to eat.
But maybe you really dont need a sandwich or a slice. Thats because a gurgling belly doesnt always mean its time for lunch.
The noise you, and potentially everyone else is hearing, is perfectly normal, but it isnt always related to the need for food, or even your stomach, says gastroenterologist Dr. Patricia Raymond, Assistant Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
That so-called stomach growl we attribute solely to our bellies also comes from our intestines, specifically the some 20 feet of small intestine.
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Tests For Growling Stomach
Once you contact your physician with other symptoms accompanying growling stomach, he or she may be required to perform several tests to help diagnose the underlying cause. To begin with, the doctor may review your medical history, ask a few questions related to the symptoms and listen to any abnormal bowel sounds using a stethoscope.
The doctor may also perform other tests that include:
- Auscultation
- A CT scan of the abdominal area
- Endescopy-a test that captures pictures inside the abdomen
- Blood tests- blood tests are done to rule out infections.
Once the doctor has completed the tests, you will be given prescriptions for the diagnosed conditions. The medications should help ease your symptoms and also reduce stomach growling.
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
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