Cutting down certain sugars in your diet, particularly fructose and sorbitol found in fruits and used as artificial sweeteners may help reduce borborygmi. And eating less acidic foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, and coffee may also help reduce embarrassing tummy noises.
Drinking enough water, eating slowly, eating regularly keeping snacks on hand , and avoiding overeating can also help to decrease borborygmi. When these regular sounds in the digestive tract are missing, it's called the "absence of bowel sounds. This may mean there's a problem involving the digestive tract. If a doctor listens to the abdomen with a stethoscope and doesn't hear anything, or doesn't hear what they expect to hear, they might order tests to determine whether there's something wrong.
This is especially the case if you have other symptoms, such as abdominal pain or bleeding from the rectum. If you have pain in the abdomen as well as no bowel sounds, it could be a very serious condition that requires immediate treatment. The diagnostic process will depend on what the doctor suspects is the cause, but it could include a combination of a physical exam, lab work, or imaging ultrasound , x-ray, or an MRI. After a person has abdominal surgery, a doctor will listen to the abdomen with a stethoscope.
This is to hear if the bowel has "woken up" and started to function normally again. In many cases, patients aren't allowed to eat or drink anything until borborygmi are detected. Clear liquids are then allowed, and the patient can progress to a full liquid diet. Eventually, the patient can eat solid foods. Borborygmi are the sounds that come from your GI tract. These rumbling or growling noises are a normal part of the digestion process. You can sometimes hear them as food and fluid are pushed through your GI tract.
If the noises bother you, think about changing your diet. For example, avoiding gassy foods or carbonated beverages can help. When a doctor can't hear the sounds with a stethoscope, it could signal a problem with your GI tract, especially if you have other symptoms like pain or bleeding.
While borborygmi are usually normal and natural, and even a sign of proper intestinal function, loud stomach noises can be embarrassing. When yours interrupts at an awkward moment, try to keep in mind that this happens to everyone. Most people will understand. Gas pain? Stool issues? People with chronic stomach growling should discuss the possibility of a food intolerance with their doctor. Stomach growling and other noises may become more noticeable after eating big meals, particularly meals rich in fats, sugars, red meats, and other foods that may be hard to digest.
Eating smaller portions at more regular intervals, along with thoroughly chewing food during meals, reduces the risk of overeating. Going for a walk after meals has been proven to aid the digestive process by speeding up the rate at which the stomach empties.
This faster emptying can reduce stomach rumbling. A post-meal walk can also benefit digestion in other ways. Research indicates that a minute walk 15 minutes after eating lowers blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. However, high-intensity activities should be avoided immediately after eating. Stomach growling can be more apparent during certain stressful situations, such as job interviews, presentations, and tests.
This is because gut activity increases during periods of anxiety , regardless of whether the stomach is full or empty. Being stressed is also known to slow down digestion and contribute to symptoms of indigestion, including heartburn and stomach noises.
People can reduce levels of anxiety and stress by meditating, practicing deep breathing exercises, and using progressive muscle relaxation techniques. More serious underlying disease processes, such as infection or intestinal blockage, are possible causes of borborygmi.
Hence, if stomach rumbling is bothersome and associated with others signs or symptoms, it is important to see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. IBS can also frequently be at the root of stomach growling and addressing this underlying condition may be the only way to reduce these sounds. Though normal, stomach growling can be tempered by taking certain steps that include eating regularly, avoiding problematic foods, and managing anxiety.
It is important to see a doctor if stomach growling is a regular occurrence, especially if accompanied by other symptoms, as this can be a sign of a gastrointestinal infection or a more serious condition.
Many people experience hunger pangs also called hunger pains even when they do not need food. Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. See Subscription Options. Go Paperless with Digital. Mark A. Andrews, associate professor of physiology and associate director of the Independent Study program at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, provides the following explanation.
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