What does stomach gurgling mean

This process is called peristalsis. Peristalsis is generally responsible for the rumbling sound you hear after eating. Hypoactive, or reduced, bowel sounds often indicate that intestinal activity has slowed down. On the other hand, hyperactive bowel sounds are louder sounds related to increased intestinal activity. These can occur after eating or when you have diarrhea.

While occasional hypoactive and hyperactive bowel sounds are normal, frequent experiences on either end of the spectrum and the presence of other abnormal symptoms may indicate a medical problem. Abdominal sounds alone are not usually a cause for concern. However, the presence of other symptoms that accompany the sounds may indicate an underlying health issue. These symptoms may include:. For instance:. If the sounds are accompanied by a bloated, gassy feeling in your stomach, you may want to limit your intake of foods that can produce more gas.

These include:. Avoid dairy if you have lactose intolerance. Swallowing air by eating too quickly, drinking through a straw, or chewing gum can also lead to excess air in your digestive tract. If your stomach noises are causing you a bit of stress, a good thing to keep in mind is that most of these sounds can only be heard by you! Most other people are unaware of them or unconcerned and definitely experience them as well. After your doctor talks to you about your family medical history and asks a few questions about the frequency and severity of your symptoms, they will most likely use a stethoscope to listen for any abnormal bowel sounds.

In the latter case, receptors in the walls of the stomach sense the absence of food, causing a reflex generation of waves of electrical activity migrating myoelectric complexes, or MMCs in the enteric nervous system.

These MMCs travel along the stomach and small intestines and lead to hunger contractions. Such hunger contractions start in the antrum, or lower region, of the stomach and propagate along the entire length of the gut, sweeping to the terminal ileum.

They clear out any and all stomach contentsincluding mucus, remaining foodstuffs and bacteriaand keep them from accumulating at any one site.

The contractions also produce vibrations and the rumbling noise associated with hunger. Hunger contractions may continue for 10 to 20 minutes once initiated, and then repeat every one to two hours until the next meal is ingested. These are not the same as hunger pangs, which start 12 to 24 hours after the last meal and may continue for a few days before gradually subsiding.

It is possible such pangs are important in the hunger sensation that drives animals to eat. Low blood sugar enhances this activity, which can also be induced using an intravenous infusion of the hormone motilin. After feeding, the MMCs subside. The water will do two things: It can improve digestion and simultaneously fill your stomach to soothe some of the hunger reactions.

As a precautionary note, you should be drinking water consistently through the day. If you chug it all at once, you may end up with a gurgling sound instead of the growling. If your stomach always seems to growl at that 9 a. This will actually help you digest food better, which can prevent stomach grumbling. This is another solution for chronic stomach growling. Many people actually benefit from eating four to six small meals a day instead of three large ones. This improves digestion and metabolism , prevents grumbling during digestion, and helps prevent you from being hungry which in turn prevents hunger growling.

This can make digestion much easier. Some foods are more likely to cause gas and indigestion. Foods and drinks with high acidity can contribute to the grumbling noise, so reducing them in your diet can help prevent it.

This includes foods like citrus, tomatoes, and some sodas. This also includes coffee. Limiting or eliminating your morning coffee could help reduce stomach growling that happens a few hours later. Instead, try a cup of caffeinated tea. Walking after a meal helps digestion, moving food through your stomach and intestines efficiently.

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? Sign up for the best tips to take care of your stomach. International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders. A noisy tummy: what does it mean? Updated October 2, Cleveland Clinic. Updated October 25, Bowel sounds identification and migrating motor complex detection with low-cost piezoelectric acoustic sensing device.

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