Why does your stomach growl?

Here is why your stomach makes those funny sounds that embarrasses you.

Debjani Arora | Updated: September 1, 2015 10:00 pm

It isn’t as embarrassing as farting, but if your stomach makes those funny noises often, it could make you as well as others around you equally uncomfortable. Generally, these sounds are inaudible most of the time and heard by those who experience it first-hand. However, there can be certain situations when the sound can be loud enough for others to hear. While it might not be a medical emergency, here is what your stomach is up to when it growls. Here are 10 symptoms of stomach cancer that you should know about.

Sounds of your belly

Here are few reasons why you hear such sounds from your stomach:

Digestion: The process of digestion is complex and complicated. After you swallow your food, the intestine takes its own time to process it and help in nutrient absorption. The intestine moves rhythmically contracting and relaxing while mixing the food with enzymes and hormones secreted by it. When the semi-digested food moves from large intestine to small intestine it might make a noise while passing making your stomach growl. Here are nine home remedies for better digestion.

Bloating and gas: Sometimes you swallow a lot of air with your food which is normal. This air could be responsible for a little grumbling due to all the movement happening inside along with the semi-digested food. Here are 10 reasons for bloating you need to know.

Hunger: Some theories also suggest that hunger triggers the brain to secrete certain hormones which initiate the desire to eat. This makes the muscles in the stomach contract and relax that could be a possible reason for the noises. Here are seven real reasons why you feel hungry all the time.

What the sounds say

Stomach growls can be differentiated in two distinct categories:

Hypoactive bowel sounds: These are low intensity, inaudible sounds that indicate that the function of the intestine has gone slow.

Hyperactive bowel sounds: They are the loud noises which can also be heard by other people and indicate that the intestine is functioning smoothly.

When to worry

Both hypoactive and hyperactive bowel sounds don’t indicate a medical problem at its onset. However, frequent experience of these episodes should make you visit your general practitioner for a through check-up. Frequent bowel sounds could mean an underlying condition such as:

Irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease
Hernia
Trauma, infection or tumours
Bleeding in digestive track
Food allergies
Blood clots or ulcers

While these could be some of the reasons for your stomach to growl, you should be more worried if you experience the following symptoms along with the noises:

Excess gas, nausea and vomiting
Frequent diarrhoea, constipation and bloody stool
Heartburn that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter treatments
Sudden weight loss
Feelings full without having a complete meal

Stomach growls with these symptoms could be indicative of a serious health crisis that might need medical attention.

Image source: Getty Images

Published: September 1, 2015 5:46 pm | Updated:September 1, 2015 10:00 pm

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