A growling stomach doesn’t necessarily mean you’re hungry; it could be a warning from your body…

Friends

There must have been such a situation.

You cannot eat during mealtimes during class or work

Your stomach will make a "gurgling" sound

Totally out of control

Sometimes the stomach growls because we are hungry and have not eaten in time, but there are also many times when we are not hungry, but the stomach still makes a "gurgling" sound, which makes people uneasy and even affects their normal life. So, how does this sound come out?

Today we will study:

Why does your stomach growl?

In what situations should we be alert to the "cooing"?

How can I improve my stomach that is always growling?

Your stomach is growling

The scientific name for the "gurgling" sound of the stomach is bowel sounds . Generally speaking, when the intestines move, the gas and liquid in the intestines will also flow, producing a "gurgling" sound, forming bowel sounds.

A normal person will have 4 to 5 bowel sounds per minute. The sounds are weak and gentle, and we usually cannot hear them ourselves, but some thin people and those who are extremely sensitive to sounds can hear them.

In addition, some people will hear clear bowel sounds when they are hungry or have diarrhea . This is because intestinal peristalsis is very frequent at this time, so the probability of hearing it is higher. This is a very normal physiological reaction.

When people are hungry, their stomachs growl. This is mainly because the residual food and liquid in the stomach squeeze out the air when the stomach contracts violently. In fact, when you are not hungry, the process of digesting food will also make a sound, but it is weak and difficult for human ears to distinguish, but you can hear it with a stethoscope.

In addition to the normal stomach growling when you are hungry, sometimes the stomach growling may be a sign of abnormality in the digestive system . For example, staying in an air-conditioned room for a long time in summer may cause the stomach and intestines to catch cold, inhale more cold air, and cause persistent intestinal sounds.

The growling stomach may also be caused by the imbalance of the gastrointestinal flora , which causes various bacteria to ferment in the intestines and produce gases such as carbon dioxide. At this time, not only will the stomach "grumble", but it may also be accompanied by farting and excretion.

In addition, indigestion, flatulence, and digestive disorders may also be accompanied by stomach growling, bloating, and increased anal gas. In this case, you may need to improve your diet, eat more fruits and vegetables and other foods rich in dietary fiber, and take medication if necessary to help the digestive system return to normal.

If we only hear bowel sounds in our stomach and don’t have any other discomfort, we don’t need to worry too much about it. But if the bowel sounds become louder and more frequent, we need to be alert.

Pay attention to these types of "cooing"

The following situations will not only cause your stomach to growl, but may also cause uncomfortable symptoms such as painful abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and bloody stools . Once these situations occur, you need to go to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment in time!

1. Acute gastroenteritis

The frequency and sound of bowel sounds increase, and with the appearance of bowel sounds, you will feel that your intestines are moving. Experts say this is more common in diseases with frequent diarrhea, such as acute enteritis and bacillary dysentery.

2. Gastrointestinal bleeding

When there is severe gastrointestinal bleeding, the intestinal flora will break down and digest the blood. The blood contains a large amount of protein and will produce more gas.

3. Intestinal dysfunction

The main reasons are intestinal allergies or spasms, bile duct diseases and the inability to absorb lactose. If the lactase that digests lactose is lacking, it will lead to digestion and absorption disorders of drinking milk and dairy products, and the undigested lactose will be fermented by intestinal flora, resulting in bloating.

4. Intestinal obstruction

If the number of bowel sounds increases significantly, reaching more than 10 times per minute, and the sound is loud and high-pitched, or even jingling or metallic sounds occur, it means that the intestines are not expelling gas smoothly and intestinal obstruction may exist.

Acute and chronic intestinal obstruction can easily cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, and inability to defecate. It may also lead to intestinal tissue spasm, paralysis, ischemia, and even necrosis.

Acute intestinal obstruction is a common surgical acute abdomen. If acute complete strangulated intestinal obstruction occurs, the disease progresses rapidly and may be life-threatening .

So is it normal if your stomach doesn't growl at all? Of course not.

When intestinal motility weakens, bowel sounds also weaken, which is common in long-term intestinal obstruction, electrolyte imbalance (hypokalemia), senile constipation, peritonitis, and gastrointestinal hypomotility.

If no bowel sounds are heard after 2 minutes of auscultation of the abdomen with a stethoscope, or if no bowel sounds are heard after tapping or tapping the abdominal wall, it is considered that the bowel sounds have disappeared and treatment is needed as soon as possible to avoid delaying treatment .

How to relieve

1. Determine the cause and seek timely diagnosis and treatment

Determine the reason for your "cooing". If it is caused by any of the above diseases, go to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.

2. Chew slowly and talk less while eating

When we eat, air also enters the gastrointestinal tract. Talking while eating can easily lead to swallowing too much air, causing increased gastrointestinal gas and frequent bowel sounds.

It is recommended to chew slowly and talk less when eating to avoid inhaling large amounts of air.

3. Eat less gas-producing foods

People with poor digestion should eat less foods that easily produce gas, such as soy products, high-fiber foods, onions, sweet potatoes, carbonated drinks and other foods high in sugar, to avoid excessive gas production during the digestion process and increase the frequency of bowel sounds.

Eat more steamed or stewed food with less oil and salt; at the same time, avoid overeating, follow the principle of "eight-point full at each meal" to reduce the burden on the stomach and intestines .

4. People with lactose intolerance should pay attention to their diet

If you are lactose intolerant, try to avoid drinking milk and dairy products . You can drink some yogurt to increase the number of probiotics in the intestines and avoid fermentation and gas production by intestinal flora.

5. Don’t hold your breath

If you have bloating in your intestines, don't hold it in, because if you don't expel the gas, it will not only produce a "gurgling sound", but the harmful substances such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, indoles, etc. in it may be reabsorbed and cause harm to the human body.