Stomach gurgling noise creates embarrassment for the person when he remains in his office or other public places like restaurants etc. Anyone sitting near you in the restaurant can clearly hear the stomach noise putting you in awkward position.
Symptoms :
In medical terms stomach gurgling is known as borborygmus meaning rumbling noise of stomach. Actually gurgling stomach is a clear sign to prove that your stomach is healthy. Some of the symptoms of gurgling stomach are bloating or fullness of stomach, release of gas, and sudden cramps on the stomach. Very rarely there may be diarrhea accompanied by gurgling stomach.
Causes :
There are many possible reasons for gurgling of stomach. Some of them are given below:
Hunger :
Whether you eat or not, your stomach prepares itself for receiving food for every 3-4 hours. Stomach releases gastric juices to indicate that you are hungry. Producing intermittent noise from the stomach is a clear sign of feeling hungry. It is unhealthy habit to skip breakfast or lunch while dieting which can cause stomach growling.
For some people there will be hunger pains which will subside only after the person eats something. Making of noise by the stomach is because of certain hormones which prompt the nerves sending signals to the brain that you are feeling hungry. Noise will be made when the stomach or intestine makes repeated muscle contractions in the lining of digestive system.
You should not feed the hunger drive by taking tea or coffee which in turn may produce excessive stomach gurgling.
Disorders in the Intestine :
Gurgling sound of stomach can happen if someone eats full wherein the stomach is filled with excess of food. This causes disorders on the intestine resulting in irritable bowel syndrome. Excess of noise made by the stomach for long time is also a sign of stomach upset.
Lack of Sleep :
Every person needs to sleep at least for 6-7 hours a day. But nowadays due to commitment to profession and unhealthy habits of watching television and working on internet has forced many people to sleep only for 3 hours or even less. This can cause digestion problems leading to stomach gurgling.
Nervous Disorder :
If you are worried or anxious your nerves will send instant signals to the stomach causing gurgling sound. Nervousness is closely associated with psychological state of mind and hence a person who is deeply upset or highly anxious will have stomach problems and gurgling sound.
Food intolerance :
Consuming certain allergic food items can cause stomach upset and heavy noises. Allergic foods will certainly make the process of digestion difficult causing stomach irritation and gurgling noise. For instance if dairy products are not tolerated by your stomach you should avoid taking it, failing which you may end up in poor digestion and stomach upset.
Sedentary lifestyle :
Not doing any exercise will create a negative impact on your weight and physical tolerance. You are likely to get indigestion problems added with bloated stomach and gas making huge noise.
Unhealthy Food Habits :
Drinking carbonated beverages or consuming fast foods can cause stomach gurgling since they are not easy to digest. Similarly when you eat fast without chewing or including saliva with food it cause stomach noise. The process of digestion is easy when you eat slowly after chewing the food properly.
GERD :
Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which various stomach enzymes and acids are forced into the food pipe causing burning sensation and stomach gurgling. Medications are available to control this condition and the person should opt for frequent small meals instead of having three course full-meals.
Muscle Contraction :
The stomach is always full of action except while you are asleep. The muscles of the stomach contract to push the food forward into the intestine which can cause gurgling noise. Hearing gurgling sound is quite normal if it is not loud noise since it occurs due to the process of digestion and muscle contraction. Whenever you hear some gurgling sound from the stomach it denotes that the stomach is doing its job rightly.
Only concern about the gurgling stomach is the embarrassment caused to the person due to unpleasant noise.
Treatment :
The best way to prevent gurgling noise from the stomach is to eat small frequent meals. The stomach should not be kept full which slows down the mechanism of digestion. Do not skip breakfast or lunch and one should not leave the stomach empty for long period. In case you become anxious or worried it can cause stomach noise and hence you should practice yoga or other techniques or avoid stressful situations.
Reduce or avoid the intake of carbonated beverages; instead drink plenty of water. Eat the food slowly after chewing it properly. In case you are bothered about the alarming noise from the stomach frequently you can consult your doctor to know the underlying cause and get it treated.