“Noise and din” in the stomach: what could be the reason for the seething and heaviness after eating and how to treat it?

There are times when our stomachs growl and we wonder why this is happening? While this sound isn't as socially stigmatized as, say, gas, when your stomach starts acting like a whale in the middle of a meeting or date, it's not very pleasant.

Loud rumbling in the stomach causes a person a lot of discomfort and trouble. The noisy digestive process makes itself felt at the wrong moment, especially often during times of psychological stress. This usually happens when you need to focus your efforts on an important task - an important exam, a presentation, a speech at a work meeting.

What is a rumbling stomach?

Bubbling or rumbling, not aggravated by additional manifestations, is a normal physiological process in which the intestinal muscles contract when gases or water are present.

Sounds of this nature are made constantly. However, in a healthy digestive tract, they are practically inaudible.

If the rumbling is strong, then this indicates a significant accumulation of gases, which is already a consequence of improper functioning of the intestines or other organs of the gastrointestinal tract, which provoke such a malfunction.

Seven signs you have irritable bowel syndrome

Imagine the situation: there are unpleasant symptoms, but a medical examination shows that there is no problem. This is what affects the 6 to 18% of people worldwide who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (1).

Abdominal pain

The cause of pain in the syndrome, which is not accompanied by any significant changes in the digestive tract, is problems with the transmission of signals from the intestines to the brain and back. The coordinated functioning of the digestive tract depends on their coordination. When there is interference in the brain-gut signaling pathway, pain occurs. With IBS, it usually appears in the lower abdomen, and after bowel movement it is significantly relieved.

How to make it easier?

A diet based on limiting the consumption of certain fruits, vegetables, sweets, milk and dairy products, legumes, and flour helps reduce pain in IBS. In addition, the doctor may recommend antispasmodic drugs that specifically relieve pain in the intestines.

Diarrhea or constipation

Impaired intestinal motility that occurs with IBS leads to changes in stool, and in different directions. In approximately 1/3 of cases, the syndrome is accompanied by weakness (2), or simply diarrhea. As a rule, this increases the frequency of trips to the toilet, according to some data, at least twice as much as normal (3). Another trouble is that the urge can arise suddenly, like a bolt from the blue.

Much more often, with IBS, the intestines contract too slowly, and much more fluid is absorbed from its contents than necessary, which leads to constipation. In such cases, the frequency of bowel movements is less than three times a week. Even when a long-awaited event occurs, it often does not bring relief - IBS is characterized by a feeling of incomplete relief. Sometimes constipation alternates with diarrhea.

How to make it easier?

For diarrhea, your doctor may prescribe antidiarrheal medications. To combat constipation, it is important to drink plenty of fluids, eat foods rich in fiber, and, if the problem persists, use laxatives.

Flatulence

Due to poor digestion in IBS, too much gas is produced in the intestines. As they accumulate, they cause discomfort: many patients consider bloating to be one of the most persistent and painful symptoms of the disease. Flatulence is also becoming the most common manifestation of irritable bowel syndrome, especially in women with a predominance of constipation or a mixed type, when the latter alternates with diarrhea (3).

How to make it easier?

Diet helps reduce the severity of bloating, in particular, reducing the proportion of fruits and vegetables, legumes and other foods in the diet that stimulate gas formation in the intestines. To alleviate the condition of already existing flatulence, drugs that have a so-called carminative effect help: they reduce the surface tension of gas bubbles formed in the intestines, which leads to their rupture. The gas itself is successfully absorbed by the intestinal walls or excreted naturally.

Intolerance to certain foods

In the vast majority of cases, manifestations of IBS are associated with errors in diet. Scientists today do not know why certain foods contribute to the exacerbation of the disease. Obviously, food intolerance has nothing to do with allergies and does not, in fact, cause indigestion, but only becomes a “trigger” of the syndrome. It’s interesting that everyone has their own trigger foods, but there are also some patterns. Pastries and cakes, peas and beans, cabbage and plums, and many other gas-inducing foods that contain lactose or gluten can cause a flare-up of IBS.

How to make it easier?

The only solution to this problem is to identify trigger foods and reduce their share in the diet.

Fatigue and sleep problems

In approximately half of cases, IBS is accompanied by fatigue (4), low endurance, which limits opportunities both at work and in everyday life, and the more difficult it is to cope with stress, the more pronounced the symptoms of the disease can be. At the same time, it is not always possible to have a good rest and sleep: difficulty falling asleep and waking up is another characteristic symptom of IBS. By the way, if you spend half the night trying to sleep, it is likely that the next day the troubles will be compounded by an exacerbation of characteristic intestinal problems.

How to make it easier?

If fatigue and insomnia due to IBS are your case, most likely you will have a hard time without the help of a competent neurologist.

Anxiety and depression

It is still unclear what comes first: the symptoms of IBS, which lead to emotional distress, or, on the contrary, stress, which triggers intestinal dysfunction. However, it is clear that those who suffer from IBS are 50% more likely to have an anxiety disorder and 70% more likely to have mood disorders such as depression than those with normal bowel function (5). These are such serious numbers that every person experiencing IBS should carefully monitor their psycho-emotional state and if, for example, depressed mood, loss of self-confidence, unreasonable feelings of guilt, mood swings, or anxiety appear, immediately consult a psychiatrist.

How to make it easier?

In this situation, it is better not to rely on the help of “folk methods” for improving mood - they can only aggravate the condition. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, which should be prescribed by a doctor, can provide real help.

Sources:

1. Sperber AD et al. The global prevalence of IBS in adults remains elusive due to the heterogeneity of studies: a Rome Foundation working team literature review // Gut. — 2017; 66(6):1075–1082.
2. Camilleri M. Intestinal Secretory Mechanisms in Irritable Bowel Syndrome–Diarrhea // Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. — 2015; 13(6):1051–1057.
3. Portincasa P. et al. Pan-enteric dysmotility, impaired quality of life and alexithymia in a large group of patients meeting ROME II criteria for irritable bowel syndrome // World journal of gastroenterology. - 2003; 9 (10): 2293.
4. Han CJ, Yang GS Fatigue in irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of pooled frequency and severity of fatigue // Asian Nursing Research. - 2016; 10 (1): 1–10.
5. Janssens KAM et al. Mood and anxiety disorders in chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome: results from the LifeLines cohort study // Psychosomatic medicine. — 2015; 77(4):449–457.

Marina Pozdeeva, pharmacist, medical journalist
Photo depositphotos.com The author’s opinion may not coincide with the opinion of the editors

Why does your stomach growl: reasons

Too active peristalsis of the stomach and intestines can be a warning sign. Let's figure out why your stomach is rumbling.

Hunger and rumbling in the stomach are eternal companions

When the stomach feels “as if empty,” a person always hears its rumbling. This phenomenon occurs due to the migrating motor complex. This process develops if food has not entered the stomach for 2 or more hours.

Against the background of this phenomenon, loud sounds arise. For the functioning of the digestive system, the migrating motor complex is a common phenomenon. With its help, the intestines and stomach are cleansed. Sometimes the motor complex may not work well enough, so a person experiences nausea and pain in the abdomen.

Dysbacteriosis

Sounds that confuse you may indicate an intestinal disorder and a deficiency of beneficial bacteria. Dysbacteriosis, in turn, appears for various reasons, including due to uncontrolled use of antibiotics, poor diet and stress.

Binge eating

Sometimes after eating your stomach rumbles even with a moderate diet, but if you overeat, the rumble will be much stronger. Excess food overloads the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to impaired peristalsis.

How does this happen?

Seething in the stomach can appear from drinking a large amount of liquid or the formation of gases from carbonated drinks. In addition, if you drink a glass of ice water on an empty stomach, it may begin to actively contract, which will also lead to rumbling in the stomach.

With every meal we swallow air and, if there is a lot of it in the stomach, we can also hear bubbling. It’s unpleasant when added to this is heaviness in the stomach. Bubbling, rumbling and heaviness may appear after eating in certain situations.

• Large meals . When you relax at dinner and lose your vigilance, it is so easy to eat too much. You don’t want to strain your willpower, and even less so to leave the last tasty piece on the plate. In addition to routine, small overeating, there are holidays. Often we know that overeating is inevitable. Some prepare by taking enzyme preparations, while others eat specially in advance to reduce their appetite. And some people think it’s right to come to visit hungry in order to test their digestive abilities.
• Fatty heavy meals . Most fast food contains a lot of hidden fats and fast carbohydrates. But during the day we have no alternative when we need to eat quickly and better on the go.
• Large pieces . In a hurry, trying to eat everything faster, we can swallow our lunch like a boa constrictor. But we don’t have time to lie in the shade and digest food. Often at work meetings and trainings, lunch is served in a buffet format, and the time allocated for lunch is limited. This is how the habit of eating without chewing food is often developed.
• Bad habits . When smoking, air is swallowed, especially if it is combined with food. Alcohol, a frequent companion to feasts and holidays, aggravates the situation.

Give up all of the above at once? Perhaps, by eliminating the cause, you will be able to get rid of the heaviness in your stomach and seething after eating, and then you will not have to deprive yourself of all the joys of life.

If it rumbles at night, what is it?

Are you bothered by noise at night? There are several reasons: There was probably a long break between dinner and bedtime. This is not dangerous.

• If rumbling is observed sometimes, then pay attention to the amount of food eaten at night.
• The stomach has difficulty digesting what it eats, so it reminds you of it by loud rumbling.
• If noises occur when you lie on your left side, then most likely you have gastritis.
• In case of strong excitement or stress, sounds will also be heard on the left.
• Night rumbling may also indicate the presence of colitis, pancreatitis, and dysbacteriosis. Symptoms can be controlled if treatment is started immediately.

Disease of civilization

Modern people quite often encounter IBS. This is especially true for those who are engaged in intellectual work. Such people experience constant stress, which leads to an imbalance in the nervous regulation of internal organs. Against this background, the intestines begin to function incorrectly. Spontaneous spastic contractions are replaced by expansion of the intestinal lumen.

Other predisposing factors:

• taking antibacterial drugs;
• surgical intervention on the pelvic or abdominal organs;
• previous intestinal infections;
• genetic predisposition.

Women aged 30 to 50 years are at particular risk.

Stomach growls - what to do?

First of all, there is no need to be embarrassed because it happens to everyone. But sometimes it is necessary to avoid awkward sounds during an important event or meeting. We'll tell you how to stop your stomach from growling.

• Drink some water. This will improve intestinal motility and calm it. But don’t overdo it—too much liquid can have the opposite effect and your stomach will begin to gurgle even louder.
• Have a snack. To avoid a hungry stomach growling, carry a light snack with you made from foods that do not cause gas, such as vegetable chips or natural yogurt.
• Take probiotics. If your stomach is constantly rumbling, you should take a course of special medications and regularly consume foods that increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the intestines - cheese, yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha.
• Control your hunger. Since an empty stomach growls louder than its full counterpart, try eating smaller portions, but more often. Or choose a healthy snack (a handful of nuts or an energy bar).
• Conquer stress. We've already said that your stomach gets nervous along with you, so if you're struggling with a constant rumbling stomach, why not take advantage of our stress management tips? Moreover, as a bonus, your overall well-being will improve.
• Take a walk after eating. Research from the University of Mannheim has shown that walking immediately after eating, even a fairly short 15-minute walk, can significantly speed up gastric emptying and therefore reduce the risk of awkward noises.

Normally, rumbling is constantly present in the stomach, only its severity varies. But if it is absent, this is a signal to action. Emergency medical attention may be required.

Help the pancreas

We found that the cause of heaviness in the abdomen may be due to a lack of digestive enzymes. And this can manifest itself even with proper nutrition. In order to restore the amount of enzymes, there are special preparations, they are called enzyme preparations. Their task is to deliver the missing enzymes from the outside to support digestion.

Creon® has many years of expertise in digestive support. The active ingredient pancreatin is a source of additional enzymes for digestion. In fact, most existing enzyme preparations contain pancreatin. But it's not that simple. The body dictates to us additional conditions under which the drug can help most effectively.

The main requirement is particle size. Thus, scientists have found that the smaller they are, the more effective the means1,4 are to mix with food in the stomach in order to help digest its maximum volume.

Besides, working in the stomach is only half the battle. The drug must enter the intestines. Mixed evenly with food, it is not difficult for small particles.

Creon® is produced in the form of minimicrospheres - small particles of pancreatin, which are placed in a capsule3. Following the physiological path of food, Creon® 10000 is integrated into the natural process of digestion and helps to cope with heaviness after eating, seething, and discomfort2,3. Learn more about how Creon® works.

If necessary, the capsule can be opened and the particles mixed with food3. There is no need to be afraid, because... Each particle has a protective shell from the destructive environment of the stomach.

It is important that when taking Creon® the body does not stop digesting food itself; the drug only supplements its own digestion2. Therefore, Creon® 10000 can be taken every time it is needed. The high safety profile allows its use even in newborns3.

When you need to see a doctor urgently

Most often, borborygmas are harmless and only cause psychological suffering. But there are symptoms of Abdominal sounds / US National Library of Medicine, in which it is necessary to complain about rumbling to a therapist or gastroenterologist. Here they are:

• You notice streaks of blood in the stool.
• Rumbling is accompanied by painful cramps in the abdomen.
• In addition to borborygmas, nausea and vomiting are present.
• Your stomach is actively rumbling for several hours in a row, and all this time you continue to have constipation or diarrhea.

It is also worth talking to your doctor if irritating sounds are coming from your intestines day after day. In this case, it is necessary to exclude possible diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and metabolism.

Treatment of flatulence

Since flatulence can be a manifestation of serious diseases, if this symptom occurs frequently, it is necessary to undergo a thorough medical examination to determine the cause of flatulence.
If you complain of flatulence, you should contact a gastroenterologist or therapist. The doctor will issue directions for the necessary tests, determine the cause of flatulence and prescribe appropriate treatment. The course of treatment is prescribed depending on what is causing the flatulence. It may include a diet, as well as taking medications that stimulate intestinal motility and restore intestinal microflora. The main focus is on treating the disease that caused flatulence.

Recommendations

If the rumbling appears suddenly, the following tips will help:

1. Before an important event, you should eat a banana or an apple.
2. You should have medications with you to reduce gas formation.
3. Drink a glass of still water.
4. Drink mint tea.
5. If discomfort arises from stress, you should take deep breaths and concentrate on a specific subject.
6. You should not chew chewing gum, as this leads to excess gastric juice.
7. You should not drink carbonated drinks.
8. It is important to quit smoking, because with such a habit a person swallows excess air.
9. You need to loosen the belt that is squeezing the digestive organs.

Rumbling in the stomach is considered natural if it does not exceed the norm. If a symptom appears at the wrong time, you should not focus on this, because worries only aggravate the problem.

Symptoms of GERD

Acid from the stomach can enter the respiratory tract (this usually happens when lying down) and cause a sore throat, hoarseness, dry mouth, and cough. GERD can stimulate the development of bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive bronchitis, and aspiration pneumonia.

The constant presence of acidic contents in the esophagus leads to scarring of the mucous membrane of the lower part of the esophagus, as a result of which the lumen of the esophagus narrows (this complication of GERD is called peptic stricture of the esophagus). In this case, pain when swallowing and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) may occur.

But first of all, GERD is characterized by symptoms that usually appear an hour and a half after eating. This:

Heartburn

Heartburn is the main symptom of GERD. The presence of heartburn that regularly occurs after eating is the basis for diagnosing the disease.

More about the symptom

Belching

With GERD, belching after eating is typical.

More about the symptom

Sour or bitter taste in the mouth

A sour taste in the mouth means that acid from the stomach has traveled up the esophagus and irritated the taste buds. The taste in the mouth may be bitter if bile enters the esophagus, which normally should not rise above the duodenum.

Chest pain

A burning sensation may be felt behind the sternum (along the esophagus). Often the complaint is formulated as chest pain, so it is important to make sure that the pain is caused by irritation of the esophageal mucosa, and not by heart problems. In the case of GERD, the pain is usually associated with food intake, begins in the epigastric region and only then rises higher. Pain can radiate to the neck, shoulders, interscapular area, and lower jaw.

Diagnosis of IBS

To identify irritable bowel syndrome, the following examinations are performed:

• general clinical blood test;
• stool examination for occult blood;
• serological test for celiac disease;
• stool testing to detect intestinal parasites;
• colonoscopy examination.

Additionally, the patient may be sent for a consultation with an endocrinologist, who will prescribe a hormonal test of thyroid function.