• Question: What makes our stomachs rumble?

    Asked by 282bera46 to Colin, John, Kevin, Shikha, Triona on 18 Nov 2014. This question was also asked by up clare, Abbie.
    • Photo: Kevin Motherway

      Kevin Motherway answered on 18 Nov 2014:

      It’s basically the gas and liquid moving through your small intestine, not your stomach. If these sounds stop it means you may have a serious intestinal blockage and that’s why doctors always listen for bowels sounds!

      Louder rumbles may happen when you’re hungry. When you tummy is empty more gas from talking etc can be ingested and that can mean louder noises!

    • Photo: Shikha Sharma

      Shikha Sharma answered on 19 Nov 2014:

      Hi 282bera46, up clare, Abbie,
      To understand the noise created by our stomach we should first understand how digestive system is- as we all know it is a long tube which starts from the mouth and ends at the anus. Now, this tube links with the various organs and passages which also participate in digestion. Muscle contractions move and push the food contents continually downward in a process called peristalsis. So when all these solid and liquid chyme from food along with air and gasses get pushed around and broken down these pockets of air and gas also get squeezed and create the noises we hear. That’s why, if your stomach or small intestine has food, the growling becomes quieter.
      But seriously sometimes stomachs growl and make funny sounds which land us in awkward situations.

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