14 Common Causes of Stomach Gurgling

If your stomach constantly interrupts you because of the gurgling sounds it makes, you may be wondering what is causing this to happen. Most of the time, these noises are completely normal. However, at times it might be embarrassing, especially if your stomach gets loud during a meeting or in an otherwise quiet room.

When this occurs, you may be wondering what the cause might be and if there is anything that you can do about it. The term for stomach rumbling is borborygmi. As mentioned, most of the time, these noises are not serious. However, if it is an ongoing occurrence, there may be an underlying health issue that is the cause. If the noises are bothering you, it may be a good idea to discuss the issue with a health care provider. Here are 14 common causes of stomach gurgling. 

1. Muscle Activation

When your stomach makes a gurgling or rumbling sound, it typically is not just coming from the stomach. Often, the noise is coming from the small intestine. The origin of the noise involves the activity of the smooth muscle located in the walls of the small intestine and the stomach. As the walls are activated through a set of contractions, which is called peristalsis, it mixes and propels food, air, gas, and fluids through the digestive tract.

When this occurs, a rumbling sound happens. Most often, these rumbling sounds are simply an act of a normal occurrence of digestion, and most people who experience this do not have any reason to be concerned. If you notice that these sounds are quite loud and occur every time you eat or at other times as well, you may want to mention it to your doctor as there could be something else going on.