What is the reason for frequent bowel sounds? Be careful of indigestion

Some people will experience intestinal rumbling when they are hungry, which is what we call the intestines growling due to hunger. In fact, intestinal rumbling is a warning sign of indigestion, or some symptoms that occur when gastrointestinal motility is slow, so you must be alert to the symptoms of intestinal rumbling.

1. Bowel sounds exist alone

If there are no accompanying symptoms, and the pulse is particularly pronounced after meals and exceeds 5 times per minute, it is likely to be indigestion. Indigestion can cause excessive intestinal gas production, which cannot be discharged smoothly, resulting in intestinal rumbling. Generally speaking, intestinal rumbling caused by indigestion is not harmful. Just eat less difficult-to-digest food and take gastrointestinal motility drugs.

2. Active bowel sounds

At the same time, it is accompanied by symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. You should be alert to gastrointestinal problems such as acute gastroenteritis, bacillary dysentery, amoebic dysentery, accidental ingestion of laxatives, and massive gastrointestinal bleeding. What are active bowel sounds? Generally speaking, the frequency of bowel sounds exceeds 10 times per minute, the sound becomes louder but not particularly high-pitched, and when bowel sounds occur, it feels like the intestines are moving.

3. Hyperactive bowel sounds

Abdominal distension without tenderness should alert you to mechanical intestinal obstruction. What is hyperactive bowel sounds? The frequency of bowel sounds is more than 10 times per minute, and the sound is loud and high-pitched, and may even sound like a clinking or metallic sound. Experts point out that patients with mechanical intestinal obstruction have an enlarged intestinal cavity, increased gas accumulation, and an enlarged and thinned intestinal wall that is extremely tense, which resonates with the hyperactive bowel sounds. Therefore, a high-pitched metallic tone can be heard in the abdomen, accompanied by abdominal distension, empty rectum, etc. There is no tenderness when pressing the abdomen. If mechanical intestinal obstruction persists, the intestinal wall muscles are strained, and the intestinal wall peristalsis weakens, the bowel sounds will weaken accordingly.

4. Weakened bowel sounds

If you can't even hear it, it may be due to constipation, low gastrointestinal motility, peritonitis, electrolyte imbalance (hypokalemia), etc. What is weakened bowel sounds? Bowel sounds are significantly less than normal, the volume is low, only heard once a minute or even not heard at all.

5. Accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, and abnormal bowel movements

If symptoms persist or recur for more than 3 months, it is best to see a gastroenterologist promptly. Colorectal cancer is prevalent in my country. Patients with symptoms lasting for a long time are advised to undergo colonoscopy to rule out organic diseases such as intestinal polyps and tumors. After exclusion, patients who still have frequent bowel sounds, abdominal distension, frequent farts, and loose stools should be alert to irritable bowel syndrome caused by intestinal bacterial flora imbalance.