Rumbling bowels

What you need to know about rumbling bowels

Do you sometimes experience rumbling bowels? This can feel very uncomfortable. Especially when you have a busy day and need to be out and about, rumbling bowels can be disruptive. When the intestines contract forcefully several times to move remaining food residue along, a sound may come from the abdomen that resembles a blocked sink. One possible cause is excess gas moving through the abdomen. This can happen when you swallow too much air while eating, for example because you eat too quickly. Rumbling sounds from the abdomen and intestines can also be related to intestinal motility, the normal movement of the intestines. When you eat, intestinal motility increases, and this can also happen when you smell something appetising. Some people are more sensitive or more aware of what is happening inside their body, so they may hear or feel these movements more strongly.

Symptoms associated with rumbling bowels

• A swollen abdomen
• Pain or intestinal cramps
• Constipation
• Increased gas in the intestines, resulting in flatulence
• Sometimes nausea or reduced appetite

Tests for rumbling bowels

If rumbling bowels, a swollen abdomen and/or flatulence persist, stool testing through Darmklachten.nl can help investigate the cause. View our recommended test packages and individual modules below.

Causes of rumbling bowels

Rumbling bowels can have various causes. The most common include:

• Frequently drinking carbonated beverages, such as soft drinks
• Drinking through a straw
• Eating too quickly or talking a lot while eating
• Smoking
• Drinking too much during meals
• Difficulty swallowing while eating (dysphagia) or difficulty coordinating swallowing and breathing
• Frequently swallowing stomach acid that has come up

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More information about the tests

• Dientamoeba fragilis – Large-intestinal parasite – read more…
• Blastocystis hominis – Large-intestinal parasite – read more…
• Giardia lamblia – Small-intestinal parasite – read more…
• Cryptosporidium spp. – Small-intestinal parasite – read more…
• Digestive parameters: pH, fat, starch, colour and stool consistency – read more…
• Gut flora analysis – Analysis of part of the gut microbiota – read more…
• Yeasts and fungi – Testing for the presence of, among others, Candida albicans – read more…
• Antigliadin and anti-tTG transglutaminase – Markers for gluten intolerance – read more…
• Histamine intolerance – Testing for the absence of the enzyme diamine oxidase – read more
• Lactose intolerance – Genotyping – read more…
• Calprotectin – Inflammatory marker for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis – read more…
• Lactoferrin – A natural antibiotic that helps immune cells remove harmful bacteria from the body – read more
• Transferrin – Traces of blood in the upper part of the digestive tract – read more…
• Beta-defensin-2 – Anti-inflammatory substance produced exclusively in the large intestine and helping to protect it – read more
• Pancreatic elastase – Breakdown of fat, starch and proteins – read more…
• Bile acids – Fat digestion – read more…