Borborygmus

WikiDoc Resources for Borborygmus
Articles
Most recent articles on Borborygmus Most cited articles on Borborygmus Review articles on Borborygmus Articles on Borborygmus in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ
Media
Powerpoint slides on Borborygmus Images of Borborygmus Photos of Borborygmus Podcasts & MP3s on Borborygmus Videos on Borborygmus
Evidence Based Medicine
Cochrane Collaboration on Borborygmus Bandolier on Borborygmus TRIP on Borborygmus
Clinical Trials
Ongoing Trials on Borborygmus at Clinical Trials.gov Trial results on Borborygmus Clinical Trials on Borborygmus at Google
Guidelines / Policies / Govt
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Borborygmus NICE Guidance on Borborygmus NHS PRODIGY Guidance FDA on Borborygmus CDC on Borborygmus
Books
Books on Borborygmus
News
Borborygmus in the news Be alerted to news on Borborygmus News trends on Borborygmus
Commentary
Blogs on Borborygmus
Definitions
Definitions of Borborygmus
Patient Resources / Community
Patient resources on Borborygmus Discussion groups on Borborygmus Patient Handouts on Borborygmus Directions to Hospitals Treating Borborygmus Risk calculators and risk factors for Borborygmus
Healthcare Provider Resources
Symptoms of Borborygmus Causes & Risk Factors for Borborygmus Diagnostic studies for Borborygmus Treatment of Borborygmus
Continuing Medical Education (CME)
CME Programs on Borborygmus
International
Borborygmus en Espanol Borborygmus en Francais
Business
Borborygmus in the Marketplace Patents on Borborygmus
Experimental / Informatics
List of terms related to Borborygmus

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Borborygmus (plural borborygmi) (from Greek βορβορυγμός) is the rumbling sound produced by the movement of gas through the intestines of animals or humans. The word borborygmus is an onomatopoeia for this rumbling.

The "rumble" or "growl" sometimes heard from the stomach is a normal part of digestion. It originates in the stomach or upper part of the small intestine as muscles contract to move food and digestive juices down the gastrointestinal tract and functions as a sort of intestinal "housecleaning". Sometimes it occurs as part of the Migrating Myoelectric Complex.

Although this muscle contraction happens whether or not food is present, rumbles are more common after the animal has gone several hours without eating. This may be why a "growling" stomach is often associated with hunger.

Rumbles may also occur when there is incomplete digestion of food that can lead to excess gas in the intestine. In humans this can be due to incomplete digestion of carbohydrate-containing foods including milk and other dairy products (lactose intolerance or the use of α-glucosidase inhibitors by diabetics), gluten (protein in wheat, barley, and rye) (celiac disease), fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and high-fiber whole grains. In rare instances, excessive abdominal noise may be a sign of digestive disease, especially when accompanied by abdominal bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation. An example of a disease that may be associated with this symptom are carcinoid tumors.