Sounds produced by liquid and air moving through the digestive tract. Doctors use a stethoscope to assess bowel sounds. Normal bowel sounds include irregular, gurgling noises. Loud, rumbling, gurgling noises occur during hyperactive intestinal peristalsis (the wavelike muscle movement that moves food through the digestive tract). Hyperactivity may be the result of gastroenteritis, diarrhea, or hunger. Rushed, high-pitched bowel sounds can be an early indication of an intestinal obstruction. The absence of bowel sounds can be a serious symptom of an obstruction.
The normal sounds associated with movement of the intestinal contents through the alimentary tract. Auscultation of the abdomen for bowel sounds may provide valuable diagnostic information. Absent or diminished sounds may indicate paralytic ileus or peritonitis. High-pitched tinkling sounds are associated with intestinal obstruction.
Bowel sounds are the noises produced as air and fluid pass through the intestines. The absence or abnormality of bowel sounds can potentially indicate the presence of a disorder. Audible bowel sounds that can be heard without the aid of a stethoscope are known as borborygmi, which are a normal part of the digestive process. However, these sounds may become more pronounced due to anxiety or certain intestinal disorders.