What is borborygmus?
Borborygmus corresponds to the noises caused by gas trapped in the intestines or in the stomach. It is more commonly known as rumbling.
What causes borborygmus?
Borborygmus can be caused by the air we swallow during a meal, or by gas produced as certain kinds of food, such as cabbage and lentils, are broken down.
Some diseases can also cause rumbling. This may happen with colonopathy, which affects the colon, or with a viral infection, such as gastroenteritis.
Does hunger trigger rumbling?
When we are hungry, the digestive tract prepares itself for digestion. We start salivating and the intestines empty out to make room for the food that is going to arrive. As the digestive tract contracts, it produces sounds, which are more easily heard when the stomach is empty.