Ever Wondered The Real Reason Why Your Tummy Rumbles? It Doesn't Always Mean You're Hungry...

#1 Ever wondered why you stomach rumbles? We have the answer

Everyone's tummy rumbles at some point but, despite many people thinking it's because you need some food, it's actually just a sign that your digestive system is working.

These sounds are heard because your body is extracting the nutrients from the food you've eaten in order to help you grow and develop.

#2 Contrary to what many people think, a rumbling tummy is actually just a sign that your digestive system is working

Once your body has sifted through the all food, absorbing the necessary nutrients, it prepares to dispose of the waste, causing the sounds to get louder.

#3 After you eat your stomach muscles and small intestine squeeze together

But why does this happen?

When your body is digesting food, your gastrointestinal tract, which runs from your mouth to your anus, plays an important part.

After you eat your stomach muscles and small intestine squeeze together to ensure the foods, liquids and gasses fit through your gastrointestinal tract, which is what causes the rumbling sound.

Usually, the food masks the grumbling sound, but, when your stomach is mostly empty, the noises get louder because there's only air and liquid left.

Stomach rumbles are very common but if you're experiencing cramps, jabbing pains and bloating then it could mean something completely different.

It can be difficult to know what's causing your tummy troubles but a health website has revealed what different problems could mean.

#4 If the pain is... a sharp jab in the right side of the upper abdomen It could be: gallstones

"Gallstones are lumps of solid matter that form in the gallbladder or the small bile tubes," says Dr Rakshit, who practices at Springfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex.

#5 If the pain is... like uncomfortable bloating It could be: excess gas

"The gas in the digestive tract comes from swallowed air and happens when we eat too quickly, chew gum, have too many artificial sweeteners or eat large amounts of green leafy vegetables or beans," says Dr Rakshit.

#6 If the pain is... mild to severe and in the upper stomach It could be: a peptic ulcer

They're often caused by taking painkillers like ibuprofen or aspirin or from bacteria found in the stomach called helicobacter pylori.

#7 If the pain is... severe and beginning in the back It could be: kidney infection

If you're suffering from a severe burning sensation when you go to the toilet, then it's like you have a kidney infection.

#8 If the pain is... sharp pain and in the lower-right side of the abdomen It could be: appendicitis

"It's caused when the entrance of the appendix becomes blocked, leading to infection," says Dr Rakshit.

#9 If the pain is... like continual indigestion It could be: heartburn

Heartburn or acid reflux affects up to 20 per cent of the population and is the result of a loose valve in the oesophagus.

#10 If the pain is ...abdominal and you have diarrhoea It could be: gastroenteritis aka stomach flu

Although the common name for gastroenteritis is stomach flu, the condition is actually an infection of the digestive tract.

#11 If the pain is... in the stomach and accompanied by bloating It could be: irritable bowel syndrome

"The first causes tummy pain accompanied by diarrhoea and bloating, the second causes pain, bloating and constipation, and the third is a mix of both," says Dr Rakshit.