How do nurses check for bowel sounds?
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Abdominal sounds are the noises made by the intestines. Show Abdominal sounds (bowel sounds) are made by the movement of the intestines as they push food through. The intestines are hollow, so bowel sounds echo through the abdomen much like the sounds heard from water pipes. Most bowel sounds are normal. They simply mean that the gastrointestinal tract is working. A health care provider can check abdominal sounds by listening to the abdomen with a stethoscope (auscultation). Most bowel sounds are harmless. However, there are some cases in which abnormal sounds can indicate a problem. Ileus is a condition in which there is a lack of intestinal activity. Many medical conditions may lead to ileus. This problem can cause gas, fluids, and the contents of the intestines to build up and break open (rupture) the bowel wall. The provider may be unable to hear any bowel sounds when listening to the abdomen. Reduced (hypoactive) bowel sounds include a reduction in the loudness, tone, or regularity of the sounds. They are a sign that intestinal activity has slowed. Hypoactive bowel sounds are normal during sleep. They also occur normally for a short time after the use of certain medicines and after abdominal surgery. Decreased or absent bowel sounds often indicate constipation. Increased (hyperactive) bowel sounds can sometimes be heard even without a stethoscope. Hyperactive bowel sounds mean there is an increase in intestinal activity. This may happen with diarrhea or after eating. Abdominal sounds are always evaluated together with symptoms such as:
If bowel sounds are hypoactive or hyperactive and there are other abnormal symptoms, you should continue to follow-up with your provider. For example, no bowel sounds after a period of hyperactive bowel sounds can mean there is a rupture of the intestines, or strangulation of the bowel and death (necrosis) of the bowel tissue. Very high-pitched bowel sounds may be a sign of early bowel obstruction. Most of the sounds you hear in your stomach and intestines are due to normal digestion. They are not a cause for concern. Many conditions can cause hyperactive or hypoactive bowel sounds. Most are harmless and do not need to be treated. The following is a list of more serious conditions that can cause abnormal bowel sounds. Hyperactive, hypoactive, or missing bowel sounds may be caused by:
Other causes of hypoactive bowel sounds include:
Other causes of hyperactive bowel sounds include:
Call your provider if you have any symptoms such as:
The provider will examine you and ask you questions about your medical history and symptoms. You may be asked:
You may need the following tests:
If there are signs of an emergency, you will be sent to the hospital. A tube will be placed through your nose or mouth into the stomach or intestines. This empties your intestines. In most cases, you will not be allowed to eat or drink anything so your intestines can rest. You will be given fluids through a vein (intravenously). You may be given medicine to reduce symptoms and to treat the cause of the problem. The type of medicine will depend on the cause of the problem. Some people may need surgery right away. Ball JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW. Abdomen. In: Ball JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW, eds. Seidel's Guide to Physical Examination. 9th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2019:chap 18. Landmann A, Bonds M, Postier R. Acute abdomen. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022:chap 46. McQuaid KR. Approach to the patient with gastrointestinal disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 123. Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. How do you check bowel sounds?The intestines are hollow, so bowel sounds echo through the abdomen much like the sounds heard from water pipes. Most bowel sounds are normal. They simply mean that the gastrointestinal tract is working. A health care provider can check abdominal sounds by listening to the abdomen with a stethoscope (auscultation).
Where do you start assessing bowel sounds?◂ Auscultate for bowel sounds. Begin in the right lower quadrant (RLQ), and move in sequence up to the right upper quadrant (RUQ), left upper quadrant (LUQ), and finally the left lower quadrant (LLQ). Auscultate for bruits over the aorta, renal arteries, iliac arteries, and femoral arteries.
What procedure is used to Auscultate bowel sounds?Abdominal auscultation
You may have a positioner placed under your knees for comfort. Your healthcare provider will place a stethoscope on your abdomen. They'll move the stethoscope over different regions of your abdomen to listen to the sounds your bowels make.
How do you describe normal bowel sounds?Normal: Bowel sound consist of clicks and gurgles and 5-30 per minute. An occasional borborygmus (loud prolonged gurgle) may be heard.
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