Abdominal sounds

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Treatment

Abdominal sounds

Alternative Names:

Bowel sounds

Call your health care provider if:

Call your health care provider if you experience any symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, prolonged diarrhea or constipation, bleeding from your rectum, or any other symptoms that are not normal for you.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

The doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you questions about your medical history. You may be asked:

What other symptoms are also present?
Have you noticed any abdominal pain?
Have you noticed any diarrhea?
Have you noticed any constipation?
Have you noticed any abdominal distention?
Have you noticed any excessive or absent gas (flatus)?
Have you noticed any bleeding from the rectum or black stools?

Depending on the findings of your physical exam, the doctor may order further tests. Tests may include:

Blood tests
Abdominal x-ray
Abdominal cat scan
Endoscopy

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 intestinal contents. Usually, you will not be allowed to eat or drink anything, so your intestines can rest. You will be given fluids by IV.

You may be given medication to reduce symptoms and to treat the cause. (The specific medication depends on the situation.) Surgery may be immediately needed in some cases.

Review Date: 3/2/2006
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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