Even though they can be awkward, most sounds your body makes are completely normal. A sudden hiccup, a loud stomach rumble, or a popping joint often has a simple explanation tied to muscles, air, and fluid moving where they are supposed to. The key is paying attention to patterns instead of panicking over one noisy moment. If a sound is persistent, painful, or paired with other symptoms, it may be worth getting checked.
Hiccups are one of the most recognizable body noises, and they usually fade on their own. They start when the diaphragm, the broad muscle under your rib cage, spasms and pushes air upward while your vocal cords close quickly. That combination creates the familiar “hic” sound, and common triggers include carbonated drinks or eating too fast, which can distend the stomach and irritate the nerves involved. Pharmacist George Sandhu from Well Pharmacy explained it this way, “Most hiccups are harmless and go away on their own in a few minutes, sometimes over a few hours. You should still contact a doctor if it does not stop, for example if it lasts longer than 48 hours. If it lasts that long, it is no longer usual and it is good to check what is going on.”
Another sound that tends to worry people is the crack or pop of a joint, especially in the fingers, knees, or shoulders. Joints are surrounded by a capsule filled with synovial fluid that helps bones glide smoothly. Gases like nitrogen and carbon dioxide can be dissolved in that fluid, and when you stretch a joint, pressure changes can create bubbles that make a popping sound. A 2015 study from the University of California is referenced as linking the noise to bubbles forming in the joint fluid rather than bones grinding together.
Physiotherapist Tim Allardyce noted that the timing of repeated cracks is part of what makes the bubble explanation so believable. He said, “Once you have cracked a joint and released a gas bubble, you will not be able to ‘pop’ it again for about 20 to 30 minutes, because the gas bubbles need time to build up again.” In other words, your body needs a short reset before it can make the same sound again. Allardyce also emphasized a useful rule of thumb, “However, if you feel pain when your joint clicks or crackles, talk to your general practitioner, physiotherapist, or an osteopath.”
A whistling sound from your nose is often just airflow being forced through a narrowed passage. During a cold, mucus can tighten the space and make air move faster, which creates vibration and that whistle like noise. Ear, nose, and throat specialist David Howe pointed out that repeated nose picking can also damage delicate tissue over time. He explained, “The septum, which divides the nasal passages, is made of flexible cartilage that is only about 0.12 inches thick and is very sensitive.”
Howe went on to describe why that damage can become a longer term issue. He said, “It is covered by a thin tissue layer that supplies it with blood. If that blood supply is damaged by nose picking or destroyed by snorting drugs like cocaine, the tissue will die. If a hole forms in that layer, the cartilage underneath also dies. This can create small round holes that will not regenerate.” In some cases, a minor procedure that changes the shape of the opening can reduce whistling by improving airflow. If a small perforation does not bother someone, it may be left alone under medical guidance.
Stomach growling is the sound most likely to show up at the worst possible time, and it is not always just hunger. The digestive tract moves using rhythmic contractions that push gas and liquid along, and those movements can create the gurgling you hear. George Sandhu explained, “Growling comes from both the stomach and the intestines, but mostly from the intestines, and the sound is caused by the movement of gas and fluid through your stomach and intestines as the digestive muscles contract.” You tend to notice it more when the intestines squeeze more strongly or when there is more gas and fluid present.
Most of the time, those digestive sounds are harmless, but context matters. The article notes that they can sometimes appear with eating related issues, irritable bowel syndrome, stress, or a mild infection. Sandhu added, “For example, IBS increases the sensitivity of the gut and speeds up its movement, causing gurgling spasms and excess gas. Gastroenteritis, inflammation of the stomach and intestines, can cause hyperactive bowel sounds. Stress and anxiety can also be a trigger. The gut is very sensitive to adrenaline and cortisol, and stress can speed up movement and increase gas.” If growling comes with severe pain, persistent diarrhea, fever, or unexplained weight loss, it is a different situation than the occasional rumble.
A soft rushing or whooshing noise in your ears can feel unsettling because it seems to come from inside your head. In the article, it is described as the sound of blood moving through major vessels near the ear, including the carotid artery and jugular veins. You may notice it more when background noise is low, or when blood flow changes as you lie down or stand up quickly. Sandhu said, “Anything that increases blood flow can create a whooshing sound, so exercise, stress, pregnancy, anemia, or fever are potential causes, because blood vessels run extremely close to the middle and inner ear so you can literally hear blood rushing.”
The most common reason for whooshing is much less dramatic than it sounds, and it often involves congestion or blockage. Colds, sinus infections, allergies, and earwax can change pressure and make internal sounds more noticeable, sometimes along with hearing your own breathing or pulse. Sandhu described this as Eustachian tube dysfunction and said it is very common and often clears in two to four weeks. He also offered a practical guideline, “A good guideline is that if the whooshing is persistent, on one side only, getting worse, or comes with other symptoms, get it checked. Most causes are benign, but a quick assessment can rule out something serious.”
One of the stranger sensations mentioned is a sound that seems like ringing coming from the throat or esophagus. The explanation given is swallowed air that becomes temporarily trapped between valves in the esophagus. Once the air releases, it can create a brief ringing like noise that is not considered a cause for concern. If it happens frequently alongside trouble swallowing, chest discomfort, or significant reflux, it is worth discussing with a clinician.
It helps to know a little basic anatomy so these noises feel less mysterious. The diaphragm is a powerful breathing muscle with nerve connections that can be irritated by stomach distention, which is why hiccups often follow fast eating or fizzy drinks. Synovial fluid is the lubricant inside joints, and pressure changes can form gas bubbles that produce a pop without causing harm. The Eustachian tube helps equalize ear pressure, which is why congestion can make your ears feel blocked and amplify internal sounds.
Digestive growling even has a name, borborygmi, and it simply describes the audible movement of gas and fluid through the intestines during normal contractions. The important difference is whether your baseline has changed and whether other symptoms are present. Pain, swelling, dizziness, fever, bleeding, sudden hearing changes, or symptoms that keep returning are all reasons to move from curiosity to medical advice. Most body noises are just your systems working, but listening with a little context can help you decide when a sound is just awkward and when it is informative.
Which of these body sounds have you noticed most, and what helped you feel more confident about what it meant, share your thoughts in the comments.
