Are you wondering, why is your lower abdomen so hard since a few days and want to know the exact cause behind it? Well, there is no one specific cause of this health problem and hence, this article attempts to throw light on some common causes of hard lower stomach. Read the following article to find out the cause of hardness in the lower stomach in your case.
Though fairly common in women, men can also experience hard lower abdomen due to heavy exercising or because of lifting some heavy material at work. It can also be due to gas and bloating. In women, the list of possible causes of lower stomach feeling hard is longer than the causes in men. Following sections elaborate on the reasons frequently found to be responsible for hard feeling in the lower stomach, to help you find the root cause of your discomfort and get an appropriate treatment. It is advisable to consult a gynecologist or a general practitioner in an extreme case.
Physical Exercises
Physical exercises might be one reason why lower stomach is feeling so hard. Nowadays, a lot of people are worrying about their lower abdominal fat or the flabby stomach. In order to reduce the fat, they go to gym and try out different exercises. Flutter kicks, double crunches, hanging knee raises, pikes, and leg raise crunch combo are some exercises that work out the abdominal area. While doing these exercises abdominal muscles sometimes get pulled or they are strengthened more than required. This causes hardening of the lower abdomen and sometimes results in pain in the area. Also there are certain sports like swimming,
skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding, overindulging in which may cause hardening and pain in the lower abdomen.
Constipation
Constipation is a symptom and not a disease. It indicates that something is wrong with the bowel movements. Both acute or chronic constipation can put pressure on the lower stomach and cause it to tauten or harden which eventually results in pain. When feces get obstructed in the large intestine, the water in it is absorbed by the wall of the large intestine. This causes the stool to harden and leads to constipation. The most common causes of constipation are low fiber diet and insufficient intake of water.
Pregnancy
Hardness in lower stomach, as it is assumed, is not an authentic sign of pregnancy but, pregnancy might be one of the strongest reasons behind this condition. It is assumed that, if a woman feels that her stomach is hard to touch, 2 – 2.5 months after the missed menstrual period, then it is a sign of pregnancy. Actually, the stomach or lower abdomen does not become hard during the pregnancy rather, it is the uterus that grows and feels hard. During the initial stages of pregnancy, the uterus is very small and you cannot feel it at all from outside. If during this period, you are experiencing the problem then may be you should think of bloating and gas. Around the 20th week of the pregnancy, the uterus reaches the belly button and you can feel it if you press gently in the area.
Other Causes
Peritoneum, a silk like membrane covers the internal organs of the abdomen. Infection in perineum can be bacterial, viral or fungal and can lead to its inflammation i.e. peritonitis. Hardening of lower stomach during peritonitis is greater and it is accompanied by nausea, abdominal tenderness, diarrhea and fever. Tumors that grow in the abdominal cavity can pressurize the organs around and stretch the skin.
Organs like small and large intestine, esophagus, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and stomach, form the digestive system. If any one of these organs function incorrectly, then it may cause hardening and pain in the stomach. Initially, one should let the pain recover on its own but, if it goes to a severe stage one must see a doctor immediately.
Apart from the organs in the abdomen, problems in other organs can cause one to experience this feeling. Blood clots in lungs, nerve irritation, infections like pneumonia, can also give rise to this feeling.
As there are varied reasons for hard lower stomach both in men and in women, identification and diagnosis of the exact reason is necessary. Do not attempt self medication in any case and visit a doctor for proper treatment of the problem. This article has elaborated on the possible causes of hard lower stomach. If you find similar symptoms in you, get in touch with a doctor for advice.
Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
