Why Does My Stomach Feel Tender When Pressed?

If you notice your stomach feels tender or sore when you press on it, this can mean the area is sensitive to touch or pressure and may point to an underlying medical issue. Stomach tenderness can stem from a variety of causes, ranging from mild to more serious conditions. Common, less serious reasons include indigestion, gas, constipation, or minor muscle strain. Sometimes, tenderness is due to inflammation or infection in the digestive tract, such as gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), a stomach virus, or food poisoning.

However, stomach tenderness can also be a sign of more serious problems that require prompt medical attention. Conditions like appendicitis, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, or an intestinal blockage can cause marked tenderness, often accompanied by severe pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, or changes in bowel habits. If these symptoms are present, the pain is usually more severe and can worsen over time.

At Columbia Clinic Urgent Care, we encourage you to seek immediate medical care if pressing on your stomach causes significant pain, or if you also have symptoms such as persistent vomiting, high fever, blood in your stool or vomit, chest pain, difficulty breathing, or if your abdomen feels hard, swollen, or rigid. These could be signs of a medical emergency.

At Columbia Clinic Urgent Care, we often see women who are concerned about stomach or abdominal tenderness. It’s important to know that mild stomach tenderness is fairly common and can have a variety of causes—many of which are not serious. Digestive issues such as indigestion, gas, constipation, or mild stomach infections frequently lead to temporary discomfort. Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle can also cause bloating and abdominal sensitivity, especially in the days before your period.

Other frequent causes include dietary changes, increased stress, or minor illnesses like viral stomach bugs. Some women may experience tenderness due to gynecological reasons, such as ovulation pain (mittelschmerz), ovarian cysts, or endometriosis.

While most cases of mild, occasional tenderness resolve on their own, certain symptoms require prompt medical attention. If your abdominal tenderness is severe, persistent, or worsening—or if you experience additional symptoms such as fever, vomiting, blood in your stool, severe cramps, or unexplained weight loss—it’s important to seek care right away.

Stomach tenderness doesn’t always indicate a serious internal issue, but it can be a sign that something may be wrong. Mild stomach discomfort can result from something as simple as indigestion, gas, or bloating. These issues often resolve on their own without medical intervention. However, more persistent or severe tenderness could point to underlying conditions like gastritis, ulcers, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In some cases, tenderness can also be linked to infections, such as food poisoning, or even stress.

That said, it is important to be aware of other symptoms that might accompany stomach tenderness. If the tenderness is accompanied by fever, vomiting, significant changes in bowel movements, or sharp pain, it could indicate a more serious problem, like an infection, appendicitis, or a hernia.

If you’re unsure or if the tenderness doesn’t improve, it’s always a good idea to seek medical advice. We provide convenient care for a range of stomach-related issues. A healthcare provider can assess your symptoms, conduct tests if necessary, and help determine if there’s an underlying issue that needs treatment. It’s better to be cautious and get checked out than to ignore potentially serious concerns.

Stomach tenderness—discomfort or pain when your abdomen is touched—can result from a variety of causes. Sometimes it’s due to mild issues like indigestion or a minor stomach upset that resolves on its own. However, stomach tenderness can also be a warning sign of more serious conditions that require prompt medical care. Our team encourages you to seek medical attention if your stomach tenderness is severe, persistent, or worsening, or if it is accompanied by symptoms such as:
●High fever
●Ongoing vomiting
●Blood in your stool or vomit
●Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
●Severe abdominal swelling
●Inability to pass gas or have a bowel movement

These signs could indicate serious problems like appendicitis, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, bowel obstruction, or infection in the abdomen—all of which need timely evaluation and treatment.

If your tenderness is so severe that you cannot move without pain, or if your abdomen feels extremely hard or rigid, this may be a medical emergency, and you should visit Columbia Clinic Urgent Care or the nearest emergency facility immediately. Individuals with chronic health conditions, weakened immune systems, or those recovering from abdominal surgery should be especially cautious and consult our providers promptly if new or unexplained abdominal tenderness develops.

For more information, please contact us or request an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you at Tibbetts St, Portland, Stark Street, Portland and Tigard, OR. We serve patients from Tibbetts St Portland, Milwaukie OR, Oak Grove OR, Stark Street Portland, Fairview OR, Happy Valley OR, Gladstone OR, Cedar Mill OR, Tibbetts Street Portland OR, West Linn OR, Aloha OR, Tigard OR, Lake Oswego OR, Tualatin OR, Oregon City OR, and surrounding areas. We also accept walk-ins.