In most people, almost 90 percent of body fat is soft and the rest 10 percent is hard, as per a study. But most people have less hard fat, it is a problem for all, even for thin people. Keep reading to know more about the two types of belly fat, and ways to reduce them.
What can cause a hard stomach? A hard stomach can happen for various reasons, including constipation, gastric cancer, and some chronic digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Too much visceral fat can make your belly protrude. If your belly is hard and not squishy, it's likely due to an excess of visceral fat. This can increase your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
If you have subcutaneous belly fat, your belly feels jiggly and softer to the touch. Unlike visceral fat, subcutaneous fat can be pinched. For men, a waist that measures more than 40 inches is a sign that your belly fat may be increasing your risk of health problems.
Abdominal swelling, or distention, is more often caused by overeating than by a serious illness. This problem also can be caused by: Air swallowing (a nervous habit) Buildup of fluid in the abdomen (this can be a sign of a serious medical problem)
In most cases, a tight stomach doesn't require a visit to the doctor. However, you should seek immediate medical attention if the tightness is accompanied with severe nausea, weight loss or difficulty breathing.
Pain in the center of the abdomen might be caused by injury or appendicitis. Pain in the lower abdomen or around the belly button can be caused by injury, flu, hardened stool, kidney infection, hernia, appendicitis or cancer.
When your provider presses on your belly, he or she may get clues to possible problems. This exam with the hands gives healthcare providers information about important parts of the body. These are the liver, spleen, kidneys, intestines, stomach, pancreas, bladder, gallbladder, appendix, and the abdominal aorta.
Excess belly fat is unhealthy but when your belly fat is hard, it's even worse. If your belly fat is hard to touch, it can be a sign that you are at an increased risk of serious illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes. Also, having a hard belly is worse than smoking or having high cholesterol.
Typically, when people gain weight from regular fat, they gain fat that is soft and doughy and sits just under the skin. This is called subcutaneous adipose tissue (or SAT). A Hard Belly is a sign of a different kind of fat known as deep, or visceral abdominal fat.
Common reasons for someone to have belly fat even when they're skinny is: Being too sedentary (inactive), which builds visceral fat around the organs and abdominal fat. Eating too many processed foods, which stores at the belly.
Stomach cancer can present itself in several different ways, such as difficulty swallowing, feeling bloated after eating, feeling full after only eating a small amount of food, heartburn, indigestion, nausea, stomach pain, unintentional weight loss, and vomiting.
When does your belly start feeling hard during pregnancy? This varies, but it's usually during your second or third trimester. As your uterus grows, it eventually pushes against your abdominal wall, making your abdomen feel firm.
"We wake up in the morning with a flatter stomach, because we don't have all of the food and drink we consume in the day going through. Normally we wake up, empty our bladder and bowel, and then as the day goes on, we increase the fluids and what we eat, and this builds up and looks like bloat throughout the day."
“Stomach gripping is the process of repeatedly and extensively contracting the muscles of your upper abdomen in order to pull your stomach up and in,” explains chiropractor Adam Browning, DC. “It can alter the movement patterns of your abdominal muscles, which leads to imbalances known as 'hourglass syndrome. '”
With enough force transferred to the abdominal area, intestinal damage and even bowel perforation can occur. Intestinal symptoms will include tenderness to the area, changes in bowel function or bloating, and systemic symptoms such as temperature or blood pressure changes.
Period bloating is a condition that occurs before or during your period. It causes a distended belly and an uncomfortable, tight feeling. Period bloating is believed to be caused by the hormone changes that take place each month during your period.
What is an epigastric hernia? An epigastric hernia is a lump in the midline between your belly button and sternum (breastbone) which can cause pain. Your abdominal cavity contains your intestines and other structures. These are protected by your abdominal wall, which is made up of four layers.
When you put pressure on the lower abdomen, you're pushing on the bladder, which, in turn, pushes on the G-spot just below it. "There's a fair amount of skin and muscle in the way, but stimulation is definitely possible," says sex therapist Vanessa Marin.
The majority of the time, when you experience pain above your belly button, it could be due to an issue with your gastrointestinal or intestinal tract, such as the stomach, pancreas, gallbladder, liver, or intestines.