By Cathy Nelson 

 Medically reviewed by Kumkum S. Patel MD, MPH

A tight stomach can feel uncomfortable, with cramping or squeezing sensations, but not overly painful. A tight stomach is not itself an illness or disease but typically a symptom of an underlying condition that can range from mild to potentially serious.

This article looks at the most common possible causes of a tight stomach, how to find relief, and when to seek medical care.

Emergency Symptoms

Continuous, severe abdominal pain or abdominal pain accompanied by continuous vomiting can indicate a serious or life-threatening condition. If you experience these symptoms, call 911 or seek emergency care immediately.

What Does a Tight Stomach Feel Like?

A tight stomach can feel like cramping or squeezing in your abdomen.1 You might also feel bloated or like your belly is full.2 The feeling of a tight stomach might come and go, and in some cases, the tightness will go away on its own.1

Potential Causes of a Tight Stomach

There are numerous potential causes of a tight stomach, some of which are due to underlying conditions. Some of the most common causes of a tight stomach include:

Gas

Symptoms of gas include burping, bloating, and passing gas. Gas can occur if you swallow too much air when eating or drinking or when the bacteria in your large intestine break up undigested carbohydrates.3

While having gas is normal, certain conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and food intolerance can cause you to have more gas or more symptoms than usual.3

Constipation

Constipation occurs when muscle contractions that push stool through the colon to the rectum slow down, leading to too much water being absorbed by the colon.4 Symptoms of constipation include having fewer than three bowel movements a week or stools that are hard, dry, or difficult to pass.5

Some of the most common causes of constipation include not eating enough fiber or drinking enough fluids, lack of exercise, certain medications, IBS, and other conditions that affect
how the digestive system functions.4

Anxiety

The digestive system shares many nerve connections with the brain, known as the "brain-gut connection." Stress hormones and chemicals can affect the nerves in your digestive system and interfere with digestion, causing issues such as indigestion and cramps.6

Stress and anxiety can also cause a tight stomach by upsetting the balance of bacteria in the gut or causing you to eat unhealthy foods or overeat.7

If your stress is temporary, your tight stomach and other digestive symptoms should go away once your stress does. Chronic anxiety can lead to chronic digestive symptoms.7

PMS

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) occurs when hormonal changes during your menstrual cycle cause physical and mental symptoms in the days leading up to the start of your period. These physical changes can include bloating, abdominal tightness, and other digestive issues.8

Indigestion

Indigestion (dyspepsia) is often referred to as an upset stomach. Symptoms can include pain, burning, bloating, discomfort in the abdomen, or feeling so full after a meal that you’re uncomfortable.9

You can get indigestion from eating or drinking too fast, certain foods such as spicy foods, or certain medications. Digestive conditions such as acid reflux, IBS, or food intolerance can also cause indigestion.10

Food Poisoning

Food poisoning occurs when your digestive system becomes infected or irritated by viruses, bacteria, parasites, or toxins spread through food or drinks. Food poisoning symptoms may include stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. It usually goes away on its own without serious complications.11

IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome is thought to be caused by hypersensitivity of nerves in the digestive system. IBS can cause abdominal discomfort and pain, along with constipation or diarrhea.12

Treatment usually focuses on managing symptoms through dietary changes, medication, and psychotherapy.13

Hiatal Hernia

Hiatal hernia is a condition in which part of the stomach extends through an opening of the diaphragm (the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen) into the chest. Hiatal hernias can result in stomach acid flowing upward causing symptoms such as stomach and chest pain, and heartburn.14

Lifestyle changes like eating smaller, more frequent meals, or medications can be used to manage hiatal hernias, but sometimes surgery is required.14

Pregnancy

Upper stomach pain is common during pregnancy and can be caused by gas, constipation, or ligament changes. Stomach pain during pregnancy can also be from a urinary tract infection (UTI) or have more serious causes such as an ectopic pregnancy (a fertilized ovum implanted elsewhere than in the uterus) or miscarriage (pregnancy loss).15

When to Seek Help

If you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant and experience severe or consistent stomach pain, spotting or bleeding, light-headedness, fever, or chills, you should seek medical attention immediately.15

Ascites

Ascites occurs when fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity. It is most commonly caused by liver cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) but can also be caused by infections, cancer, or heart or liver failure.16

In addition to pain and tightness in the abdomen, ascites can cause difficulty breathing. If you have ascites, it’s important to restrict sodium intake and, in some cases, take diuretics (water pills).16

How to Find Relief From a Tight Stomach

Getting relief from a tight stomach will depend on the cause. Some causes, such as gas, indigestion, or constipation, may require only measures such as changes in diet or over-the-counter or prescription medications.3

Increase your fiber intake gradually.4 Aerobic exercises can also help constipation, and include brisk walking, cycling, jogging, and elliptical training.17

If anxiety is causing your symptoms, you may need to take steps to reduce stress or see a therapist for coping strategies.6

More serious causes of tight stomach, such as IBS, ascites, or hiatal hernia, need to be evaluated by a healthcare provider and may require ongoing medical management.

How to Prevent a Tight Stomach

You can reduce your chances of experiencing a tight stomach by:18

• Staying hydrated

• Eating a healthful diet

• Getting regular exercise

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

Most cases of a tight stomach are temporary and don’t require you to contact a healthcare provider. You should contact a healthcare provider If your symptoms bother you, suddenly change, or are accompanied by other symptoms such as pain or nausea, constipation, diarrhea, or unexpected weight loss.3

If you experience severe, continuous abdominal pain, pain with continuous vomiting or nausea, or difficulty breathing, you may have a serious condition and should immediately seek emergency care.1918

Summary

It’s common to have a tight stomach from time to time, and there are many possible causes. Some causes are minor and should go away on their own or with dietary and lifestyle changes and possibly medications. Other causes are more serious and require medical evaluation and treatment.

Healthy lifestyle changes can also help manage or prevent some cases of a tight stomach. It’s important to see a healthcare provider if your symptoms are bothersome, change suddenly, or are
severely painful.

Sources

Baptist Health. Stomach pain.

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Bloating: causes and prevention tips.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms and causes of gas in the digestive tract.

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Constipation.

National Institutes of Health. Definition & facts for constipation.

Anxiety & Depression Association of America. How to calm an anxious stomach: the brain-gut connection.

UChicago Medicine. Stress-related stomach pain: when to see a doctor.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

National Institutes of Health. Definition & facts of indigestion.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms & causes of indigestion.

National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Definition & facts of food poisoning.

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Irritable bowel syndrome treatment.

Mount Sinai. Hiatal hernia.

National Health Service. Stomach pain in pregnancy.

American College of Gastroenterology. Ascites overview.

Tantawy SA, Kamel DM, Abdelbasset WK, Elgohary HM. Effects of a proposed physical activity and diet control to manage constipation in middle-aged obese women. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2017;10:513-519. doi:10.2147/DMSO.S140250

Carewell Urgent Care. Why a “rock hard” stomach may be unhealthy.

American College of Emergency Physicians. Stomach pain.

By Cathy Nelson
Cathy Nelson has worked as a writer and editor covering health and wellness for more than two decades. Her work has appeared in print and online in numerous outlets, including the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News.