Causes of Lower Abdominal Heaviness in Women

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Extract from the article: Lower abdominal heaviness is quite common among women. It can be due to pathologies related to the urinary, genital, and large intestine systems. What are the symptoms? When should you consult a doctor?

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Lower abdominal heaviness is quite common among women. It can be due to pathologies related to the urinary, genital, and large intestine systems. What are the symptoms? When should you consult a doctor?

Lower abdominal heaviness in women refers to an uncomfortable sensation felt in the lower part of the abdomen, which can have multiple causes. Various symptoms can accompany this condition, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, bloating, or difficulty urinating.

Causes

The causes can be multiple, with the most common ones being:

Urinary tract infection: This causes discomfort and pain in the lower abdomen, frequent urges to urinate, low urine volume, difficult urination, pain during urination, and possibly blood in the urine.

Intestinal disorders: Conditions such as constipation, diarrhea, gas, or irritable bowel syndrome can provoke a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen.

Gynecologist-Obstetrician Dr. Bénédicta Dédé Amewoui also indicates that lower abdominal heaviness in women can be caused by gynecological disorders. Uterine heaviness should prompt thoughts of a menstrual disorder. This can particularly occur following a pregnancy, a procedure on the uterus such as a voluntary termination of pregnancy (VTP), curettage, insertion of an IUD, or after childbirth. Regarding the ovaries, a large cyst can be painful, for example, fibroids," explains Dr. Amewoui.

Who and When to Consult

"If this sensation persists for more than 24 hours, is accompanied by pain, fever, blood in the stool, blood in the urine, or pain during urination, you should quickly consult a midwife or gynecologist," adds the gynecologist-obstetrician.

Treatment

Initially, taking painkillers can help alleviate the sensation of heaviness. In any case, it is necessary to determine the cause of the problem based on the associated symptoms. A blood test, pregnancy test, urine analysis, or lower abdominal ultrasound may also be prescribed.

Raymond DZAKPATA