Many women experience increased sensitivity or tenderness in the abdomen area during their menstrual cycle. This is actually pretty common and usually results from the fluctuations in the levels of estrogen and progesterone. If you experience menstrual cramps, this could cause your muscles to become tender. Although tenderness and cramping is normal, you should not be experiencing episodes of intense pain. If so, you should see a doctor.
Another cause, and a more serious one, for abdominal tenderness is a condition called endometriosis. This is where the lining of the uterus also grows on the outside of the uterus. It thickens just like the interior tissue and breaks down when hormone levels drop. But while the broken down endometrium flows out through the cervix, the broken down lining on the outside of the uterus has nowhere to go and can develop into fluid sacks and scar tissue.
Endometriosis can cause not just tenderness but also pain in the abdomen. It can even hinder the ability to get pregnant if enough scar tissue builds up. Only a doctor can diagnose endometriosis. |
