Chronic pelvic pain is the an ailment that influences almost one in seven women in the united states. It is explained as pain located below the belly button and lasting longer than six months. Though your physician might make the diagnosis of chronic pelvic pain, however, more knowledge is required to diagnose the exact cause of your pelvic pain. Diagnosing the real cause may not be simple and requires multiple visits to your physician. Pelvic pain in women can be an indication that there might be some ailments in one of the reproductive organs in women in the pelvic area such as Uterus, ovaries, Fallopian tubes, vagina. Though pelvic pain defines the pain in the area of women’s internal reproductive organs, pelvic pain may arise either during intimacy or may arise from other severe infections
How would I know if it is pelvic pain?
Chronic Pelvic pain in women may show a wide variety of symptoms, some of which include
- Menstrual cramps
- Menstrual pain
- Painful or difficult urination
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Bloating or gas
- Blood seen with a bowel movement
- Pain during intercourse
- Fever or chills
- Pain in the hip area
- Pain in the groin area
What causes pelvic pain in women?
- Pregnancy
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Miscarriage
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Ovulation
- Menstrual cramps
- Ovarian cysts or other ovarian disorders
- Fibroids
- Endometriosis
- Cancer
Do men also suffer pelvic pain?
Some common causes of pelvic pain that rests among both men and women
- Appendix
- Urinary tract infections
- Sexually transferred disease
- Intestine ailments
- Pinched nerves
- Hernia
- Spasm of pelvic muscles
- Broken pelvic bones
- Stress
What are the treatments for pelvic pain?
The treatment for pelvic pain may vary with the cause and severity, and the frequency of the pain occurring. Sometimes medicines, including antibiotics are sufficient for treating chronic pelvic pain. However, if the pain is caused by the ailment of any pelvic organs the treatment might involve surgery or other procedures. In some cases, physical therapy is helpful in the case of stress. Leading a life with pelvic pain can be stressing and causes anxiety, we suggest there are benefits if you work with a trained counselor, psychologists and psychiatrists
How is pelvic pain diagnosed?
When diagnosing the cause of pelvic pain, the doctor will review the symptoms and medical history of the patient. A physical exam and/or other tests might also help in diagnosing the cause of pelvic pain. The specific testing performed will depend on the discussions with your doctor as well as your examination. Some diagnostic tools might include:
- Blood and urine tests
- Pregnancy tests in females of reproductive age
- Vaginal or penile cultures to check for sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia
- Abdominal and pelvic X-rays
- Diagnostic laparoscopy (procedure allowing a direct look at the structures in the pelvis and abdomen)
- Hysteroscopy (procedure to examine the uterus)
- Stool guaiac test (checking of a stool sample for presence of microscopic blood)
- Lower endoscopy such as colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy (insertion of a lighted tube to examine the inside of the rectum and part or all of the colon)
- Ultrasound (test that uses sound waves to provide images of internal organs)
- CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis (scan that uses X-rays and computers to produce cross-sectional images of the body)