Pelvic Pain

What is pelvic pain?

Pelvic pain refers to discomfort in the pelvic region of the body, which is the location of your reproductive organs. The pain may vary from a dull aching sensation to sharp pain and may be acute or chronic.

For women, pelvic pain may be chronic, even if it’s intermittent. For example, pelvic pain that occurs every month during your menstrual cycle for six or more months is a type of chronic pelvic pain.

Though symptoms and the severity of pelvic pain may vary, any chronic pain or pain that affects your quality of life benefits from a consultation at Providence Women's Healthcare.

What causes pelvic pain?

Pelvic pain may develop from any number of reasons. For women, pelvic pain may result from a gynecological condition such as:

• Menstrual cramps
• Endometriosis
• Fibroids
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Sexually transmitted disease (STD)
• Pregnancy
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Ovulation
• Ovarian cysts
• Gynecological cancer

Women may also develop pelvic pain from conditions not related to their reproductive organs, such as a urinary tract infection or irritable bowel syndrome. 

How is pelvic pain diagnosed?

When you visit Providence Women's Healthcare with concerns about pelvic pain, you can expect a comprehensive history and physical.

Your provider reviews your symptoms, medical history, and gynecological history. They perform a physical and pelvic exam. 

To confirm or rule out the cause of your pelvic pain, your provider may run diagnostic tests such as blood work, urinalysis, Pap smear, or an ultrasound. Your provider takes all samples or performs tests on-site for your convenience.

How is pelvic pain treated? 

Treatment for pelvic pain depends on the cause and severity of your symptoms. Initially, your provider at Providence Women's Healthcare takes a conservative approach and may recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet, regular exercise, and stress management.

Your provider may also recommend hormonal birth control to manage gynecological conditions that cause pelvic pain, such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS, aka menstrual cramps), fibroids, or endometriosis.

When medical interventions fail to provide significant relief from your pelvic pain, your provider may talk to you about your surgical options. Providence Women's Healthcare is a state-of-the-art practice that performs advanced surgical procedures to minimize post-surgical pain and recovery time.

Find out what’s causing your pelvic pain by calling Providence Women's Healthcare or scheduling an appointment online today.