It might start as a dull pain during your period. Might be so severe it affects your life. Might be steady. Might come and go. For some women, this problem in your pelvic region will get worse if you don’t do something about it.
First, you have to find out what causes your pain.
“It’s not unusual to find there’s more than one condition affecting a woman’s pelvic health,” says McLeod Gynecologist Monica Ploetzke, MD. “And that’s not unexpected, because the pelvis is home to a woman’s entire reproductive system, including the vagina, uterus, cervix, ovaries and fallopian tubes. Different conditions and diseases can affect these pelvic structures and cause pain.”
POSSIBLE CAUSES OF PAIN
Here’s a brief overview of some of the more common problems:
These aren’t the only possible sources of your pelvic pain. You may also be suffering from:
FINDING OUT WHAT’S WRONG
Your Gynecologist will start by investigating your personal medical history and will likely perform some lab tests. They may perform an ultrasound or take some tissue samples with a minimally invasive laparoscopy. Once your physician has pinpointed the problem or problems, you can plan the treatment together. It might involve something as simple as ibuprofen or it could require surgery of some type.
ACTION YOU CAN TAKE
If you have continuing pelvic pain, see your Gynecologist and explain your symptoms. Many women wait too long to see their physician, only making the pain last longer and possibly worsen over time. Women should be encouraged not to suffer with pelvic pain. Most of the conditions causing female pelvic pain can be treated with significant improvement if not complete resolution of pain symptoms.
Sources include: McLeod Health, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Prevention, National Institutes of Health, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, National Association for Continence.