Pelvic Pain

Any pain between your hips and belly button that lasts for six months or longer can be considered chronic pelvic pain. In many cases, no single cause can be pinpointed. Pelvic pain may be due to another condition, or it may exist on its own. Typically, chronic pelvic pain doesn’t have a single point of origin but instead seems to emanate from general areas. It can be both sharp or dull, intermittent or constant, and it may be accompanied by feelings of heaviness or pressure in the pelvic area.

Other symptoms may include pain during intercourse, pain that accompanies urination or bowel movements, or pain that develops after sitting for an extended time. Similarly, you may develop pelvic pain after standing for a long period, but find relief when you lie down. The intensity may be mild yet annoying, or it may keep you from sleep, work, or exercise.

When causes of chronic pelvic pain can be identified, it may be due to a single condition or a combination of factors. Common contributors to chronic pelvic pain include:

• Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease: stemming from long-term infection, including sexually transmitted infections
• Endometriosis: where uterine lining tissue grows outside the uterus
• Uterine fibroids: noncancerous growths that typically cause dull or achy pain, unless their blood supply is compromised
• Irritable bowel syndrome: symptoms can create pain or pressure in the pelvic region
• Musculoskeletal issues: including conditions of the bones, joints, or connective tissues, as well as hernia, fibromyalgia, and inflammation of the pubic joint.
• Pelvic congestion syndrome: stemming from varicose veins in the pelvic region
• Depression, chronic stress, or emotional distress: psychological factors may aggravate pelvic pain

Depending on the causes of your pelvic pain, medications may target pain, infections, or hormonal cycles. Hormone therapy may be effective if your pelvic pain seems tied to your menstrual cycle.

Physical causes, such as uterine fibroids or endometriosis, for example, may be treated using minimally invasive surgical techniques such as laparoscopy and robotically-assisted surgery. In rare cases where symptoms are severe, and you’re past your childbearing years, partial or full hysterectomy may be considered.