Pelvic Pain
One of the most common complaints to affect women is pelvic pain. But pelvic pain can stem from any number of a large variety of causes. Sometimes pelvic pain is a sign of a real medical emergency, while more often the pain signifies nothing of any great urgency. In still other cases, it may not be possible to discover the reasons behind the symptoms.
The simple fact is that the general workings of the reproductive organs can cause pelvic pain in sensitive individuals. Here are some of the more benign causes of pelvic pain:
*Pregnancy—As a fertilized egg undergoes implantation you may feel some pain and perhaps some vaginal bleeding as well. This is quite normal. As the pregnancy progresses some women experience discomfort as the uterus stretches to accommodate the fetus. This is of no concern unless the pain is severe and there is cramping, backache, and bleeding, in which case, you should consult your physician or head to the emergency room.
Bad Cramps
*Ovulation—Lots of women have pain or discomfort during the time they ovulate. This is called Mittelschmerz from the German words for "middle" and "pain." For some women the pain is just a bit of achiness while others may have severe, even disabling pain, not unlike bad menstrual cramps.
*Menstrual Cramps—Cramps resulting from menstruation can be quite painful. Some women are so uncomfortable they head for the emergency room imagining that there may be something quite serious going wrong with their health.
Okay, so say your pain has nothing to do with any of these three conditions: what now? First of all, keep in mind that the reproductive system is quite complicated. With so much going on in that area, it should be no surprise that a woman experiences pelvic pain from time to time. But here are some of the other reasons that should be considered as possible causes of a painful pelvis.
Scar Tissue?
*Pelvic Adhesions—Have you undergone surgery in the pelvic area? It could be you have some scar tissue leftover from a cesarean section or from an emergency appendectomy. Surgery can help to eliminate this buildup of tissue.
*Uterine Fibroids—These benign growths develop inside or just outside of the uterus. They may not cause any trouble at all, but sometimes cause intense pain.
*Ovarian Cysts—Such cysts may form during the time you ovulate. The body attempts to release an egg, but it gets stuck and then fills up with fluid. These cysts can hurt like the dickens.
Migrating Tissue
*Endometriosis—In this condition, tissue mimicking the lining of the uterus migrates to other organs in the pelvis causing severe pain and a number of complications.
*Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Bladder Problems—Both of these conditions have been known to cause pelvic pain.
Here are two rare and life-threatening conditions that cause pelvic pain and require immediate medical care:
*Ectopic Pregnancy—In this condition, a fertilized egg implants somewhere other than in the uterus, such as in the fallopian tube.
Maybe Appendicitis?
*Appendicitis—Severe right-hand abdominal pain should always be assessed for the presence of appendicitis.
In most cases, pelvic pain passes with no intervention while for a few women, the pain is a chronic issue.
or sign up
Post a comment