4 Potential Causes of Pelvic Pain

Women are no strangers to pelvic pain; many experience some degree of cramping during their periods. But severe menstrual pain and pelvic pain outside your periods are entirely different matters — and they’re all too common.

About 1 in 7 women of childbearing age in the United States report pelvic pain, specifically pain that lasts for at least six months.

As women’s health experts, the all-female medical team here at Beyond Women’s Care is well versed in the many roads to pelvic pain, and we want to cover a few of the more common here. Not to mention, how we can go about bringing you relief from your pelvic pain.

Your pelvis: a crowded space

We first want to point out that your pelvis houses several different systems. Yes, your reproductive organs are mostly located in your pelvis, but this space also houses your urinary tract and the lower part of your digestive tract.

For the purposes of our discussion, we’re going to stick to reproductive issues that lead to pelvic pain, and it’s a very good place for women to start the investigative process.

Behind pelvic pain

Now let’s dive into a few of the more common issues we see among our patients that lead to pelvic pain, which includes:

1. Endometriosis

This is a common condition that affects 11% of women between the ages of 15 and 44. With endometriosis, cells and tissue that are supposed to grow inside your uterus grow outside it instead. 

These endometrial tissues can attach themselves to different pelvic organs and, when they can’t shed out with your periods, they can lead to adhesions or scar tissue.

As a result, many women who have endometriosis experience painful periods, as well as discomfort at different times. One example is during sex, because intercourse tugs on scar tissue. The pain can also emerge in your lower back as a dull ache.

2. Uterine fibroids

About three-quarters of women develop uterine fibroids during their reproductive years. The good news is that 99% of uterine fibroids are benign growths in the walls of your uterus, and many women are unaware of their existence.

The bad news is that if uterine fibroids become large or numerous enough, they can lead to pelvic pain, which is also described as pelvic pressure.

3. Pelvic inflammatory disease

If you let a sexually transmitted disease go untreated, you can develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and pelvic pain is at the top of the list of symptoms.

4. Ovarian cysts

Cysts routinely form on your ovaries as a normal part of ovulation, but some can grow large and become problematic. As well, ovulation disorders like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can also lead to painful and troublesome ovarian cysts.

Getting help for pelvic pain

Our list of possible causes behind pelvic pain is far from complete, but it illustrates the importance of seeking the right answers. After we review your symptoms and medical history, we can use advanced imaging to get a look inside your pelvis to identify what’s causing your pelvic pain.

And once we do, we offer many different treatment options, such as laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis or a myomectomy for uterine fibroids.

So, the best way to get on the road to relief for pelvic pain is to schedule a consultation with a member of our team. You can call our office in Rochester Hills, Michigan, at 248-284-4859, or you can contact us through our website.