Pelvic Pain
Pelvic pain is any pain that occurs in the lower stomach area. You may also feel this pain in the lower back, bum, or upper legs. If you are experiencing any kind of discomfort in this area, see your provider at Summit Women’s Health in Princeton, West Virginia to do a proper examination of the area.
What are the causes of pelvic pain?
There are many different situations that can cause pelvic pain. Some women feel extremely significant pain during their periods, which may be a sign of PCOS or endometriosis. Rough sex or penetration at an awkward angle can also cause pain and, sometimes, cramping later on. In these situations, some people may be inclined to just wait to see whether the pain goes away, but they are still worth coming in to make sure there is nothing else going on.
Pelvic pain can also be a sign of organs in the body behaving abnormally, a symptom of an infection, or an issue with the rectum, pelvic muscles, or surrounding bones. Your provider at Summit Women’s Health is trained to conduct a proper examination and talk you through treatment for whatever the cause may be.
How does a pelvic exam work?
Before an exam, your Summit Women’s Health doctor will ask some questions to identify the general source and severity of your pain. This gives them a better idea of the likely causes and allows for a more focused physical exam.
During the physical exam, your doctor will very gently check the stomach and vaginal areas for any signs of tenderness or irregularities. You can communicate openly about areas where you feel pain – this will help your doctor with diagnosis.
Further tests may be needed depending on what your doctor can discover through the physical exam. These tests can include:
Blood or urine tests
Pelvic ultrasound
Pelvic laparoscopy
Pelvic MRI
Cystoscopy
Colonoscopy
What are the treatments for pelvic pain?
Common treatments for many forms of pelvic pain involve medicines like pain relievers, muscle relaxants, or antidepressants.
Some forms of pelvic pain are caused by organs in the pelvic area falling out of their normal position. This can mean they are pushing against the vagina or, in severe cases, pushing through the vaginal opening. This situation is called a “pelvic organ prolapse.”
Most women will have a mild form of prolapse – one that does not require surgery. In this situation, many can find relief in pursuing lifestyle changes that involve losing weight. The lost weight will decrease pressure on the organs in the pelvic area, which relieves the pain caused by their movement.
Other mild cases are caused by a problem with the connective tissues around the pelvic organs. These situations can be helped by pursuing pelvic floor physical therapy, strengthening of the pelvic muscles, and stretching.
In a severe case of prolapse, some women may need to undergo surgery. A vaginal wall repair or vaginal wall closure can be required if an organ has pushed through part of the vagina.
Fibroids can also cause severe pelvic pain in certain cases. Fibroids are smooth pieces of tissue that randomly grow in the vagina, causing pain and bleeding. When there are severe amounts of fibroids, a surgery known as a hysterectomy – removal of the uterus – may be called for.
How is pelvic pain caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI or STD) treated?
STDs can lead to “pelvic inflammatory disease,” an inflammation of organs in the pelvic region, like the cervix or uterus.
Pelvic inflammatory disease is usually caused by STIs like chlamydia or gonorrhea. Treatment will involve taking antibiotics to treat the STD directly. However, it is much better to treat these infections before they get bad enough to cause pelvic inflammatory disease, so it is important to contact your provider at Summit Women’s Health for treatment immediately.
At Summit Women’s Health, we consider it an important part of our job to ease as much pain as possible for our patients. To book an appointment for a pelvic exam at Summit Women’s Health in Princeton, West Virginia with Brandon M. Lingenfelter, DO, PhD; Megan Lingenfelter, PA; Sam Snyder, DO; or Valeah Bradshaw, NP, call us at (681) 282-5591 or use our scheduling portal.