Most Common Causes of Pelvic Pain

Maybe it’s a constant and dull ache in your lower abdomen. Perhaps you experience pelvic pain only during certain times, such as with your periods or during sex.

No matter how your pelvic pain is showing up, we want you to know that you’re not alone — 1 in 7 women of childbearing age reported pelvic pain that lasted for six months or more. That doesn’t include postmenopausal women who experience pelvic pain.

While it may be of some comfort to know you’re not alone if you’re struggling with pelvic pain, your real priority is finding a solution. That’s where Dr. Karen F. Brodman can help. An important step toward finding relief from pelvic pain is to figure out what’s causing it. 

This blog post explores the most common causes.

Understanding pelvic pain

Your pelvis is an area that houses several different systems, including your:

• Reproductive organs
• Urinary tract
• Lower gastrointestinal tract

Since we’re a practice that focuses on gynecologic care, we’re going to highlight those women’s reproductive health issues that commonly lead to pelvic pain.

Periods and pelvic pain

You dread when your period rolls around each month, thanks to cramps in your abdomen. 

Most women experience pelvic cramps during their periods, and it isn’t necessarily cause for alarm. However, if your cramps are severe and debilitating, this is NOT normal. Schedule an appointment so we can investigate.

Endometriosis and pelvic pain

Up to 11% of women between the ages of 15 and 44 have endometriosis — a condition where endometrial cells and tissues grow outside your uterus.

These tissues can grow over or attach to other pelvic organs, leading to pelvic pain, especially if the tissues become adhesions. 

For example, you might feel tugging in your pelvis when you have intercourse, or you might experience more pelvic pain during your periods because these tissues respond to your menstrual cycles.

When uterine fibroids become problematic

Most women develop uterine fibroids during their reproductive years. However, most of these growths go unnoticed. This explains why experts guess that anywhere from 20-80% of women have uterine fibroids.

If fibroids become too large or numerous or develop in a challenging part of your uterus, you can notice their presence. Pelvic pain or discomfort is usually the first sign.

To treat fibroids, we can use hormone medications to prevent them from growing larger, or we might explore removing the fibroid with a minimally invasive procedure.

Pelvic inflammatory disease

If you have a sexually transmitted infection and it goes untreated, it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This issue can also put your fertility at risk.

The good news is that we can usually treat PID with antibiotics, but the sooner the better, so schedule an appointment at the first signs of pelvic pain.

Clearly, there are many reasons for pelvic pain, and this list is far from comprehensive. The bottom line is that if you’re in pain, it’s your body’s way of getting your attention, and you should heed the call.

To find relief from pelvic pain, schedule an appointment with Dr. Bordman at our office on the Upper West Side of New York City today.