Pelvic Pain Specialist

What is pelvic pain?

Pelvic pain is a common women's health problem that may come and go, and its cause is often unclear. You may feel it in your genital area or in the pelvic region.

Pelvic pain is categorized as either acute or chronic. Acute pain is sudden and severe, while chronic pain either comes and goes or is constant over time. Pelvic pain that lasts longer than six months is considered chronic. 

Chronic pelvic pain sometimes follows a regular cycle. For example, it may occur during your period. The pain may occur at certain times, such as while urinating or during sex. Your practitioner at Prescott Women's Clinic asks detailed questions about your pelvic pain when you come in for a visit to hone in on the root cause.

What causes pelvic pain?

A variety of conditions can cause pelvic pain. Some conditions involve your reproductive organs while others occur in your bowel or urinary tract. 

Gynecologic conditions that may produce pelvic pain include:

• Endometriosis
• Dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps)
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Ovarian cyst
• Miscarriage
• Urinary tract infection
• Uterine fibroids
• Scar tissue 
• Endometrial polyps

A ruptured fallopian tube and cancer may also cause pelvic pain.

How is pelvic pain diagnosed?

Your Prescott Women's Clinic practitioner asks about your medical history and performs a physical exam, including a pelvic exam. 

They may recommend tests to pinpoint the cause. These tests may include an ultrasound, laparoscopy, or cystoscopy. If a gastrointestinal cause is suspected, your practitioner may suggest that you undergo a colonoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure to examine your large intestine for polyps and abnormal growths.

How is pelvic pain treated?

Depending on your diagnosis, your practitioner at Prescott Women's Clinic recommends pain-relief measures, such as medications, physical therapy, nutritional therapy, or surgery.

Lifestyle changes, including regular exercise and good posture, may help reduce pelvic pain. Acupuncture or pain-relieving drugs may relieve menstrual cramps that cause pelvic pain. Vitamin B1 and magnesium may also help ease menstrual pain.

If these conservative treatments don't relieve your pelvic pain, your practitioner discusses surgical options. They may recommend laparoscopy to treat the root cause of your condition. Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure requiring only a few tiny incisions along with slender tools including a tiny video camera.

Get the help you need for pelvic pain today. Call Prescott Women's Clinic or book a consultation online for effective diagnosis and treatment.