PELVIC PAIN

Pelvic pain can be very distressing. Pain may be due to a variety of causes. It is important that your pain is fully investigated to achieve a correct diagnosis.

ACUTE PELVIC PAIN

If you experience acute severe pelvic pain, you should present to the nearest emergency department to gain access to immediate help.

Serious causes of acute pain include:

  • Complications of pregnancy – including ectopic pregnancies

  • Ovarian torsion

  • Ruptured ovarian cyst

  • Acute pelvic infections (e.g. chlamydia and gonorrhea)

  • Appendicitis

CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN

The following list is a summary of the causes of chronic pelvic pain:

Gynaecological Causes

  • Endometriosis

  • Low-grade chronic pelvic infections

  • Post-operative or inflammatory adhesions

  • Ovarian cysts

  • Gynaecological cancers

Gastrointestinal Causes

  • Irritable bowel syndrome

  • Coeliac disease (gluten allergy)

  • Constipation

  • Inflammatory bowel diseases (e.g. Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)

  • Diverticular disease

  • Bowel cancer

Urinary tract causes

  • Interstitial cystitis

  • Urinary tract infections

  • Bladder cancers

Musculo-skeletal causes

  • Weakened “core” muscle groups

  • Poor posture

  • Fibromyalgia

Neurological causes

  • Nerve entrapment following a previous surgery (e.g caesarean section)

  • Pudendal neuralgia

  • Spinal disc bulge