Many women all over the world experience pelvic pain. In most cases, it doesn't manifest any serious condition (like period pain or pain during ovulation). However, there are a lot of factors that can cause pelvic pain. Most of them require timely and professional medical attention. In this article, we have gathered eight common causes of pelvic pain in women you should know about.
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a condition that occurs when bacteria from the anus penetrate the urinary system. Even though both men and women can get UTI, it is more common for women since, in women, the anus and urethra are located closer. Symptoms of UTI can include pelvic pain, cloudy urine, pain during urination, blood in the urine, and urge to urinate. The early stages of UTI can be easily treated with the help of antibiotics.
Endometriosis is a condition that occurs when the inner lining of the uterus that is called the endometrium starts to grow on the pelvic organs. This can result in severe pelvic pain, heavy and painful periods, pain during sex, and even infertility. There is no cure for endometriosis, but certain treatment options can help manage your symptoms.
Adenomyosis is a condition that occurs when the endometrium starts to grow inside the uterine walls. It can manifest itself through pelvic pain, heavy periods, pelvic pressure, problems with fertility, and other unpleasant symptoms. In many cases, adenomyosis occurs along with endometriosis, and both conditions are treated simultaneously.
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that grow in the uterus. A woman can have single or multiple fibroids. Many women don't know that they have fibroids since they can develop asymptomatically. However, in some women, they can cause pelvic pain, pelvic pressure, heavy and painful periods, fertility problems, and lower back pain. Timely and efficient fibroid treatment can help ease these symptoms and improve your well-being.
Sexually transmitted infections can develop asymptomatically for a long period of time or cause severe symptoms in a few weeks after infection. Different STIs can cause different symptoms. For example, chlamydia can cause pelvic pain, abnormal vaginal discharge, pain during sex, vaginal bleeding between periods, pain during urination, etc. It is essential to understand that timely treatment of STIs can help prevent the development of serious complications.
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a condition that occurs when the pelvic organs become inflamed. This condition occurs when a woman has an untreated vaginal infection like gonorrhea, chlamydia, or bacterial vaginosis. The most common symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease include:
Pelvic pain
Fever
Abnormal vaginal discharge with an unpleasant smell
Pain during sex
Vaginal bleeding between periods
Without timely and proper treatment, pelvic inflammatory disease can cause scars on the fallopian tubes and other organs. This can result in infertility.
An ovarian cyst is a sac filled with fluid that occurs on the ovary. In most cases, these sacs appear and disappear asymptomatically throughout the menstrual cycle. But some women have ovarian cysts that cause unpleasant symptoms like pelvic pain, pain during sex, irregular or heavy periods, and pelvic pressure. In some cases, an ovarian cyst can burst. This usually results in severe pain, nausea, and fainting.
Ectopic pregnancy is a condition that occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus. In most cases, an ectopic pregnancy occurs in the fallopian tubes. In the initial stages, it can develop asymptomatically. But when the fetus grows, it can stretch and tear the tube. This can lead to bleeding, severe pelvic pain, and many other life-threatening complications.
