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Chronic Female Pelvic Pain - Topic Overview
Is this topic for you?
This topic focuses on pelvic pain that has lasted longer than 6 months. If you have new, sudden pelvic pain, see your doctor as soon as you can. To learn more about new pelvic pain, see the topic Abdominal Pain, Age 12 and Older.
What is chronic female pelvic pain?
Female pelvic
pain is pain
below a woman’s belly button
. It is considered chronic, which means
long-lasting, if you have had it for at least 6 months. The type of pain varies
from woman to woman. In some women, it is a mild ache that comes and goes. In
others, the pain is so steady and severe that it’s hard to sleep, work, or
enjoy life.
If your doctor can find what’s causing the pain, treating the cause may make the pain go away. If no cause is found, your doctor can help you find ways to ease the pain and get your life back.
What causes chronic female pelvic pain?
Some common causes include:
- Problems of the
reproductive system, such as
endometriosis,
adenomyosis, and
uterine fibroids.
- Scar tissue (adhesions) in the pelvic area after a pelvic infection or surgery.
- Diseases of the urinary tract or bowel, such as irritable bowel syndrome or chronic bladder irritation.
- Physical or sexual abuse. Experts are not sure why this is so, but about half of women with chronic pelvic pain have a history of abuse.1
Doctors don't really understand all the things that can cause chronic pelvic pain. So sometimes, even with a lot of testing, the cause remains a mystery. This doesn't mean that there isn't a cause or that your pain isn't real.
Sometimes, after a disease has been treated or an injury has healed, the affected nerves keep sending pain signals. This is called neuropathic pain . It may help explain why it can be so hard to find the cause of chronic pelvic pain.
What are the symptoms?
The type of pain can vary widely. Chronic pelvic pain can include:
- Pain that ranges from mild to severe.
- Pain that ranges from dull to sharp.
- Severe cramping during periods.
- Pain during sex.
- Pain when you urinate or have a bowel movement.
Chronic pain can lead to depression. Depression can cause you to feel sad and hopeless, eat and sleep poorly, and move slowly.
How is chronic female pelvic pain diagnosed?
At your first visit, your doctor will do a complete pelvic exam to look for problems with your reproductive system. The doctor will also ask questions about your past and present health and about your symptoms. You may have some tests, such as:
- A Pap test to look for cervical cancer or cell changes called dysplasia.
- Blood and urine tests to look for signs of infection.
- A pregnancy test.
- Tests for sexually transmitted diseases.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Chronic Female Pelvic Pain Topics
ENABLEX is a prescription medicine used in adults to treat the following symptoms due to a condition called overactive bladder:
- · having a strong need to go to the bathroom right away (also called "urgency")
- · leaks or wetting accidents (also called "urinary incontinence")
- · having to go to the bathroom too often (also called "urinary frequency")
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
You should not take once-daily ENABLEX if you have certain types of stomach problems, glaucoma, or have trouble emptying your bladder. Side effects of ENBLEX include blurred vision, and more commonly dry mouth, constipation, indigestion, and abdominal pain. Use caution when doing certain activities until you know how ENBALEX affects you.
VIVELLE-DOT (estradiol transdermal system) IS AVAILABLE BY PRESCRPTION ONLY.
INDICATION
Vivelle-Dot is used after menopause to: reduce moderate to severe hot flashes; treat moderate to severe dryness, itching and burning in or around the vagina; help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones); and treat certain conditions in which a young woman's ovaries do not produce enough estrogens naturally. Vivelle-Dot 0.025 mg/day is only used to prevent osteoporosis from menopause. If you use Vivelle-Dot only to treat your dryness, itching, and burning in and around your vagina or if you use Vivelle-Dot only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your healthcare professional about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus (womb). Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are taking estrogens. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb).
Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes. Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens with progestins may increase your risk of dementia (decline in memory and thinking skills).
Vivelle-Dot should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding; currently have or have had certain cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus; had a stroke or heart attack in the recent past (for example, in the past year); currently have or have had blood clots; currently have or have had liver problems; or think you may be, or know that you are, pregnant.
The most common side effects that may occur with Vivelle-Dot are headache, breast tenderness, and back pain.
You and your healthcare professional should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with Vivelle-Dot.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Full Prescribing Information for Vivelle-Dot.
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