Women's Health

If you have chronic female pelvic pain that has not yet been evaluated, call your doctor for an appointment.

If you have chronic pelvic pain that has already been evaluated, call a doctor for immediate care if sudden, severe pelvic pain occurs with or without vaginal bleeding.

Call a doctor if:

• Your periods have changed from relatively pain-free to painful.
• Pain interferes with your daily activities.
• You begin to have pain during intercourse.
• You have painful urination, blood in your urine, or an inability to control the flow of urine.
• You have blood in the stool or a significant, unexplained change in your bowel movements.

Even if you have existing pain or other symptoms, call your doctor if you notice new pelvic symptoms.

Watchful Waiting

Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your doctor observe your pelvic pain symptoms without using additional medical treatment. During this period, you can keep a daily record of your symptoms, menstrual cycle, and any other life events that you consider important. A watchful waiting period may vary from a few days to weeks or possibly months.

Who To See

The following primary health professionals can generally evaluate and help you manage the symptoms of female pelvic pain:

• Family medicine doctor
• Gynecologist
• Internist
• Urologist
• Nurse practitioner
• Physician assistant

If chronic pelvic pain is to be formally diagnosed or treated with advanced methods, consult with a gynecologist or a urologist who specializes in female pelvic disorders.

Experts have noted a link between abuse and chronic pelvic pain.¹ If you have ever been physically or sexually abused, the physical and psychological trauma you have suffered may be playing a part in your pain. For this reason, it's important that you have a health professional with whom you are comfortable discussing any past or current abuse, as well as your current symptoms.

If you have had long-lasting (chronic) pelvic pain that hasn't responded to treatment or seems to have no physical cause, you may have developed neuropathic pain, which means your nerves continue to fire pain signals long after an original injury or disease has healed. If your doctor suspects that you have neuropathic pain, he or she may refer you to a pain management clinic for evaluation and treatment.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.