Chronic pelvic pain is pain or discomfort felt in the pelvic area (below your navel and between your hips) present on most days for at least 3-6 months. Pelvic pain is mostly seen in women and, according to Painaustralia, affects one in five women in Australia.

Symptoms of Chronic Pelvic Pain

• An aching, sharp or burning pain in the pelvis, pubic area, tailbone, rectum, bottom, tailbone, or lower back

• Pressure or heaviness deep within your pelvis

• Pain during sex that can linger

• Bowel problems – pain when passing faeces, a sense of incomplete emptying, difficulty farting, food intolerances, bloating, diarrhoea, or constipation

• Bladder problems including painful bladder syndrome, frequent urination, bladder pain, an urgency to go to the toilet, or slow passage of urine

• Hip, groin or abdominal pain

• Pain when you sit for long periods of time.

Causes of Chronic Pelvic Pain

Chronic pelvic pain can have multiple causes. It can be a symptom of another disease, or it can be a condition in its own right. 

Some causes of chronic pelvic pain include:

• Endometriosis

• Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease

• Musculoskeletal problems such as pelvic floor muscle tension, fibromyalgia, hernia, inflammation of the pelvic floor, inflammation of the pubic symphysis, etc.

• Fibroids

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Adenomyosis

• Interstitial cystitis (painful bladder syndrome)

• Pelvic congestion syndrome

• Urinary tract infection

• Cancer (cervical, vaginal, ovarian, and endometrial)

• Psychological factors such as stress, depression, anxiety, substance abuse and history of sexual and physical abuse.

Treatments for pelvic pain

If your chronic pelvic pain appears is caused by an underlying medical condition, treating that condition may be enough to eliminate your pain. However, your doctor or team of healthcare providers may be unable to identify a single cause for chronic pelvic pain. In that case, treatments are aimed at pain relief and improving quality of life.

 Treatment options include:

• Medications including pain relievers, muscle relaxants, anti-neuropathic medications, hormone medications, antibiotics, antidepressants, and antibiotics.

• Nerve stimulation

• Physical therapy- exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor, abdominal, back, and hip muscles, acupuncture, acupressure, relaxation exercises, etc. 

• Psychotherapy

• Surgery

You can make an appointment with Dr Kenny on 07 3188 5000.

This article is written to be informative and does not substitute seeking a professional consultation from a medical professional.