Because they affect intimate areas, pelvic pain is often killed by those who suffer from it. To lift this taboo, the University Hospital of Poitiers summarizes everything you need to know about this pathology.
- In case of recurrent pain, you should report it to your doctor.
- In France, there are specialized structures dealing with chronic pain.
– Why Doctor: What is pelvic pain?
Pelvic pain refers to all pain that occurs in the region of the pelvis or pelvis, especially in the lower abdomen and the genital area. They are more common in women of childbearing age than in other categories of the population. They can be acute or chronic.
– What are the causes ?
Chronic pelvic pain is most often linked to urinary or gynecological causes, but can have very diverse origins: digestive, neurological, muscular, etc. In women, for example, gynecological causes are found in about 50% of cases.
Among the main causes of acute pelvic pain are ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, salpingitis (infection of the fallopian tubes), uterine fibroid, ovarian cyst, endometriosis, appendicitis, testicular torsion or acute prostatitis.
If the pain occurs in a young athlete, it may be a fracture of the sacrum or pelvis, bursitis or other musculoskeletal disorders (muscle tear, etc.).
– What are the consequences ?
Sometimes very painful, pelvic pain can be caused by medical emergencies and should lead to immediate consultation. Chronic pain, for its part, often linked to the female cycle, has a significant impact on the quality of life of women. They can also have consequences on sex life, especially when they are disabling several days a month.
– What are the possible treatments?
Treatments can be drug or surgical. In women, in case of chronic pelvic pain, a gynecological follow-up is necessary to ensure that there are no ovarian dysfunctions or endometriosis, for example. If no cause is found and a psychosomatic origin is suspected, follow-up psychotherapy may be proposed. Pain in the lower abdomen and pelvis can indeed, in some cases, be associated with anxiety or certain mental disorders.
