Most women will experience some pelvic pain in their lives. In some women the symptoms are severe and can disrupt their day-to-day lives.
Pelvic pain can be caused by many conditions and include:
- Endometriosis
- Ovarian cysts
- Pelvic infections
- Fibroids
- Bladder issues
- Bowel problems
Managing the pain means treating the cause and as such a number of test may need to be performed to identify the problem. These tests may include
- Blood tests
- Ultrasound
If the cause is not clear it is sometimes necessary to do an operation and have a look inside the abdomen. This is a procedure known as a laparoscopy.
The management of pelvic pain depends on the cause of the pain. Some pains may be managed through medications but sometimes surgery is required. This surgery may involve:
- Removing an ovarian cyst
- Treating endometriosis
- Dividing adhesions in the pelvis
- Hysterectomy
- Removing an ectopic pregnancy
Most of this surgery can be done laparoscopically which means that scarring and pain is minimal and recovery is quick.