What is Chronic Pelvic Pain?
Chronic pelvic pain is pain felt in the lower belly area, medically referred to as the pelvic area, that lasts 6 months or longer. Chronic pain may be felt from time to time or may be permanent. Sometimes, it can manifest itself as a cycle, for example, occurring every month during menstrual periods. Additionally, certain situations, such as eating, urinating, or sexual intercourse, can trigger chronic pain. In this article, I will tell you in detail about the conditions that may cause pelvic pain and the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic pain.
What are the Causes of Chronic Pelvic Pain?
Chronic pelvic pain may be due to one or more diseases. While some of these conditions are related to the reproductive organs, some may be related to the urinary tract or intestines or even the nervous system outside the reproductive organs. While more than one condition is detected that may be the cause of some women’s pain, in some cases no cause can be detected.
Pelvic pain may originate from the female reproductive organs (gynecological), digestive system (gastrointestinal), urinary tract (urological) or musculoskeletal system.
Causes Originating from Female Reproductive Organs (gynecological):
Gynecological causes are thought to be the cause of chronic pelvic pain in about 20 percent of women. Most of these reasons can be summarized as follows;
Chocolate Cyst Disease (Endometriosis): The layer that lines the inner part of the uterus is called endometrium. Chocolate cyst disease is a condition in which this tissue is found outside the uterus. While some women with chocolate cyst disease have no symptoms, some have complaints of infertility and pain.
Fibroids: These are benign and very rarely cancerous masses arising from the muscle layer of the uterus. While myomas do not show symptoms in some women, they can cause chronic pelvic pain, menstrual irregularities or infertility in others.