Millions of people, both men and women, experience chronic pelvic pain, which can affect every aspect of their lives from physical discomfort to their emotional health.
Pelvic pain refers to any pain in your pelvic region - the area below your bellybutton and between your hips. If you were asked to locate the pain, you'd be more likely to sweep your hand over that entire area rather than point to one spot. Chronic pelvic pain can be a symptom of another disease, or it can be designated as a condition in its own right. Determining what's causing your discomfort may be one of medicine's more puzzling and frustrating endeavors. Indeed, no physical cause may ever be discovered. Many women who experience chronic pelvic pain never receive a more specific diagnosis.
If your doctor can determine the source of the pelvic pain, then treatment can focus on eliminating the cause. If no cause can be found, then treatment for pelvic pain focuses on managing the pain.
Symptoms
Pelvic pain may have many different characteristics. Among the signs and symptoms are:
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Severe and steady pain
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Pain that comes and goes (intermittent)
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Dull aching
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Sharp pains or cramping
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Pressure or heaviness deep within your pelvis
Additionally, you may have pain during intercourse, while having a bowel movement or even when you sit down. The pain may intensify after standing for long periods and may be relieved when you lie down. The pain may be so bad that you miss work, can’t sleep and can’t exercise. The pain may vary from mild to severe, from annoying to disabling.
Causes
Some of the more common causes of pelvin pain include:
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Endometriosis
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Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
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Sexually transmitted diseases (STD)
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Ovarian remnant following a hysterectomy
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Fibroids
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Irritable bowel syndrome
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Interstitial cystitis
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Psychological factors
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Muscle tension
Because there are numerous medical conditions which can cause pelvic pain, it is important to rule them out. It’s also important for your therapist to have a good understanding of whatever medical condition is troubling you.
Whether or not a medical reason for the pain is found, restoring balance and harmony in your body will reduce pain and increase function. Regular therapeutic massage is an excellent choice to accomplish this goal. Should muscle tension be the cause of your pelvic pain, therapeutic massage will recondition and retrain the muscles responsible for your pain, your therapist can also suggest stretches to help you maintain the improvement.
