A Closer Look at Pelvic Pain in Women

The prevalence of pelvic pain in women in the United States is nothing short of eye-opening — 15% of women of childbearing age report problems with pelvic pain that lasts for six months or more. Unfortunately, diagnosing pelvic pain can be tricky since there are many potential causes which can delay treatment. 

As pain management specialists, the skilled team here at Spinal Diagnostics understands the many musculoskeletal and neurological conditions that can lead to pelvic pain in women. We offer treatments that can deliver much-needed relief.

Here, we explore some potential causes of pelvic pain and your treatment options.

The many causes of pelvic pain

Your pelvis houses several different systems, including your:

  • Reproductive organs
  • Lower digestive system
  • Urinary tract

Not to mention, the lower part of your spine, namely your sacrum and coccyx, are located in your pelvic region.

This means that pelvic pain can be gynecologic, musculoskeletal, urologic, gastrointestinal, or neurological (or a combination of problems in different areas).

Due to this wide range of possibilities, the unfortunate result is that the source of the discomfort remains unidentified in up to one-third of patients with pelvic pain.

Getting your pelvic pain properly diagnosed

A good first stop for women who experience pelvic pain is your gynecologist. From pelvic inflammatory disease to endometriosis, many gynecologic conditions can lead to chronic pelvic pain.

If your gynecologist finds nothing that would lead to pelvic pain, we suggest coming to see us. As pain management specialists, we understand the nature of your nervous system, and where to look for possible causes based on your symptoms.

To get to the bottom of your pain, we start with an extensive medical history evaluation. We also routinely use advanced imaging, and nerve conduction studies, to provide us with further information.

We might discover that you’ve had trauma to your pelvis or previous surgery, such as a Cesarean section, to give you an idea about how these diagnostic tools work together. Armed with this information, we can test the nerves in your pelvis to see if a group of nerve fibers was damaged and has become hyperactive.

Another example is that we might find, based on your history and your symptoms, that you have pelvic floor dysfunction, which is causing problems with bowel movements, urination, and pain during sex.

Or, through advanced imaging, we may spot a problem along your spine causing pain in your pelvis.

Once we discover the root of your pelvic discomfort, we can then design an appropriate pain-relief plan, which might include:

  • Medications
  • Epidural steroid injections
  • Selective nerve root blocks
  • Radiofrequency neuroablation
  • Spinal cord stimulators
  • Physical therapy

For expert diagnosis and treatment of your pelvic pain, please contact one of our locations in Tualatin and Newberg, Oregon, to set up an appointment.

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