Pelvic pain

Since there can be a great many reasons for pelvic pain, many doctors consider diagnosing diseases based on such a primary symptom to be quite a difficult task. It makes no difference whether you are a man or a woman, a child, an adult or a pensioner – painful sensations in the pelvic area can occur in any of us. Who should you contact if you experience pain in the pelvis? Should you panic right away or could this symptom be just an insignificant temporary phenomenon? Let's figure out together all the questions of interest on this topic.

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Pelvic pain in women

Pelvic pain can occur in many cases. Some of the most common causes of pelvic pain are various injuries and bruises in this area. Inflammation in the tendons or joints of the pelvic region can also cause discomfort in the form of painful sensations. In addition, there are a number of diseases and syndromes that in most cases signal their presence in the human body by pain in the pelvis.

Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (most often women are subject to it) manifests itself in the following way - a woman experiences discomfort from painful sensations in the pelvic area, lower back, along the abdominal wall down from the navel. Such pain can be completely unpredictable, not tied to menstrual cycles and felt for quite a long time - from six months and longer. Such pain syndrome in women can be caused by the following reasons:

• Urological problems: bladder cancer, chronic and acute cystitis, urethral syndrome, urethriocele, urethral diverticulum, urolithiasis, bladder diverticulum, chronic inflammatory processes in the paraurethral glands or urinary tract infections (such infections can affect not only women, but also men - although they complain much less often of pelvic pain).
• Problems in the field of gynecology: formation of adhesions, chronic inflammation of the pelvic organs, endosalpingiosis, various neoplasms (fibroma, myoma, ovarian cysts, parovarian cysts, lymphoid cysts after surgery), cancer of various pelvic organs, pain during ovulation, dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, residual ovary syndrome (develops as a result of surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus), accessory ovary, impaired blood outflow during menstruation in case of a developmental defect, varicose veins of the pelvis, stenosis of the cervical canal, Allen-Masters syndrome, polyp of the cervical canal or endometrium, prolapse or prolapse of the internal genital organs, the presence of an intrauterine contraceptive or other foreign body in the pelvis.
• Gastroenterological problems: chronic obstruction, colon cancer, constipation, colitis, hernias, diverticulitis, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome (diagnosed when a person has had bloated intestines for a long time and this is also accompanied by bowel disturbances such as constipation or diarrhea).
• Pathology in the muscles and/or ligaments of the pelvic area: myofascial syndrome (this is the name given to pain in the anterior abdominal wall or other pelvic muscles) and fibromyalgia, which also includes spasm or tension of the pelvic muscles, abscess of the iliopsoas muscle, hematoma or muscle strain in the lower abdomen, ventral or femoral hernia.
• Bone diseases: osteomyelitis or sarcoma of the ilium, pathology in the hip joint, vertebral syndrome (some symptoms of which may relate to neurological problems), which can develop as a result of spinal injuries, neoplasms in the sacral nerves or spinal cord, herniated discs or osteochondrosis in the lumbosacral spine.
• Problems in the neurological field: chronic coccygeal pain syndrome (coccygodynia), neuralgia, tunnel neuropathy, as well as traumatic tunnel pudendopathy resulting from surgical intervention (characterized by the retraction of cutaneous nerves into the postoperative scar).

Let's dwell separately on such a problem as adenomyosis (or, another name - endometriosis). Many women encounter this unpleasant diagnosis in their lives. Unfortunately, young girls are increasingly susceptible to it. What is this endometriosis? This is the name given to the process of tissue growth, which is absolutely identical in structure to the endometrium, outside the uterine cavity. This tissue changes during the menstrual cycle in the same way as the endometrium itself. During this disease, pelvic pain often becomes chronic. In addition, particularly painful menstruations and unpleasant, acute pain during sexual intercourse are noted.

Pelvic pain in women can also be caused by an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy. But, it is worth remembering that even in the early stages of a normal pregnancy, pain in the pelvis is allowed. If such pain causes severe discomfort and continues during long stages of pregnancy, it is necessary to consult with your gynecologist, as this may be a signal of a threat of premature termination of pregnancy.

Pelvic pain can also be caused by other problems, such as pelvic venous congestion syndrome (a pathology of the pelvic vessels), porphyria, inflammation in the mesenteric lymph nodes, or psychogenic pain (depressive or stressful conditions).

Pelvic pain in men

In the vast majority of cases (up to 95%), chronic pelvic pain syndrome in men is caused by such a disease as prostatitis. Pelvic pain in men can be a consequence of both inflammatory and abacterial prostatitis. Accordingly, treatment of such pain can only occur together with the cure of the underlying disease.

If you feel constant pain in the pelvis, which brings you very noticeable discomfort, you need to make an appointment with a doctor. Depending on whether you are a man or a woman, you should start examining the causes of such pain with a urologist or gynecologist. Then, if problems with the genitals are not identified, the diagnosis will be carried out by a gastroenterologist, neurologist or psychiatrist. Well, and if you know for sure that such pain arose as a result of a bruise or any other pelvic injury, then you need to contact a traumatologist first.