Pelvic pain | lower abdominal pain | Glengarry Private

Pelvic pain is very common, and there are many causes.

Gynaecological causes of pelvic pain

The common gynaecological causes are:

• Endometriosis - this causes inflammation, scarring and ovarian cysts filled with blood.
• Adenomyosis – a type of endometriosis, again with cysts, but this time in the wall of the womb.
• Pelvic infection – this causes pain with inflammation and swelling, especially to the Fallopian tubes.
• Fibroids - these growths of muscle can sometimes break down causing pain. They also cause aching because of their size.
• Ovarian cysts and masses - ovarian cysts cause pain due to expansion of the capsule of the ovary, bleeding or rupturing, and by twisting on the blood supply.
• Prolapse - this causes aching pain, worse after periods of standing.
• Adhesions from previous infections or surgery.

Non-gynaecological causes of pelvic pain

There are many non-gynaecological causes for pelvic pain too.

• Bowel conditions – irritable bowel, inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac, appendicitis, hernias, infections, and more
• Urological conditions – infections, stones, interstitial cystitis, and more
• Pelvic bone problems – arthritis, inflamed pelvic joints, strained pelvic joints, and more
• lower back problems – with pain radiating to the pelvis
• Anxiety problems – manifesting as somatic pain

We specialise in diagnosing & treating (eg. with laparoscopy, hormonal treatments etc) the gynaecological causes of pelvic pain like ovarian cysts, endometriosis, fibroids and adhesions. The other causes can be dealt with by correct referral and treatment by other speciality doctors.

Some women put up with pelvic pain from known & diagnosed gynaecological conditions for many years. They can often be improved or eradicated with hormonal treatment or keyhole surgery. Other women remain undiagnosed for years – women with endometriosis typically are undiagnosed for a long time, when they could have accessed treatment.

Most diagnoses are made using laparoscopy to visualise the pelvis directly, although ultrasound scans and other tests can be helpful. We then treat any conditions found such as ovarian cysts or endometriosis, using laparoscopic keyhole surgery then and there at the same time. Most patients go home on the same day after laparoscopy, and are mostly recovered after a week or so. Call us for an appointment after getting a referral from your GP if you wish to explore this further.