Private Gynaecology and Specialist care

Pelvic Pain

If you experience discomfort in the lower abdomen - below your belly button - then you have pelvic pain. Although pelvic pain can also affect men, it is much more common in women, and is one of the main reasons for consulting  a gynaecologist. If you suffer with pelvic pain, it is important to seek medical advice to find out the cause, especially if the pain is getting more severe or more frequent.

What causes pelvic pain?

The pelvis contains loops of bowel and bladder. In females, the pelvis also holds the reproductive organs, and if there is infection in the womb (uterus), ovaries or fallopian tubes this often results in severe uterine pain in women. 

You may notice pelvic pain in the middle of your menstrual cycle, for example, as one or more egg follicles develop. These can cause pressure pain on one or both sides of your pelvis, as they swell. Once you release the egg - ovulation - the pressure pain will disappear. If you are taking the oral contraceptive pill, which stops ovulation, you will not usually experience this mid-cycle pain.

Other possible causes of pelvic pain include

Endometriosis
Fibroids
Swelling or cyst on an ovary
Pelvic inflammatory disease (an infection that spreads up from the cervix to cause inflammation of the womb and Fallopian tubes)
Pelvic adhesions (bands of scar tissue that can form after previous abdominal or pelvic surgery, such as a Caesarian section, or removal of your appendix)
Pregnancy complications

Pelvic pain can also be due to a surgical emergency that needs urgent treatment, such as a twisted ovarian cyst, a ruptured fibroid or an ectopic pregnancy.

What to do if you have pelvic pain

If you have pelvic pain, it is important to seek medical advice. A gynaecologist at The Medical Chambers Kensington can diagnose the cause, answer all your questions, and explain the different treatment options available. 

To find out more, please telephone 020 7244 4200 and we will be happy to answer your questions, or make an appointment online.