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Insider | 8 Conditions That Could be Causing You Pelvic Pain
Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
Insider Reveals 8 Conditions That Could be Causing You Pelvic Pain
And how to treat each one
Many people live with pelvic pain, which affects the lowest part of the abdomen between the belly button and the groin. The pain can range from mild to severe, and its intensity might fluctuate over time.
You can often treat minor pelvic pain at home with a heating pad, warm bath, or OTC medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
However, "prolonged, chronic, and sharp pelvic pain, or random pelvic pain that can be debilitating, is not normal. It could indicate a serious underlying condition," says Thaïs Aliabadi, MD, an OB-GYN with her private practice Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi.
While pelvic pain can suggest sexually transmitted infections, endometriosis, or several other conditions, it doesn't always have a clear cause.
Pelvic pain can also be confused with different types of pain, including pain that affects your bowels or bladder.
Below, we'll cover eight common causes of acute and chronic pelvic pain, plus offer some guidance on when it's best to connect with your doctor.
7. Pelvic girdle pain from pregnancy
Pregnancy can sometimes cause pelvic pain and increase your risk of pelvic floor dysfunction, which could lead to painful vaginal sex and incontinence.
Pelvic girdle pain is a subset of pelvic pain that more commonly comes on in a first pregnancy in the late second or third trimester. If this was an issue in previous pregnancies, it's likely to come on much earlier in subsequent pregnancies if not addressed — as early as the first trimester,"
says Heather Jeffcoat, doctor of physical therapy and President-Elect of the Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy.
How to treat it:
Many pregnant people experience mild pelvic discomfort from the growing uterus and stretching of the round ligaments. This typically doesn't require medical treatment but you may be able to mitigate the pain with the following:
- Manual therapy from a chiropractor or physiotherapist
- Core stabilizing exercises, which can help strengthen hips, stomach, and back muscles along with pelvic floor muscles
- Exercising in water
For the full article at Insider on conditions that could be causing you pelvic pain, click here.
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