Pelvic Pain

What Is Pelvic Pain?

Pelvic pain can interfere with your daily life and may signal an underlying health concern. At Nurture Women’s Health, our skilled OB/GYN specialists are dedicated to identifying the root cause of your discomfort and creating a treatment plan that brings you lasting relief. Whether your pain is chronic or sudden, mild or severe, we offer advanced diagnostic tools and compassionate care to help you feel better and regain control of your health. Don’t let pelvic pain go untreated—trust our team to provide answers and solutions tailored to your needs.

WHAT IS PELVIC PAIN?

Chronic pelvic pain is the pain in the area between your belly button and mid-upper thighs and between your hips that lasts for 6 months or longer, including pain with intercourse (sex). It may or may not be affected by your menstrual cycles.

Chronic pelvic pain often starts with a trigger, such as a bladder infection, or endometriosis. Even after the initial trigger has been treated, pain can stick around for years. This is due to up-regulation of the pain receptors in the pelvis and brain.

In most cases, there are multiple causes of pain. The goal of treatment is to reduce your pain and other symptoms and improve your quality of life.

A visit to Nurture Women’s Health is critical in assessing your condition, and the cause of your pelvic pain.

WHAT IS CAUSING MY PELVIC PAIN?

Pelvic pain often comes from more than one place. Most of the time, it starts with an initial trigger, an infection or endometriosis. It can also come from stress related contractions of the pelvic muscles. The most common causes of pelvic pain treated by Dr. Stoehr are:

Interstitial cystitis (IC)
Vulvodynia
Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD)
Fibroids
Endometriosis
Ovarian cysts, pelvic masses
Pudendal neuralgia
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Vestibulitis
Post traumatic stress disorder
Pelvic trigger points
Genitofemoral nerve pain

Treatments currently available with Dr. Stoehr at Nurture Women’s Health:

Surgeries for endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, pelvic masses, heavy periods
Trigger point injections into pelvic floor
Bladder instillations
Medications for IBS, IC, depression, anxiety, vulvodynia and vestibulitis
Nerve block injections for pudendal neuralgia
Comprehensive education about your pelvic pain

Treatments coming soon with Dr. Stoehr at Nurture Women’s Health:

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF PELVIC PAIN?

A visit at Nurture Women’s Health can ascertain the cause of your pelvic pain. Once at the clinic, she will inquire about your symptoms and any past medical problems. A physical exam, as well as other additional tests, can help determine the source of your pain. Tests include:

Blood and urine tests
Pregnancy tests
STD screenings
Abdominal and pelvic imaging
Cystoscopy
Hysteroscopy
Extensive back, lower abdomen, and pelvic exam

These tests, among many others, can help diagnose your condition, which can lead to a proper treatment plan.

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMATIC SYMPTOMS OF PELVIC PAIN?

Pelvic pain may yield various symptoms. These signs, in particular, may indicate an abnormality, and require a visit to your doctor for further examination:

Worsening of menstrual cramps
Menstrual pain
Painful or difficult urination
Frequent urination (more than once every 2 hours)
Constipation or diarrhea
Pain in the hip area
Pain in the pubic bone area
Pain in the ovaries
Pain with ovulation
Pain in the lower back and buttocks
Pain or cramping with intercourse (sex)

If your symptoms are disruptive to your daily life, or worsening, you can schedule an appointment with Dr. Stoehr at Nurture Women’s Health during normal business hours. However, in the case of sudden and severe pain, seek medical attention immediately.

WHAT TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE?

At Nurture Women’s Health determines your particular treatment method depending on your case. She will assess your constellation of symptoms and make a treatment plan with the appropriate frequency of visits.