“Pelvic pain” is a general term used to describe pain that occurs mostly or only in the region below a woman’s belly button. This type of pain is a common reason women seek medical care. The pain can be steady, or it can come and go. Severe pain can interfere with daily living and quality of life.
General Information
About Pelvic Pain
Pelvic pain is a general term used to describe pain that occurs mostly or only in the pelvic region, which includes the lower stomach, lower back, buttocks, and genital area.
What are the symptoms of pelvic pain?
Although pain is the core symptom of pelvic pain, the specifics of that pain and other symptoms vary.
How many women have pelvic pain?
Researchers are not exactly sure how many women in the United States have chronic pelvic pain.
What causes pelvic pain?
There are many possible causes of pelvic pain, and it may be difficult to figure out the specific cause or causes.
How is pelvic pain diagnosed?
Diagnosing pelvic pain is not difficult, but finding the cause of the pain can be challenging, may take some time, and could require visits to multiple health care providers or specialists.
How is pelvic pain treated?
Treatment depends on the cause of pelvic pain, how intense the pain is, and how often the pain occurs. No single treatment approach has been shown to be better than another in all cases.
How can I describe my pain to my health care provider?
Describing your pain accurately and thoroughly may help your health care provider find the cause of the pain and treat it.
Can there be more than one reason for my pelvic pain?
For some women, pelvic pain is caused by multiple conditions that occur at the same time.
Can pelvic pain affect my ability to become pregnant?
Some pelvic conditions that are associated with pain, such as endometriosis, also are associated with difficulty getting pregnant. But pelvic pain alone usually does not indicate infertility.
Can alternative therapies treat my pain?
Some women use alternative medicine, such as yoga, to treat or manage their pain. Although scientific evidence on these alternatives is limited, they may help in some cases.
Can pelvic pain affect my emotional well-being?
The specifics of the relationship between pain and emotional health are not well understood. But pain, especially chronic pain, is known to take a toll on emotional health.
How can I cope with long-lasting pain?
Living with pelvic pain can be challenging. Working with health care providers and others to find healthy coping strategies is an important aspect of living with pain.
Research
NICHD Pelvic Pain Research Information
NICHD studies pelvic pain and related disorders.
Find a Study
Find a Study on Pelvic Pain
NICHD conducts and supports a variety of clinical research projects related to pelvic pain.
More Information
Other Pelvic Pain FAQs
Find answers to other frequently asked questions about pelvic pain, such as how to describe it to a health care provider, what effects it can have, and what treatments are available.
Pelvic Pain Resources
Links to websites of groups that study or provide information about pelvic pain.