In general, pelvic pain signals that there might be a problem with one of the organs in your pelvic area: uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, vagina, urinary tract, lower intestines, or rectum. Or the pain might be a symptom of infection. Sometimes pelvic pain can be caused by muscular and skeletal problems.
There are some common health conditions that are often associated with pelvic pain, including:
- Vulvodynia - describes chronic pain or discomfort of the vulva (the external female genitalia). Vulvodynia can cause burning, stinging, irritation, or rawness of the vulva. The type of pain can be different for each woman. Pain may move around or always be in the same place. It can be constant, or come and go.
- Endometriosis - occurs when tissues that usually line a woman’s uterus instead grow outside the uterus. These tissues often grow on the surfaces of organs in the pelvis or abdomen, where they are not supposed to grow. The two most common symptoms of endometriosis are pain and infertility.
- Uterine Fibroids - are the most common, non-cancerous tumors in women of childbearing age. The fibroids are made of muscle cells and other tissues that grow within and around the wall of the uterus. Symptoms can include heavy or painful periods, pain during sex, and lower back pain, among others.