Pelvic pain is a surprisingly common issue that can affect anyone, regardless of age or gender. In fact, as many as 1 in 7 women or people with vaginas are living with chronic pelvic pain. Whether it’s sharp, sudden twinges or a constant, dull ache, pelvic pain can significantly impact your quality of life, interfering with your ability to work, exercise, or be intimate with your partner.

Pelvic pain includes discomfort below your belly button and between your hip bones (including lower abdominal pain and lower back pain). For many, the pain can vary. It can be constant or intermittent, a dull ache, or a sharp pain. Many people find that the pain is intensified while walking, running, using the stairs, sitting, getting up from a chair, having sex, and inserting a tampon.

Pelvic pain is also linked to gynecologic problems, including Endometriosis and Adenomyosis, and other conditions affecting the intestines, bladder, and pelvic floor. This includes Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Vulvodynia, Vaginismus, Interstitial Cystitis, chronic Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs), and bladder pain.

Where is Pelvic Pain Located?

Pelvic pain originates from your pelvic floor muscles, which are between your sit bones and your pubic bone to the coccyx (think - where you sit on a bike seat). You might also notice pain in your lower abdomen, hips, glutes, or lower back.

What Causes Pelvic Pain?

There are multiple sources that can lead to pelvic pain. Your symptoms may be caused by one or multiple of these:

Muscles or ligaments in the pelvic floor
Digestive system, especially the colon
Urinary system, including recurring UTI’s
Reproductive system
Nerves in the pelvis or spine

How Does Pelvic Pain Feel?

How pelvic pain feels to you depends on the source/s and root cause/s. Some ways to describe what the pain feels like include:

Burning, tearing, or pulling
Rubbing or friction at the opening
Sharp, pokey, or pricky
A dull throb or ache
Cramping or bloating

Pelvic pain may be acute (lasting less than six months) or chronic (lasting more than six months). It is often life-altering or debilitating. Sometimes, pelvic pain may only be felt during specific movements, such as going to the bathroom (having a bowel movement or urination), with insertion (intercourse, inserting a tampon, speculum exams, etc.), walking, or certain exercises.

How is Pelvic Pain Diagnosed?

If any of the above symptoms sound familiar, then it’s time to talk with a pelvic floor physical therapist or pelvic health specialist (like us) to get a proper diagnosis. We don’t recommend searching online for solutions because those exercises or techniques can often worsen your symptoms. For example, the results of a quick online search may make you think kegels will solve your pelvic pain. But in reality, kegels will only tighten already stressed muscles. Instead, it would be best to learn to connect with your pelvic floor muscles first.

During your first pelvic floor physical therapy session, we will talk about your medical history, lifestyle, and concerns with you. We will also do external and internal assessments as needed to diagnose your pelvic pain.

How is Pelvic Pain Treated?

It depends! When designing your custom treatment plan and home exercise program, we consider your unique symptoms, goals, and lifestyle. Appointment frequency and treatment methods will vary based on the above information, and we work with each client to balance our recommendations with personal preferences.

Will My Pelvic Pain Go Away On Its Own?

This is a common question we hear from our clients (especially those who are pregnant and postpartum). And we get it…the simple option is to try and wait it out or accept the pain as your new “normal.” But here’s the thing about pelvic pain, especially if you’ve had it for a while…

Unfortunately, it is not normal and usually does not go away on its own.

Seeing a professional is the best way to ensure you receive proper pelvic pain treatment to reduce the pain and prevent future flare-ups. A pelvic floor PT will design a custom treatment plan to resolve your pelvic pain and safely guide you back to pelvic health so you can get back to doing all the things you love.

About Pelvic Health & Wellness

Pelvic Health & Wellness was built with you in mind. We practice whole-person, individualized pelvic floor physical therapy in a caring and safe environment. Our therapists specialize in treating pelvic health concerns such as fertility, pain, incontinence, prolapse, constipation, and various pregnancy and postpartum-related conditions.

We understand that being ready to talk about and address your pelvic floor wellness concerns comes from a place of strength. We are here to support and encourage you on your journey back to pelvic health so you can return to doing what you love! If you are ready to take the first step in reclaiming your pelvic health and wellness, contact us today.

Let’s Talk About Pelvic Pain