Health Information Library

Definition

Pelvic pain is pain in the lowest part of the stomach area and pelvis. It can refer to symptoms that come from the:

• Reproductive system, which includes the organs and tissues involved in pregnancy and giving birth.
• Urinary system, which removes waste from the body through urine.
• Digestive system, which takes in, digests and absorbs nutrients from food and drink.

Pelvic pain also can refer to symptoms that come from muscles and connective tissue called ligaments in the pelvis.

Depending on its source, the pain can be:

• Dull or sharp.
• Constant or off and on.
• Mild to severe.

The pain can spread to the lower back, buttocks or thighs. You might notice it only at certain times, such as when you use the bathroom or have sex.

Pelvic pain can come on suddenly. It may be sharp and last for a short time, also known as acute pain. Or it can last a long time and happen over and over again. This is called chronic pain. Chronic pelvic pain is any constant or off-and-on pelvic pain that lasts six months or more.

Causes

Many types of diseases and other health conditions can cause pelvic pain. Chronic pelvic pain can be due to more than one condition.

Pelvic pain can start in the digestive, reproductive or urinary systems. Some pelvic pain also can come from certain muscles or ligaments — for example, by pulling a muscle in the hip or the pelvic floor.

Pelvic pain also might be caused by irritation of nerves in the pelvis.

Female reproductive system

Pelvic pain might be caused by problems linked with organs in the female reproductive system. These problems include:

• Adenomyosis — when tissue that lines the inside of the uterus grows into the wall of the uterus.
• Endometriosis — when tissue that's similar to the tissue that lines the uterus grows outside the uterus.
• Ovarian cancer — cancer that starts in the ovaries.
• Ovarian cysts — fluid-filled sacs that form in or on the ovaries and aren't cancer.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) — an infection of the female reproductive organs.
• Uterine fibroids — growths in the uterus that aren't cancer.
• Vulvodynia — chronic pain around the opening of the vagina.

Pregnancy complications might lead to pelvic pain, including:

• Ectopic pregnancy — when a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus.
• Miscarriage — the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks.
• Placental abruption — when the organ that brings oxygen and nutrients to the baby separates from the inner wall of the uterus.
• Preterm labor — when the body gets ready to give birth too early.
• Stillbirth — the loss of a pregnancy after 20 weeks.

Pelvic pain also may be caused by symptoms tied to the menstrual cycle, such as:

• Menstrual cramps
• Mittelschmerz — or pain around the time an ovary releases an egg.

Other causes

Other health conditions may cause pelvic pain. Many of these problems start in or affect the digestive system:

• Appendicitis — when the appendix becomes inflamed.
• Colon cancer — cancer that starts in the part of the large intestine called the colon.
• Constipation — which can be chronic and last for weeks or longer.
• Crohn's disease — which causes tissues in the digestive tract to become inflamed.
• Diverticulitis — or inflamed or infected pouches in the tissue lining the digestive tract.
• Intestinal obstruction — when something blocks food or liquid from moving through the small or large intestine.
• Irritable bowel syndrome — a group of symptoms that affect the stomach and intestines.
• Ulcerative colitis — a disease that causes ulcers and swelling called inflammation in the lining of the large intestine.

Some problems in the urinary system that may cause pelvic pain are:

• Interstitial cystitis — also called painful bladder syndrome, a condition that affects the bladder and sometimes causes pelvic pain.
• Kidney infection — which can affect one or both kidneys.
• Kidney stones — or hard objects made of minerals and salts that form in the kidneys.
• Urinary tract infection (UTI) — when any part of the urinary system gets infected.

Pelvic pain also might be due to health issues such as:

• Fibromyalgia — which is widespread muscle and skeletal pain.
• Inguinal hernia — when tissue bulges through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles.
• Injury to a nerve in the pelvis that leads to ongoing pain, called pudendal neuralgia.
• Past physical or sexual abuse.
• Pelvic floor muscle spasms.
• Prostatitis — a problem with the prostate gland.

When to see a doctor

Sudden and severe pelvic pain could be an emergency. Get medical care right away.

Be sure to get pelvic pain checked by your doctor or other health care professional if it's new, it disrupts your daily life or it gets worse over time.