Lower Pelvic Pain Remedies

Lower pelvic pain is a symptom of many medical difficulties, including gynecologic disorders, gastrointestinal distress, urinary and musculoskeletal problems, and nerve damage. While some sources of discomfort are relatively minor, other conditions qualify as genuine medical emergencies. Remedies for lower pelvic pain depend on the particular cause present, and range from over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatories to emergency surgical intervention.

When to Seek Treatment

• If you have lower pelvic pain, do your best to note its type and intensity. Your pain may be constant or intermittent, sharp or dull, and sudden, gradually increasing or steady. The peak level of pain may vary from mild to severe. You may also notice that pain is worse during certain activities such as sex or urination, or at certain times of the day or month. Consult your doctor if pelvic pain is progressively worse or alters your normal lifestyle. Sudden, severe pain may indicate a serious or life-threatening condition. See your doctor immediately if you develop this sign.

Treating Reproductive Causes of Pain

• If you are female, your pain may be related to disorders of your reproductive system. Vaginal infections may be caused by yeast, viruses or bacteria, and are treated with medications suitable to the condition present. Possible treatments include topical creams, suppositories and antibiotics. If you experience dysmenorrhea, or severe menstrual pain, treatment options include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications and use of birth control pills. If you have endometriosis, or growth of uterine lining tissue outside the uterus, your pain may be addressed by hormone treatments to diminish tissue growth.

  Acute lower pelvic pain may indicate rupture of the fallopian tubes from ectopic (abnormally located) pregnancy. Your gynecologist should check for this possibility, and if it is present emergency surgery will be required to avoid potentially fatal complications. Other potentially serious reproductive causes of acute pelvic pain include ovarian cyst complications, advanced cancer and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). To lessen your risks of developing these dangerous conditions, make visits to your gynecologist and sexually-transmitted disease (STD) testing regular parts of your health care regimen. Additionally, using a home pregnancy test at minimum six-month intervals can significantly increase your chances of detecting ectopic pregnancy. Consult your gynecologist for further effective preventive measures.

Treating Non-reproductive Causes of Pain

• Common non-reproductive causes of lower pelvic pain include diverticulitis (abnormal pockets in the lower colon), constipation, kidney stones, urinary tract infection, inflammatory bowel disease, muscle spasms, herniated discs in the lower back and intestinal hernias. More serious causes include cancer of the colon and prostate disease. Through physical examination and testing, your doctor will work to determine the cause of your particular condition. Your treatment will be based on your doctor's diagnosis.

  In some cases, your non-reproductive pelvic pain will require rapid surgical treatment. Examples in this category include appendix inflammation or rupture (appendicitis) and peritonitis, an infection resulting from ruptures in the peritoneum, a protective membrane lining the abdominal cavity. Potential causes here include diverticulitis, trauma, appendicitis or any other damage to the gastrointestinal tract. Peritonitis may also result from ectopic pregnancy, PID or ruptured ovarian cysts. Your doctor will inform you if surgery is needed.