5 Reasons to Take Unusual Pelvic Pain Seriously

Sometimes, pelvic pain stems from something innocuous. For example, menstrual cramps and constipation can cause short-term pain in this part of your body. 

That doesn’t mean, however, that you should dismiss your discomfort. In some cases, pelvic pain is a sign of a serious underlying condition — and it might be coming from something that needs urgent medical attention. 

If you’re experiencing unusual pelvic pain, don’t wait to come see Dr. Jonathan Carlson. He routinely treats pelvic pain, so he can help you figure out what’s behind your discomfort. Just as importantly, here at Hawai’i Pain and Spine, he works to ease your pelvic pain. Visit us on the Windward side of O’ahu in Kailua to get help finding relief. 

Why you should see a doctor for pelvic pain

Unusual pelvic pain should be taken seriously for a handful of reasons, including the following: 

1. It might require urgent medical attention

If you feel pelvic pain on your right side, it could be caused by appendicitis. It could also be peritonitis, a condition caused by an infection in the thin tissues that cover your organs and the inside of your abdomen.

Both appendicitis and peritonitis can become life-threatening if you don’t get medical attention quickly. 

2. Pelvic pain can indicate a problem with your body systems

In many cases, pain is the body’s way of alerting you that something’s wrong. Persistent pelvic pain can be a symptom of a urinary tract infection or a kidney stone. It could also indicate a hernia, ulcerative colitis, or a myriad of other issues. 

3. It could mean a problem with your reproductive system

If you’re a woman, pelvic pain could be telling you that something is awry with your reproductive system. Ectopic pregnancy, for example, causes pelvic pain. This issue arises when the fertilized egg implants outside your uterus. Pain could also signal an ovarian cyst, endometriosis, or pelvic inflammatory disease.

4. Accompanying symptoms can mean it’s serious

Unusual pelvic pain on its own merits a trip to the doctor. But this is doubly true if it came on suddenly, you have a fever, or the pain is so severe that it’s getting in the way of your daily life. 

5. There’s no need to suffer

If you’ve had pelvic pain for more than a couple of weeks, it’s time to get Dr. Carlson involved. You don’t need to go through your days feeling this persistent discomfort, and he and our team can help you find ways to get relief. 

Diagnosing and treating pelvic pain

When you visit our office, Dr. Carlson starts by asking you about your pain: when it first started, what it feels like, and if you have any other symptoms. 

We have a variety of tools Dr. Carlson can use to find out what’s behind your discomfort. Based on what you tell him, along with your personal and family health history, he develops a plan to get to the root of the issue. For that, he might perform a physical exam, an ultrasound, or blood and urine tests. 

Then, Dr. Carlson tailors a treatment plan to address the cause of your pelvic pain and bring you relief. That could range from physical therapy and massage to trigger point injections and neurostimulation. Our team continues working with you until we find the right treatment(s) to alleviate your discomfort as much as possible. 

Don’t let unusual pelvic pain go unaddressed. For the care you need to ease your discomfort and to protect your overall health, call our office to schedule your appointment with Dr. Carlson today.