It is possible for pelvic pain to occur in both women and men, and it can develop as a result of infection, problems with the pelvic bones, or your internal organs. In women, the pain could arise as a result of problems with the reproductive organs. Physiotherapy treatment may help to alleviate pain in the pelvic area. Today we are going to look at what the cause of pelvic pain could be and possible treatment options.
What Is The Cause Of Pelvic Pain?
Some of the potential causes of pelvic pain in men and women include
A visit to your general practitioner is your first course of action when you have persistent pelvic pain. He or she will ask you some questions and review your medical history. Based on your feedback, some tests may be arranged:
Cultures to check for the presence of sexually transmitted diseases
X-rays of your abdomen or pelvis
Bone density screening
MRI
A laparoscopy to look at your pelvis internally
Hysteroscopy to look at your uterus
Ultrasound to examine your internal organs
CT scan to get a closer look at your pelvis and abdomen
Treatment For Pelvic Pain
The treatments for pain in the pelvic area will be determined based on the outcomes of the tests you have. Some of the treatment options include
Medications
If necessary, medication like antibiotics may be prescribed if the pain is related to an infection.
Surgical intervention
In the event that the source of your pain stems from a problem with your internal organs, a surgical procedure may be required.
Physical therapy
If the source of the pain stems from a structural problem with your pelvic structure, physiotherapy treatment may be recommended to alleviate the pain.
You may want to try some home remedies to give you pain relief:
Applying heat to the area
Taking over-the-counter pain medication
Doing light exercise
Relaxation and stretching practices like yoga and meditation
Adding more fibre to your diet
Quitting smoking.
For more insight into what the cause of pelvic pain could be for you, or to find out more about physiotherapy therapy treatment, please contact us for an appointment: (02) 9358 5221.
When you’re actively trying to conceive, waiting around to see if you miss your period can seem endless. While there are early pregnancy tests, they are often unreliable or inaccurate. So, how can you tell if the symptoms you’re experiencing are just PMS or actual early pregnancy symptoms?
Although early pregnancy symptoms can vary from woman to woman, knowing what to look out for and understanding when pregnancy symptoms appear can help you determine if you’re pregnant, even before taking a test.
While paying a visit to your general practitioner or gynaecologist is the only way to accurately verify that you’re pregnant, noticing and understanding your pregnancy symptoms can help you figure out when a visit to the doctor is appropriate and can provide information that can help your doctor tailor your antenatal care.
When Do Pregnancy Symptoms Appear: Early Pregnancy Symptoms
The earliest signs of pregnancy can appear before you miss your period, surfacing as soon as a few days after conception. While the specific pregnancy symptoms vary from woman to woman, many women report these symptoms in the very early stages of their pregnancy. Read below to know when pregnancy symptoms appear to find out if what you’re feeling could be a sign that your family is about to get a little bigger.
Sensitivity to Smell
Smell sensitivity, or a heightened sense of smell, is one of the most reported early pregnancy symptoms. Odours that never seemed to bother you in the past may become noticeably stronger and more unappealing.
Raised Basal Body Temperature
Some women trying to conceive are using a basal body thermometer to track their body temperature. Basal body thermometers are used to identify your body’s resting temperature to help determine when you’re ovulating. Since ovulation may cause a slight increase in basal body temperature, women can use basal body thermometers to determine the best days to have sex for conception.
Your basal body temperature should be taken when you’re fully at rest, such as first thing in the morning before getting out of bed.
When you conceive, your basal body temperature often increases by around one degree.
If you have been tracking your temperature every morning and notice this slight rise, it may be an early pregnancy symptom.
Breast Changes
In the early stages of pregnancy, even as early as one or two weeks after conception, you may experience tender or swollen breasts. This is your body preparing your breasts for breastfeeding. The sensation of sore breasts typically peaks in your first trimester due to the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which are critical in preparing your body for pregnancy.
Increased blood flow to your breast area can make your breasts grow, which can sometimes be painful.
During early pregnancy, you may also discover that your areolas (the circles around your nipples) are darkening and getting bigger. Sometimes the little bumps on your areolas, called Montgomery’s tubercles, also grow bigger and increase in number. When your baby starts nursing, these bumps produce the necessary oils to lubricate your nipples.
Fatigue
Almost every mother-to-be experiences fatigue during pregnancy, making it one of the most common early pregnancy symptoms reported. Pregnancy requires a huge amount of energy to build the placenta, the organ that develops in your uterus during pregnancy to provide both oxygen and important nutrients to your baby during growth. With a significant amount of your energy diverted to building the placenta, you may feel tired or sluggish as you go about your day.
Pregnancy fatigue usually comes and goes throughout your pregnancy but can begin shortly after you conceive, making it a valuable early sign of pregnancy.
Other Common Early Pregnancy Symptoms
If you haven’t experienced any of these symptoms, that does not necessarily mean you are not pregnant. Many other pregnancy symptoms may appear in the early stages and throughout your pregnancy. Keep your doctor informed about your symptoms so they can provide the appropriate antenatal care.
Between six and twelve days after conception, you may experience light spotting, known as implantation bleeding, along with what feels like menstrual cramps. This bleeding is usually medium pink or light brown, not your typical period red.
Creamy cervical mucus is another sign you may be pregnant. During your pregnancy, you may notice an increase in thin, white discharge, called leukorrhea, which is healthy and normal. However, a lumpy or thick discharge indicates an infection or an STI, and you should visit your general practitioner.
If you’re moodier than usual, pregnancy hormones may be to blame. You may experience an uptick of mood swings as early as four weeks into your pregnancy.
Two to three weeks after conception, the pregnancy hormone hCG increases blood flow to your kidneys, which can cause you to urinate more frequently. Additionally, your growing uterus can increase bladder pressure, leaving you with less storage space for your urine.
You may experience some or all of these pregnancy symptoms during early pregnancy. Knowing the early pregnancy symptoms and when do pregnancy symptoms appear can help you determine when it’s time to visit your general practitioner for a blood and urine test to verify pregnancy.
Consult With Us
True Health Medical Practice offers expecting mothers comprehensive family planning and antenatal care services.
Period pain is a common and unfortunate side effect of menstruation. Approximately 92% of Australian women between 13 and 25 experience period pain (dysmenorrhoea).
Symptoms of dysmenorrhoea range from mild menstrual cramps to intense, constant pain, often in the lower abdomen, that may spread to the lower back and legs. This condition has a considerable impact on a woman’s quality of life, productivity in the workplace, and health.
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, dysmenorrhoea can be challenging to treat, and many patients wonder what causes period pain? From family history to hormonal fluctuation, there are several causes of dysmenorrhoea.
Learn more about what causes period pain and what treatment options are available to help you manage discomfort and take back control of your life.
Symptoms of Dysmenorrhoea
Symptoms of period pain are typically caused by hormonal changes during your menstrual cycle. Women suffering from period pain also commonly experience:
Abdominal and lower back pain
Menstrual blood clotting
Tenderness and swelling in the breasts
Fainting or feelings of weakness or dizziness
Headaches
Digestive problems, constipation, or diarrhea that may escalate to vomit or nausea
These symptoms may only last a day or two or can persist for three or more days but usually subside within the first 24 hours. Irritability, lack of focus, and a shorter attention span are also common premenstrual symptoms.
Are There Different Types of Dysmenorrhoea?
There are two types of period pain: primary and secondary dysmenorrhoea. Primary dysmenorrhoea typically occurs several days before and during menses. It is characterised by regular recurring menstrual cramps.
If you experience painful menses due to a pelvic condition or another medical issue, it is termed secondary dysmenorrhoea. Symptoms of secondary dysmenorrhoea include an irregular menstrual cycle, pain during sex, and bleeding between periods.
What Causes Period Pain?
Because there don’t seem to be any underlying issues in cases of primary dysmenorrhoea, it isn’t fully understood exactly what causes period pain. It is thought that raised levels of prostaglandins cause the uterus to contract more intensely, leading to pain.
An underlying condition causes the secondary type of period pain. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), endometriosis, or fibroids can all be reasons that women experience abnormal menstrual cramps.
What Can I Do for Primary Period Pain?
Primary period pain can be effectively managed with the help of your women’s healthcare specialist. Physiotherapy treatments, cervical screenings, sexual health check-ups, and nutritional help are available at True Health Medical. An appointment with a women’s health specialist can help you take control of your pain and ensure that there aren’t any other problems.
Primary dysmenorrhoea can usually be managed using OTC pain relievers, physiotherapy treatments, or anti-inflammatory medications. Other treatments include exercise, bed rest, warm compresses, or relaxation techniques.
Yoga and other physiotherapy treatments such as electrical nerve stimulation to manage period pain have also had some degree of success. Research also suggests that acupuncture may be effective at relieving primary period pain.
What Can I Do for Secondary Period Pain?
Treatment for secondary dysmenorrhoea is dependent on addressing the cause or underlying issue. One of the most common causes of secondary period pain is endometriosis.
Endometriosis is a chronic and progressive condition. What causes period pain in this situation is cells that normally grow in the lining of the uterus (endometrium) begin growing in other areas of the body, normally the pelvis. Because these cells respond to chemical messages from the ovaries, they react in the same way as normal cells within the uterine wall – bleeding and contracting – causing menstrual cramps, discomfort, and pain.
Treatment for endometriosis typically involves hormone therapy, including the use of progestin-only oral contraceptives, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) agonists and antagonists, or aromatase inhibitors. These medications can help regulate estrogen production by reducing the development of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. If hormonal therapy is unsuccessful, you may need surgery to remove the tissue.
Fibroids can also be a cause of secondary dysmenorrhoea. Treatment of this condition requires care from a physician or a woman’s health specialist and may involve medication, surgery, or non-invasive techniques to remove the fibroid tissue.
Where Can I Get Help?
At home, gentle exercise, such as cycling or swimming, can ease the symptoms of period pain. Stretching, yoga, or pilates can also alleviate some pain and reduce the stress associated with it. Relaxation techniques such as these help to ease the cramps and improve circulation, flexibility, and sleeping patterns.
At True Health Medical Practice, women’s health is one of our top priorities. We take a proactive approach to your health that focuses on prevention and early intervention.
We’ll also teach you as we go so you can understand more about your own body and what you’re going through. Whether you’ve been experiencing abnormally painful periods, an eating disorder, pregnancy, or simply need an annual exam, we’ll take measures to ensure you get the best care and service you deserve.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy
Your basal body temperature should be taken when you’re fully at rest, such as first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. 
Treatment for endometriosis