Chronic Pelvic Pain: Diagnosis and Treatment
In some women, the pain exists along with other painful conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, interstitial cystitis, kidney stones, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia and migraine headaches.
One important thing to realize: Your pain is not normal, and you deserve a diagnosis and treatment. Simply receiving a diagnosis and realizing that the cause of your pain is not cancer can help relieve anxiety and, believe it or not, sometimes even the pain itself!
If you are experiencing chronic or even acute pelvic pain, your first stop should be your health care provider, whether a physician, midwife, or nurse practitioner. Be honest and clear about your pain, and be as specific as possible. A good idea is to track your pain in a monthly diary, ranking the level of pain from 1 to 5, with 5 being so excruciating you can't function and 1 being the level of mild menstrual cramps. Also note anything you were doing that might be related to the pain. For instance, did the pain occur during or after intercourse? After eating a large meal? During menstruation?
During the conversation with your health care provider, don't be afraid to tell him or her what you think is causing your pain.
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