What is pelvic pain?
The pelvic area, located between the stomach and the legs, is where female reproductive organs are located. Pain in this area feels different to everyone, but some people compare it to a stomachache. Others experience cramping and nausea.
Pelvic pain generally indicates that something is wrong. Ectopic pregnancy, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) will cause sharp pelvic pain that begins suddenly and goes away once the problem has been addressed. Other conditions, like dysmenorrhea (pain during periods), mittelschmerz (pain during ovulation), and endometriosis (growth of the uterine lining on other reproductive organs) cause intermittent or chronic pain. These conditions are generally less serious, but a physician should be consulted if pain begins to interfere with daily life.
It is also possible for Teen Clinic patients to experience pelvic pain during and after the insertion of an IUD into the uterus. As with all birth control methods, the body will adjust within several months, and the cramping will lessen.
If you are experiencing pelvic pain, come to Teen Clinic as soon as possible! Some conditions involving pelvic pain are serious and require immediate attention.
