There are many causes of pelvic pain in women and the most common of them are endometriosis, pelvic infection, pelvic adhesions, ovarian cysts and degenerating uterine fibroids.

 

Chronic pelvic pain can be defined as intermittent or constant pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis of a woman of at least 6 months in duration. It is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Chronic pelvic pain presents in primary care as frequently as migraine or low-back pain and may have a significant impact on a woman’s ability to function. Living with any chronic pain carries a heavy economic and social burden. Aiming for accurate diagnosis and effective management from the first presentation may help to reduce the disruption of the woman’s life and may avoid an endless succession of referrals, investigations and operations.

Chronic pelvic pain is a multifactorial disorder. This can be due to neurological problems, adenomyosis, endometriosis pelvic adhesions, cystitis, nerve entrapment and musculoskeletal disorder. A full and thorough assessment is needed to diagnose the cause for the correct treatment

A detailed history, thorough examinations and focused investigations such as pelvic ultrasound scan, MRI, cystoscopy and laparoscopy are some of the investigations required.

Laparoscopy can help to diagnose and treat for a number of common causes of chronic pelvic pain such as endometriosis and pelvic adhesions. Mr Raza has extensive experience in dealing with such problems. The key is to diagnose the endometriotic lesions and then excise them fully to relieve the symptoms.