Chronic pelvic pain or pain below the umbilicus (belly button) that lasts for months at end can be due to a number of reasons. Pelvic pain is not a condition in itself, but a symptom of another underlying problem which could be related to gynaecologic problems, gastrointestinal disorders or body-wide disorders. One of the main causes for intense pelvic pain is menstruation. It can also be caused by endometriosis, in which the endometrial tissue is present not only inside the uterus but also outside. This can lead to severe pain and even problems with fertility. Another gynaecological reason is pelvic inflammatory disease, which is caused by sexually transmitted organisms, ruptured appendix or scarring from a pelvic surgery. It involves the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes and can cause intense pain, uterine bleeding as well as fever and chills.
Apart from gynaecological causes, pelvic pain can also be caused by bowel disorder which leads to infrequent bowel movements and constipation, painful bladder syndrome and interstitial cystitis which leads to intense pain and the urge to urinate without any infection. Diverticulitis or an inflamed colon syndrome characterised by the inflammation of the diverticula, a sac-like protrusion on the wall of the colon also causes severe pelvic pain. Fibromyalgia, a chronic problem affects the muscles, ligaments and tendons and causes intense pain and tenderness in various parts of the body including the pelvic region.
There are several treatments recommended to treat pelvic pain, one of which is surgery, such as laparoscopy and hysterectomy, to remove the problem. However it is advisable to consult with the doctor properly and ensure that there will be no recurrence of pain after surgery before going through with it. Apart from this, psychotherapy and physiotherapy coupled with exercises has been observed to help many patients, especially women who suffer from pelvic pain.
answered by G R