Pelvic Pain in Females
Alternate Names : Lower Abdominal Pain, Abdominal Cramping
What can be done to prevent the condition?
Prevention of
pelvic pain may or may not be possible, depending on the cause. Some ways to
decrease the risk of pelvic pain include:
practicing safer sex to decrease the risk of
sexually transmitted disease and secondary PID
seeking early treatment for infections of the genital tract, such as PID
oral contraceptives, which may reduce the risk of pelvic pain associated with painful ovulation
drinking plenty of fluids every day and avoiding dehydration to prevent kidney stones
Many of the causes of pelvic pain cannot be prevented.
What are the long-term effects of the condition?
Long-term effects
are related to the cause of the pelvic pain. For example, irritable bowel syndrome may make a person uncomfortable and even depressed, but poses no serious long-term health risks. A small kidney stone may pass by itself and have no long-term effects. A large kidney stone may require surgery to remove. Cancer may lead to death if treatment is unsuccessful. A woman with an
ectopic pregnancy may need
surgery, and in some cases, may have to have the fallopian tube removed.
What are the risks to others?
Pelvic pain itself is not
contagious and poses no risk to others. However, if the pain is caused by a
sexually transmitted disease, that infection is contagious.
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