Saturday, September 18, 2004

Other Causes of Pelvic Pain Besides Fibroid Degeneration

A common complain of women with fibroids is abdominal Pain. This pelvic pain can come from from fibroid degeneration, when the fibroid outgrows its blood supply and dies, but that's fairly rare and there are other possible causes of pelvic pain including (an incomplete list):

Appendicitis

Constipation

Adenomyosis -- endometrial tissue grows into the wall of the uterus and can form pockets that bleed each month

Endometriosis -- endometrial tissue grows on other pelvic structures outside of the interior of the uterus and swell and bleed with the hormones produced as a part of your menstrual cycle

Ovarian Cysts -- mature follicle that does not rupture and can grow pretty large, if they rupture they can be quite painful. Some cysts are normal and most of the time they are just reabsorbed. There are other forms of cyst which require medical intervention such as dermoid cysts, endometrioma, and sometimes chocolate cysts.

Ovulation -- mittelshmerz is pain that is felt around ovulation, perhaps from the release of the egg or perhaps from irritation from fluid released from the follicle

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease -- bacterial vaginosis, gonorrhea, and chlamidia can all cause infections in the pelvic cavity

Pelvic Adhesions from prior abdominal surgery or infection -- a d&c or IUD can sometime result in an infection as well

Fibroid Pressing on blood vessels or other abdominal structure

Cystitis -- bladder infection

Kidney infection

There is also a diagnosis in traditional chinese medicine/acupuncture called blood stagnation which can cause pelvic pain and is generally associated with gynecological conditions such as fibroids. Liver stagnation is usually part of the diagnosis as well, the liver being the major detox organ in the body and one that is also associated with emotion and grief in chinese medicine. I've found acupuncture to be helpful in managing my pelvic pain, as well as breathing exercises that promote movement in the abdomen. Here's a link about blood stagnation that you might find useful.

All About Blood Stagnation
http://www.acupuncture.com/Herbology/bloodstag.htm

If your doctor checks you out and you are still having problems then
you might consider the blood stagnation possibility.

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