A laparoscopic hysterectomy holds many advantages over other methods.
Persistent Pelvic Pain
Persistent Pelvic Pain
A laparoscopic hysterectomy holds many advantages over other methods.
Overview
A lot of the women we see at Central Gynaecology have trouble with pelvic pain. If it has been present for more than 6 months, and especially if it is present more days than not, then it is called persistent (or chronic) pelvic pain. From the outset, it should be recognised that this is often due to several causes, which may be interrelated.
Possible causes
Common issues we will look out for include:
- Endometriosis
- Painful bladder syndrome/Interstitial cystitis
- Vulvodynia/vestibulitis
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Pelvic muscle pain and dysfunction
- Pudendal nerve pain (neuralgia)
- Chronic vaginal infection or irritation – for example, due to thrush, chlamydia, or after menopause
Sometimes, something such as an ovarian cyst might be found, but in general, cysts cause reasonably rapid onset of pain and often resolve by themselves. In some cases, some of the above issues might have already been diagnosed, and the tendency is to try and fit all the symptoms into one category (“it’s my endo”). In our experience, this is usually a mistake and might explain why some women have had several surgeries for endometriosis, but never really got a lot better.
What to do
The first step is to take a careful and thorough history.
In some cases, particularly when the problem has been there for a long time, if there have already been several operations are done and/or several different practitioners involved, the history and examination might have to be spread across two visits. Please bring any copies of operation notes or letters you have from previous doctors.
We can help
If you are experiencing persistent pelvic pain and would like to talk to us about how we can help, please feel free to contact us. You can also request an appointment online.
Frequently when we break the issues down and start thinking about the sources of pain more holistically we can make some real progress.
Be prepared for it to take some time – a complex problem is unlikely to be solved with one simple solution, be that a drug or an operation.
However, we will take your symptoms seriously and try our best to help make some progress.
We can help
A lot of the women we see at Central Gynaecology have trouble with pelvic pain. If it has been present for more than 6 months, and especially if it is present more days than not, then it is called persistent (or chronic) pelvic pain. From the outset, it should be recognised that this is often due to several causes, which may be interrelated.
Common issues we will look out for include:
- Endometriosis
- Painful bladder syndrome/Interstitial cystitis
- Vulvodynia/vestibulitis
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Pelvic muscle pain and dysfunction
- Pudendal nerve pain (neuralgia)
- Chronic vaginal infection or irritation – for example, due to thrush, chlamydia, or after menopause
Sometimes, something such as an ovarian cyst might be found, but in general, cysts cause reasonably rapid onset of pain and often resolve by themselves. In some cases, some of the above issues might have already been diagnosed, and the tendency is to try and fit all the symptoms into one category (“it’s my endo”). In our experience, this is usually a mistake and might explain why some women have had several surgeries for endometriosis, but never really got a lot better.
The first step is to take a careful and thorough history.
In some cases, particularly when the problem has been there for a long time, if there have already been several operations are done and/or several different practitioners involved, the history and examination might have to be spread across two visits. Please bring any copies of operation notes or letters you have from previous doctors.
If you are experiencing persistent pelvic pain and would like to talk to us about how we can help, please feel free to contact us. You can also request an appointment online.
Frequently when we break the issues down and start thinking about the sources of pain more holistically we can make some real progress.
Be prepared for it to take some time – a complex problem is unlikely to be solved with one simple solution, be that a drug or an operation.
However, we will take your symptoms seriously and try our best to help make some progress.
Related Conditions & Treatments
Related Conditions & Treatments
Teamwork
We all have a variety of expert skills and clinical knowledge – we work together and with our patients to achieve their treatment goals.
Up-to-date technology
We are up-to-date in terms of technology and modern methods of investigation and treatment, and continue to maintain this level of advanced service.
Minimal approach
We have the ability and expertise to manage surgical procedures using minimal access approaches. This includes using keyhole surgery wherever possible.