oly Family Hospital provides occupational and Several Conditions Can Cause Pelvic Pain Hhand therapy services to support patients as they work to rehabilitate upper extremity &ORWOMEN THECAUSEISOFTENTHEREPRODUCTIVESYSTEM surgeries, injuries and disorders. Our certified hand therapist, Mary Hayes-Whinery provides custom splinting, modalities, exercise, wound/ SCARMANAGEMENTAND!$,RETRAININGTOHELP conditions, pelvic inflammatory disease, patients return to performing everyday functions. endometriosis, and Conditions that can be treated include, cervical, uterine or for example: ovarian cancer. s 5PPEREXTREMITYFRACTURES SPRAINS Other symptoms include vaginal s 4ENDON NERVE LIGAMENT VASCULARREPAIRS bleeding, vaginal s 2EPLANTS TENDONTRANSFERS RECONSTRUCTIONS spotting, vaginal discharge, painful s 4ENDONITIS TENOSYNOVITIS or difficult urination, s #OMPLEXREGIONALPAINSYNDROME constipation or diarrhea, bloating or gas, blood s !MPUTATIONS in stools, pain during s #ARPALTUNNELSYNDROME intercourse, fever or s 5LNARNEUROPATHIES chills, and pain in the hip or groin areas. s 2HEUMATOLOGICCONDITIONS With the assistance of guided imagery, pain management specialist Stephanie Gianoukos, MD Sudden and severe s /STEOARTHRITIS gives an injection to a patient suffering with pelvic pain. pelvic pain may be a s 2HEUMATOIDARTHRITIS medical emergency that hen pain occurs in the lowest part of the needs immediate medical attention. Pelvic pain that is For more information on occupational abdomen and pelvis it is called pelvic pain. new should be checked by a doctor. For chronic pain, and hand therapy services at Holy Family WIt can arise from the digestive, reproductive or see a doctor if it is disrupting daily life or has gotten Hospital’s outpatient rehabilitation center, urinary systems, as well as muscles, connective tissue worse over time. call 978-687-0156, ext. 2050. and nerves within the pelvis. “Procedures for pelvic pain in women typically include Although pelvic pain often refers to pain in the region of injections of steroids and local anesthetics performed women’s reproductive organs, pelvic pain can also be under x-ray guidance, said Holy Family Hospital present in men. and Merrimack Valley Hospital Pain Management Specialist Stephanie Gianoukos, MD. “These outpatient Pelvic pain can occur suddenly or be present for a long procedures numb the nerves providing pain relief to the period of time. The pain can be constant or intermittent, pelvis, and can last up to six months.” dull or sharp, mild to severe, or present only at certain times, such as during urination or sexual activity. It can To determine the cause of pelvic pain, your doctor will also radiate to the lower back, buttocks or thighs and likely ask several questions about your symptoms and can be a symptom of infection. past medical problems, and perform a physical exam. He/she may also ask for lab work such as blood tests, In men and women, pelvic pain can occur from a urine tests, a pregnancy test for women of reproductive variety of conditions that include appendicitis, chronic age, a stool test, and cultures for sexually transmitted constipation, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diseases. Further studies could include abdominal and diverticulitis, fibromyalgia, inguinal hernia, intestinal pelvic x-rays, a bone density test to determine bone obstruction, irritable bowel syndrome, interstitial cystitis, strength, a CT scan or laparoscopy to see inside the kidney stones, prostatitis, urinary tract infections, pelvic pelvic area, or a colonoscopy. floor muscle spasms, past physical or sexual abuse, and colon cancer, Treatment depends on the cause, how intense the pain is, and how often it occurs. Sometimes pelvic pain is For women, pelvic pain can also indicate a problem with treated with medications, including antibiotics, and one of the reproductive organs – the uterus, ovaries, sometimes it involves procedures, including surgery. fallopian tubes, cervix, or vagina. For more information about the Centers for Under these circumstances, pain can be from Pain Management at Holy Family Hospital menstrual cramps, miscarriage, ovulation, ovarian cysts and Merrimack Valley Hospital please visit Holy Family Hospital’s certified hand therapist, Mary and other ovarian disorders, benign uterine fibroid www.Steward.org/Pain-management. Hayes-Whinery, prepares a custom splint for a patient. tumors, ectopic pregnancy or other pregnancy-related 5