Dr. Bakul Kapoor

Are you suffering from chronic pelvic pain? Well, then it is time to consult your doctor. Chronic pelvic pain can be the indication or symptom for other serious disorders. It is often difficult to figure out the exact cause of the pain. Chronic pelvic pain refers to the persistent pain in the pelvic region that has been lasting for over six months. Your doctor needs to carefully examine your symptoms to know the source of the pain.

Here are some of the causes that lead to chronic pelvic pain:

Endometriosis: In this disease, cells that form the lining of the uterus grow abnormally. These cells grow on organs like the ovaries, urinary bladder or rectum. Symptoms that can be accompanied with pelvic pain in Endometriosis.

• Pelvic pain or cramps before or during your period
• Pain during or post sex
• Pain at the time you ovulate
• Pain during bowel movements
• Rectal bleeding during period
• Pain during urination
• Lower back pain
• Infertility
• Spotting in between periods
• Bloating

Adenomyosis: This disease is similar to endometriosis. Cells lining the uterus tend to invade the uterus and muscle tissues of the uterine wall. In many cases, women with adenomyosis are devoid of any symptoms. Some of the common symptoms are:

• Pain during period
• Pressure on bladder or rectum
• Massive periods
• Long periods

Interstitial Cystitis: Women suffering from interstitial cystitis have inflammation of the urinary bladder. The inflammation is due to any infection. This affects women as a result of their aging. Symptoms:

• Need to urinate very often
• Discomfort during urination
• Pain at the time of sex
• Urinary Tract Infection

Bacteria cause urinary tract infections. This, in turn, leads to pelvic pain. Infections can affect any part of the urinary tract. It can also affect the kidneys, bladder, and urethra. Urinary tract infections are common in women mainly. Symptoms:

• Pressure in lower pelvis
• Pain or a burning sensation during urination
• Needing to urinate frequently
• Cloudy urine
• Blood in urine

When to visit a doctor?
It is difficult to know and assess the right time to visit the doctor. But the pain may be very irritating. It can also lead to fatal and chronic disorders. Therefore, it is best to consult a doctor if the pain persists for a long period and doesn’t vanishes with the home-based remedies or medication. The doctor may conduct lab tests, laparoscopy, or radiological tests to come to a conclusion.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Infertility is a condition where a couple, trying to conceive in a natural way is not able to do so even after one year of trying. It is also a matter of worry for patients who are over the age of 35 years and those who are not able to conceive naturally even after 12 months of trying constantly. So here are the causes, risks and treatment for this condition.

Causes: 

There are many causes of infertility. It may be down to a condition present in one or both partners. As per a medical study, 20% of the cases of infertility are due to males, while 40% to 50% cases are due to problems in the female partner. 30% of the cases suffer from infertility due to problems in both males and females. 

Ovulation and fertilisation are the main elements of the conception process and any condition in the female or male can upset either function, which can make it difficult to conceive. While abnormal sperm production and transport may be a common condition that leads to infertility in males, other factors like side effects of cancer treatments and too much exposure to toxins and chemicals can also play an important role in this regard. 

For females, the causes of infertility may range from ovulation disorders, uterine and fibroid tumours, uterine and cervical anomalies, damage to or blockage of the fallopian tubes, endometriosis, primary ovarian insufficiency and pelvic adhesions. Also, factors like thyroid, cancer and medication leading to temporary infertility may be at play. 

Risks: 

There are a number of factors that put a male or a female at risk of infertility. Being in your mid 30s usually has an adverse effect on the ovulation and production of well functioning sperm. Further, smoking and tobacco are among the main causes of infertility in either partner. Excessive alcohol consumption may also lead to this problem. Being overweight or underweight can also make a person infertile. Further, not getting enough exercise and routine activities out of your day, can lead to this condition as well. 

Treatment: 

Male patients can go through a treatment for any existing infections, hormonal injections and medication, surgical options like vasectomy reversal and ART or assistive reproductive technology. Female patients can turn to medication that will stimulate ovulation, Intrauterine Insemination, and surgical processes to correct a uterine septum and remove endometrial polyps, or even a hysteroscopy surgery. 
If these methods fail, the patient or the couple can always turn to methods like In Vitro Fertilisation. For other mild reasons, lifestyle changes along with a stress free environment can help in increasing the chances of conception. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Infertility happens when a couple cannot conceive after having regular unprotected sex.While there may be many causes for the same , stress is the major cause.

In this era of modern world where infertility and conception issues are rising so much but are you sure whom are you consulting with is the right doctor for you?

As many a times prolonging a treatment in false hope of getting pregnant and not approching the expert for it will eventually land you losing your ovarian reserves and sometimes ivf also becomes a bleak possibility in those cases.

Tip for the day - always consult infertility expert for issues related to infertility at the right time so that your dream of parenthood can be achieved early.