Causes

Several types of diseases and conditions can cause pelvic pain. Chronic pelvic pain can result from more than one condition.

Pelvic pain can arise from your digestive, reproductive or urinary system. Recently, doctors have recognized that some pelvic pain, particularly chronic pelvic pain, can also arise from muscles and connective tissue (ligaments) in the structures of the pelvic floor.

Pelvic pain might also be caused by irritation of nerves in the pelvis.

Female reproductive system

Pelvic pain arising from the female reproductive system might be caused by conditions such as:

• Adenomyosis
• Ectopic pregnancy (or other pregnancy-related conditions)
• Endometriosis
• Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea)
• Miscarriage (before the 20th week) or intrauterine fetal death
• Mittelschmerz (ovulation pain)
• Ovarian cancer
• Ovarian cysts
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Uterine fibroids
• Vulvodynia

Other causes in women or men

Examples of other possible causes of pelvic pain — in women or men — include:

• Appendicitis
• Colon cancer
• Constipation
• Crohn's disease (a type of inflammatory bowel disease)
• Diverticulitis
• Fibromyalgia
• Inguinal hernia
• Interstitial cystitis (also called painful bladder syndrome)
• Intestinal obstruction
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Kidney stones
• Past physical or sexual abuse
• Pelvic floor muscle spasms
• Prostatitis (infection or inflammation of the prostate)
• Ulcerative colitis (a type of inflammatory bowel disease)
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)