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The New Jersey Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine and Dr. Eric Daiter present and review current information on pelvic
pain for this website.
Pelvic pain can be thought of as either acute or chronic, and either constant or intermittent.
Using these distinctions, acute pelvic pain generally lasts less than one month in duration and does not recur. Intermittent pelvic
pain recurs in response to an event, such as cyclic pain associated with menstrual flows or episodic pain associated with sexual
intercourse. Chronic pelvic pain is usually defined as pain that lasts continuously for greater than 3 or 4 months duration.
A symptom is an abnormality in function, appearance, or sensation that is experienced by a patient and is indicative of a disease.
Acute, chronic, intermittent and constant pelvic pains are symptoms of underlying disease. However, when pain lasts for several months
and becomes chronic then the chronic pelvic pain itself can also become a disease rather than simply a symptom of underlying illness.
In this case, effective treatment of chronic pain may need to repair or remove the underlying biological cause and also treat the
psychological and social problems that are associated with chronic pain.
This website attempts to provide a thorough review of the biological causes of pelvic pain. These causes may result in acute, chronic,
intermittent or constant pain. The psychological and social aspects of chronic forms of pelvic pain are known to be important to the
author, Dr. Eric Daiter, but are outside of his areas of gynecological expertise. These aspects of chronic pelvic pain are not dealt
with in detail on this website.
Treatable causes of pelvic pain occur in more than 50% of all reproductive age women.
Unfortunately, the cause of the pain remains undiagnosed in as many as 75% of women. In such cases, women may be told that the pain
"isn't so bad" or "is normal" and no further explanation can be offered.
Pelvic pain can result from several different problems.
Endometriosis is a common gynecologic problem that can cause pelvic pain or infertility. Pain associated with endometriosis often
initially occurs during the menstrual flow, then it becomes progressively more severe over time, and it may eventually result in
chronic debilitating pelvic pain.
Pelvic adhesions are scar tissues that can develop in the pelvis as a reaction to inflammation. Pelvic irritants include endometriosis,
infections, surgical incisions, local trauma, fluid from some ruptured ovarian cysts, local internal bleeding, and any foreign
substances.
Other associated gynecologic problems include fibroids, birth or congenital anomalies (defects in the development of the reproductive
organs), and some types of ovarian cysts.
Non-gynecologic tissues in the pelvis that can cause pain include the urinary bladder (for example, interstitial cystitis is chronic
inflammation of the bladder wall), the bowel (for example, constipation, diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome), and problems with the
surrounding muscles and bones.
Dr. Eric Daiter and The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine encourage viewers to explore the contents of this site, which
is organized into sections including the initial evaluation of pelvic pain and the causes of pelvic pain.
The information within these tutorials is intended to be solely educational. The knowledge and competence that the viewer may expect
to develop within the complex medical field of infertility and gynecology is not a substitute for the medical education that physicians
obtain during their medical curriculum and training.
With this in mind, many couples are able to effectively use the knowledge that they gain about human reproduction and pelvic pain to
guide them through the difficult (and often expensive) process of obtaining medical care.
Consumers' Research Council of America adds Dr. Eric Daiter to their list of America's Top Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Dr. Eric Daiter has been chosen by the Consumers' Research Council of America to be listed in their Guide to America's Top
Obstetricians and Gynecologists for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. For more information on this organization visit
Consumers' Research Council of America.
No fees, donations, sponsorships or advertising are accepted from any individuals,
professionals, corporations or associations. This policy is strictly adhered to, ensuring an unbiased selection.
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