Chronic pelvic pain is caused by a variety of conditions in different areas including a woman’s reproductive organs, urinary tract or bowels. In some cases, however, the cause of pelvic pain may not be found. But according to the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, the cause for the pain might go undiagnosed because a hernia is often not considered. Hernias affect both men and women, but women often experience a delay in diagnosis because their hernia pain is located in the pelvic area, which can be attributed to many other causes, the society says.
“Pelvic pain in a woman can be a hernia that is not easily found during a physical exam and even on an imaging study,” says James de Caestecker, DO, a general surgeon with Gem City Surgical Hernia Center. “A woman may have been to her family physician about the pain and then referred to her gynecologist. A hernia may be the cause, but if there are no physical evidence on exam — such as a noticeable bulge — then it will not be easily diagnosed.”
A hernia happens when part of an internal organ or tissue bulges through a weak area of muscle. Most hernias are located in a person’s abdomen. Common types of hernias include those around the belly button, from an incision or scar or due to a birth defect. Hernias are common and can affect anyone. A combination of muscle weakness and straining, such as when lifting heavy objects, might contribute, the NIH says.
Hernias not easily diagnosed upon an exam may be referred to as hidden hernias. Such hernias are often only found by a general surgeon who is able to make an initial diagnosis by listening to a patient’s history – such as when the pain occurs, what triggers it and how it is relieved, Dr. de Caestecker says.
Dr. de Caestecker says women need to know there is hope for their pain if its source is due to a hernia. Treatment options for hernias have drastically improved over the past decade to include methods that help return a person’s body back to its original anatomical state. As a result, recurrence rates for hernias have dropped and individuals are able to return to activities they had been able to enjoy since before their hernia appeared. If women have questions about hernias, they should first discuss with their primary care provider or Ob-Gyn physician.
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