Pelvic Pain Specialist

Advanced Endometriosis Center: Ulas Bozdogan, MD -  - Endometriosis Specialist

Ulas Bozdogan, MD, FACOG

Endometriosis Specialist located in NJ and New York City, NY

Pelvic pain can cause significant debility and loss of quality of life, and sometimes, the underlying cause can be difficult to identify. Dr. Ulas Bozdogan is skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic pain, helping women at Advanced Endometriosis Center in NJ and New York City, NY, get the most appropriate, most effective care.

Pelvic Pain Q & A

What causes pelvic pain?

Pelvic pain can be caused by many underlying issues, and identifying the cause of painful symptoms is the key to ensuring patients receive the most appropriate care. Some of the most common causes include:

  • endometriosis
  • fibroids, cysts or adhesions (scar tissue)
  • menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding)
  • pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection of the pelvic organs
  • ectopic pregnancy
  • tumors
  • miscarriage

Pelvic pain can also be caused by issues involving the bowels or urinary tract or as a result of chronic pain syndromes like fibromyalgia. Pelvic organ prolapse caused by a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles can also cause pelvic pain.

What is pelvic inflammatory disease?

Pelvic inflammatory disease or PID is a serious medical condition that occurs when the pelvic organs and tissues become infected. Most cases of PID begin with a sexually-transmitted disease that goes undetected and untreated for a period of time, allowing the disease to spread and promoting the formation of scar tissue. PID affects millions of women each year, and it’s the primary preventable cause of female infertility in the U.S. It’s also a major cause of pelvic pain and ectopic pregnancies.

What steps are used to diagnose the cause of pelvic pain?

Because so many issues can cause pelvic pain, a complete medical history, detailed review of symptoms and comprehensive physical exam are all important in establishing a diagnosis. Lab tests including blood work and urinalysis may be ordered, and ultrasound or other diagnostic imaging can also be helpful. In some cases, minimally-invasive evaluations including hysteroscopy may be performed to see “inside” your uterus and fallopian tubes or biopsies of abnormal tissue may be taken for further evaluation under a microscope.

How is pelvic pain treated?

Treatment of pelvic pain varies based on the underlying cause and can include:

  • pain relievers
  • antibiotics
  • hormone therapy
  • physical therapy
  • laparoscopic or robotic surgery to remove fibroids, adhesions or cysts or in severe cases or when cancer is involved, to remove the uterus (hysterectomy) or ovaries (oophorectomy)

When possible, conservative treatments will be attempted first before moving on to more invasive approaches.