What You to Know About the Connection between Pelvic Pain and Ovarian Cancer
Many women are not aware that pelvic pain is one of the more common symptoms of ovarian cancer. For this reason, pain in the general area of the pelvis is often assumed to be something else, such as a urinary infection or something that can be cleared up with over the counter medication or possibly a prescription medicine. You may even choose to ignore the pain if it is not too severe. However, that is the very thing you don’t want to do.
There are several ways that pain in the pelvis can indicate the possible presence of ovarian cancer. First, that pain may be the sign of an inflammation or infection that is occurring as a direct result of the presence of the tumor. As the growth develops and attaches to the ovary, it will begin to interfere with the natural function of that organ.
If left unchecked, it could spread to the other ovary. Even if only one ovary is affected, the reaction of your body to what amounts to a foreign growth in your reproductive system is likely to result in pain that is mildly uncomfortable at first, but becomes increasingly worse rather than getting better over time.
Another possibility is that the presence of the tumor is creating swelling in your abdomen that in turn is placing more stress on the pelvis itself. When this happens, the pelvic pain is there simply because your pelvis is having trouble holding up to the added stress.
This can leave you with a deep ache in the bones that never seems to quite go away, even if you use a heating pad or take some type of over the counter pain reliever each day.
Over time, that mild pelvic pain increases to the point that it hurts to engage in normal activities like walking or sitting. You may also find that the pain in your pelvis begins to have a negative impact on your ability to enjoy sexual intercourse. In fact, attempting to have sex may progress from mildly uncomfortable to downright painful. The constant ache in your pelvis only intensifies when you attempt to move in different ways, which in turn causes you to begin curtailing activities that you once found to be very pleasurable.
All the while, the tumor is continuing to grow, and your chances for recovery are decreasing. That is why it is so important to take the presence of pain in the general area of the pelvis seriously. Even if you are not experiencing any of the other known discomforts and ailments that do point toward the possibility of cancer, that does not mean you should run the risk of assuming your pelvic pain is due to some other cause.
Don’t remain quiet when you begin to experience pelvic pain. Take a proactive approach and see a doctor immediately. There is a good chance that the origin of the pain will be something other than cancer in your ovaries. However, if there is an ovarian tumor present, the sooner it is taken care of, the better chances you have of regaining your life and enjoying many more years with your loved ones.