Chronic Female Pelvic Pain

Home Treatment

Home treatment may help ease female pelvic pain and can be used along with your medical treatment plan.

To relieve your pain:

• Try nonprescription medicine, such as ibuprofen (for example, Advil or Motrin) or acetaminophen (for example, Tylenol).
  • Start taking the recommended dose of pain medicine as soon as you feel uncomfortable. If you have painful periods, start taking the medicine one day before your menstrual period is scheduled to start.
  • Take the medicine in regularly scheduled doses to keep the pain under control. Pain medicine works better if you take it at regularly scheduled times.
  • Before you take any nonprescription medicine for the first time, be sure to carefully read the information on the package. It is important to understand how much of the medicine you should take and when you should take it as well as reasons not to take the medicine.
  • Do not take more than the recommended dose.
  • Do not take aspirin if you are younger than 20 unless your doctor tells you to.
  • If you are or could be pregnant, call your doctor before using any medicine.
• Apply a heating pad, hot water bottle, or warm compress to your lower belly, or take a warm bath. Heat improves blood flow and may relieve pain.
• To relieve back pain, lie down and elevate your legs by placing a pillow under your knees. When lying on your side, bring your knees up to your chest.
• Try relaxation techniques, such as meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation.
• Exercise regularly. It improves blood flow, increases pain-relieving endorphins naturally made by the body, and reduces pain.
• Try sexual activity, which may relieve pelvic cramping and backache. If your pain is related to endometriosis, however, sex may make it worse.

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Author:	Kathe Gallagher, MSW	Last Updated: January 30, 2007
Medical Review:	Renée M. Crichlow, MD - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology
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