Pelvic health involves several body systems, including reproductive organs, the urinary tract, the digestive system and the pelvic floor, the muscles that support these organs. That’s why it’s important to have an experienced team by your side when you experience pelvic pain or other symptoms. At Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, we offer high-quality care that helps you feel like yourself again.
Conditions
At the Pelvic Health & Wellness Clinic, our team has extensive training and experience in women’s pelvic health care. The doctors, surgeons, psychiatrists, physical therapists and other specialists provide expert care with a compassionate touch for a wide variety of pelvic conditions, including:
Our urogynecologists have advanced training in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery to care for women with a wide range of pelvic conditions, including:
Bladder pain syndrome: Formerly called interstitial cystitis, this condition involves chronic pain, discomfort and pressure in the bladder area and a persistent, urgent need to urinate.
Endometriosis: Tissue similar to the uterus lining (endometrium) grows outside the uterus, causing bleeding with each period just like the endometrium inside the uterus.
Fecal incontinence: Loss of bowel control, a pelvic floor disorder, can cause stool leaks. Childbirth, nerve or muscle damage and pelvic organ prolapse are some causes of fecal incontinence in women.
Fistula: An abnormal opening or passage between two organs can develop due to prolonged labor and difficult delivery, pelvic infections, radiation treatment in the pelvic area and other causes. An example is a connection between the bladder and vagina (vesicovaginal).
Overactive bladder: This condition causes frequent urination and a sudden, intense need to urinate. It differs from urinary incontinence, which is urine leaks caused by the loss of bladder control.
Pelvic organ prolapse: The bladder, intestines or uterus may drop into the vagina, if the pelvic muscles become weak or damaged and can no longer support pelvic organs. Each type of prolapse refers to the organ that moves out of place, such as cystocele for bladder prolapse.
Pelvic pain: Pain in the lower abdomen (belly) can be a result of conditions affecting the reproductive organs, urinary tract, digestive system and pelvic muscles and ligaments (connective tissue). It can be dull or sharp, mild to severe, or constant or come and go. Pelvic pain can start suddenly and last a short time (acute), or last a long time (chronic, which is six months or longer).
Postpartum conditions: Women may experience symptoms and conditions after giving birth, including urinary and fecal incontinence, pain in the perineum (area between the vagina and anus), endometritis (infection in the uterus) or heavy bleeding.
Urinary incontinence (UI): Loss of bladder control, another pelvic floor disorder, can cause urine leaks. The various types of UI have different causes that require specific treatments.
Urinary tract infection (UTI): This infection can occur in the bladder, kidneys or urethra (tube that carries urine out of the body from the bladder).
Urinary retention: With this condition, the bladder doesn’t completely empty when you urinate. Urinary retention is often a symptom of another condition, such as pelvic organ prolapse, urinary stones or a urinary tract infection.
Uterine fibroids: Noncancerous growths of fibrous tissue can grow in or on the wall of the uterus, ranging from small with mild symptoms to large, causing pain, heavy bleeding and reproductive issues.
Vulvovaginal means the vulva, the outer part of the female genitals, and the vagina, a muscular tube that leads from the uterus to the outside of the body. Some vulvovaginal conditions and symptoms we often see include: · Uncommon lesions of the vulva and vagina
Vaginismus: Spasms (sudden, involuntary tightening) of vaginal muscles can occur when something, such as a tampon or medical instrument, attempts to enter the vagina. Vaginismus makes the vagina very narrow and causes discomfort or pain.
Vaginitis: This condition is inflammation (irritation) that may come with itching, pain and discharge. Vaginitis can result from bacterial and yeast infections and sexually transmitted diseases. Recurrent vaginitis is vaginitis that comes back after treatment or doesn’t respond to treatment.
Vestibulodynia: This long-term (three months or longer) pain or discomfort occurs at the entrance (vestibule) to the vagina and has no clear cause.
Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia: Precancerous cell changes (abnormal cells) on the vulva may increase the risk of vulvar cancer.
Vulvodynia: This symptom, also called vulvar pain, is chronic (long-term) pain or discomfort around the vulva that has no clear cause.
Certain skin conditions can affect the vulva, causing pain and other symptoms. We treat a wide range of these conditions, from common to rare. Some that we often treat include:
Bartholin gland cyst: The Bartholin glands, one on either side of the vaginal opening, release a fluid that provides lubrication during sexual activity. Cysts can form when the glands become blocked, causing a swollen bump near the vaginal opening.
Contact dermatitis: Skin on the vulva can become irritated due to heat, wetness or a reaction to substances such as scented soaps, powders, creams, toilet paper and clothing.
Folliculitis: Bacteria can infect a hair follicle, causing an infection with small, red painful bumps.
Lichen planus: This type of vulvar dermatosis causes burning, bleeding and small, purple, itchy patches, and scars may develop on the vulva and in the vagina.
Lichen sclerosus: Another vulvar dermatosis, this condition causes severe itching, white patches and thin, crinkled skin that splits easily. Lichen sclerosus can cause severe scarring of the vulva.
Lichen simplex chronicus: A third vulvar dermatosis causes intense itching and large patches of thick, scaly, dark or red skin, but this type usually doesn’t leave scars.
We offer treatment and psychiatric care for women facing sexual health challenges, including:
Low libido: Women’s interest in sex naturally changes over time and varies from woman to woman. Some signs of low sex drive include having no interest in sexual activity and rarely having sexual thoughts or fantasies.
Pain with sexual intercourse: Painful sex can have many causes, ranging from not enough lubrication to stress and psychological issues to certain infections and conditions.
