Gynecology · Pelvic health

Pelvic Pain in Women: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment in Gangnam, Seoul

Pelvic pain is pain in the lower abdomen below the belly button, and in women it can come from the uterus, ovaries, bladder, bowel or pelvic muscles. At Hommage Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, OB/GYN specialist Dr. Park Yuna finds the cause with a focused exam, a same-visit ultrasound and targeted tests, then treats it or refers you on when another specialist is needed.

Pelvic pain care at a glance

What causes pelvic pain in women?

Pelvic pain has many possible causes, and not all of them are gynecological. Doctors usually group them by where the pain comes from and whether it is new or long-standing.

Gynecological causes

• Period-related pain: ordinary period cramps , or pain from endometriosis or adenomyosis.
• Ovulation pain: a one-sided twinge or ache mid-cycle, sometimes called mittelschmerz.
• Ovarian cysts: most are harmless, but a cyst can bleed, burst or twist the ovary. See ovarian cyst treatment .
• Fibroids: can cause pressure, heaviness or pain with heavy periods.
• Infection: pelvic inflammatory disease , often linked to chlamydia or gonorrhea.
• Pregnancy-related: including miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, which is an emergency.

Other causes

Bladder infection or bladder pain syndrome, constipation or irritable bowel syndrome, appendicitis, kidney stones and tight or painful pelvic floor muscles can all feel like gynecological pain.

Acute vs chronic pelvic pain: what's the difference?

Acute pelvic pain starts suddenly over hours or days, while chronic pelvic pain has lasted six months or longer. The difference matters because they are investigated and treated differently.

Acute pain needs a quick check for causes that cannot wait, such as ectopic pregnancy, ovarian torsion (a twisted ovary), a ruptured cyst, appendicitis or a pelvic infection. Chronic pain is more often caused by endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, bladder or bowel conditions, or pelvic floor muscle tension. It frequently has more than one contributing cause, and long-lasting pain can also make the nerves more sensitive, so the pain continues even after the original trigger is treated.

Pain that comes and goes with your cycle points towards a gynecological cause. Pain linked to eating, bowel movements or a full bladder suggests looking beyond the reproductive organs as well.

How is pelvic pain diagnosed?

Diagnosis starts with a detailed conversation about where, when and how the pain happens, followed by an exam and a few targeted tests. Many causes can be identified in a single visit.

• Pregnancy test: done first for anyone who could be pregnant.
• Pelvic exam: checks for tenderness, swelling and signs of infection. You can ask for a chaperone or to stop at any time.
• Pelvic ultrasound: shows the uterus and ovaries, including cysts, fibroids and endometriomas.
• Urine test and swabs: look for urinary infection and sexually transmitted infections. See STD testing .
• Blood tests: when infection, anemia or hormonal causes are suspected.

If the results point to a bowel, bladder or surgical cause, or further imaging such as CT or MRI is needed, Dr. Park refers you to the appropriate specialist or hospital with a summary of the findings.

Pelvic pain treatment options

Treatment is aimed at the cause, so the plan follows the diagnosis rather than a single standard prescription. Common approaches include:

• Pain relief: anti-inflammatory painkillers, heat and rest for cramps and ovulation pain.
• Antibiotics: for pelvic infection or a urinary tract infection, with partner treatment when an STI is found.
• Hormonal treatment: birth control pills, progestins or a hormonal IUD to calm endometriosis, adenomyosis and cycle-related pain.
• Monitoring: many simple ovarian cysts resolve on their own and are rechecked with ultrasound.
• Pelvic floor therapy: exercises and relaxation work for tight or painful muscles. See pelvic floor treatment .
• Referral: to a hospital for surgery, or to a urologist or gastroenterologist when the cause lies outside the reproductive organs.

Chronic pain often improves most with a combined plan that treats the cause, the pain itself and the muscle tension that builds around it.

Risks and possible side effects of treatment

Each treatment option has its own possible side effects, and Dr. Park explains them before you start. Anti-inflammatory painkillers can irritate the stomach and are not suitable for everyone. Antibiotics can cause stomach upset or a vaginal yeast infection, and the full course must be finished. Hormonal treatments can cause spotting, breast tenderness, headaches or mood changes, and combined pills carry a small risk of blood clots.

A pelvic exam and transvaginal ultrasound can feel uncomfortable but should not be painful; tell us if they are, and we will stop or switch to an abdominal scan. Call the clinic or seek urgent care if your pain suddenly worsens, you develop a fever, or you feel faint.

Pelvic pain care at Hommage Clinic

Hommage Clinic is a women's clinic in Gangnam, a short walk from Sinnonhyeon Station. Pelvic pain assessments are led by Dr. Park Yuna, a female OB/GYN specialist, and ultrasound, urine tests and swabs can usually be done in the same visit. We take time to listen, because the pattern of your pain often matters as much as the scan.

If the cause is outside gynecology or needs surgery, we tell you clearly and refer you to a hospital. If you are enrolled in Korea's National Health Insurance, many tests and medical treatments for pelvic pain are covered; visitors without coverage pay the clinic's fees directly, and we explain costs before any test. See all our gynecology services .

Where does it hurt?

Pelvic pain on the right side, left side or in the middle: what it can mean

Where the pain sits is one of the first clues a doctor uses. Pain on one side often points to the ovary or tube on that side, the appendix on the right, or the bowel on the left. Pain in the middle, just above the pubic bone, is more often from the uterus or bladder. Pain on both sides together can suggest infection or endometriosis. These are patterns, not rules, and many conditions can cause pain in more than one place, so the map below is a starting point for your conversation with the doctor, not a way to diagnose yourself.

Urgency

Is my pelvic pain an emergency? A quick triage guide

Most pelvic pain is not an emergency, but a few causes cannot wait: ectopic pregnancy, a twisted ovary (torsion), a bleeding cyst, appendicitis and severe pelvic infection. The guide below shows the questions Dr. Park asks first. If you answer yes to any red-flag question, go to a hospital emergency room rather than waiting for a clinic appointment.

Chronic pelvic pain

Chronic pelvic pain in women: why it often has more than one cause

Chronic pelvic pain is common. A World Health Organization systematic review found that non-cyclical pelvic pain affects between 2.1% and 24% of women in high-quality studies, with painful periods and pain during sex even more common. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) describes chronic pelvic pain as usually multifactorial. According to a summary of ACOG's 2020 guidance, endometriosis and bladder pain syndrome together account for 60% to 70% of cases, nearly half of those women have both, and at least one in five also has irritable bowel syndrome, pelvic floor muscle tenderness or depression.

Long-lasting pain can also make the nervous system more sensitive, so pain continues after the original trigger has settled. That is why a good plan for chronic pain looks at every layer: the organ causing pain, the muscles around it, the nerves, and how the pain affects sleep, mood and relationships.

Before your visit

Keep a pelvic pain diary: what to track

For pain that comes and goes, a diary kept over one or two menstrual cycles is often the single most useful thing you can bring. It shows patterns that are hard to remember in a consultation, such as pain that always starts two days before your period or only when your bladder is full. A phone note or period-tracking app works well.

Treatment plan

Chronic pelvic pain treatment: building a combined plan

When pain has lasted months, one prescription rarely fixes everything. ACOG's 2020 guidance on chronic pelvic pain supports pelvic floor physical therapy for muscle-related pain, psychological approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy alongside medical care, and treating the specific condition found. It also advises against opioids for long-term pelvic pain, and against routine surgery to cut adhesions, which did not help and in some studies made pain worse. Dr. Park works through these layers with you and refers you to physiotherapists or other specialists when they can help.

At home

Pelvic pain relief at home: do's and don'ts

Home measures can ease mild or cyclical pain while you wait for an appointment, but they are not a substitute for finding the cause, and they should never delay urgent care for red-flag symptoms.

Evidence

Pelvic pain treatment: what the research says

Research on pelvic pain is uneven. Specific causes such as infection or endometriosis have well-tested treatments, but chronic pelvic pain without a clear cause has far fewer high-quality trials, and some widely used treatments have not held up when tested properly. The figures below show how common the problem is and why Dr. Park favors a careful, step-by-step approach over quick fixes.

Traveling or living in Seoul

Pelvic pain assessment in Seoul for international patients

Many foreign residents and visitors in Seoul want a female gynecologist who can explain findings clearly in one visit. At Hommage Women's Clinic in Gangnam, a short walk from Sinnonhyeon Station, the consultation, exam, ultrasound, urine test and swabs can usually be done in one appointment, and some results are ready the same day.

Planning your visit

• Book a weekday visit by WhatsApp, KakaoTalk or the contact form, and ask for language support if needed.
• If you are visiting, allow 2–3 days in Seoul so swab or blood results can be reviewed before you leave.
• Bring your passport or residence card, a medicine and allergy list, previous scan reports and your pain diary.
• Avoid booking the internal scan during heavy bleeding if you can, unless the pain is happening now.

After you go home

You receive a written summary of the findings and plan to share with your own doctor. For sudden severe pain, fever or a positive pregnancy test, go to an emergency room wherever you are.

Choosing well

How to choose a gynecologist for pelvic pain in Seoul

Pelvic pain can take more than one visit to untangle. Use these questions to judge any clinic, including ours:

What affects the cost of pelvic pain treatment?

Cost depends on which tests are needed (ultrasound, urine tests, STI swabs, blood tests), the medicines prescribed, how many follow-up visits you need, and whether you are referred for imaging such as MRI or for surgery elsewhere. If you are enrolled in Korea's National Health Insurance, many medically indicated tests and treatments are covered in part. Visitors without coverage pay the clinic's fees directly, and we explain costs before any test.

Your visit

What to expect at your pelvic pain appointment

Your doctor

Dr. Park Yuna

Medical Director · OB/GYN Specialist

Dr. Park approaches pelvic pain by ruling out urgent causes first, then working through the pattern of your symptoms step by step. She is clear about when a cause lies outside gynecology and refers you to the right specialist rather than over-treating.

OB/GYN specialist (Korea) and representative director of Hommage Clinic. Leads the clinic's women's health care, from screening and infections to hormones, contraception and fertility checks.

Read Dr. Park Yuna's profile →

Pelvic pain: frequently asked questions

Related women's health services

Find out what is causing your pelvic pain

Book an assessment with Dr. Park Yuna in Gangnam. Ultrasound, urine tests and swabs can usually be done in one visit.

Hommage Clinic · 4F, Building A, 509 Gangnam-daero, Seoul (near Sinnonhyeon Station) · Mon & Fri 10:00–20:00 · Tue–Thu 10:00–19:00 · Sat 10:00–15:00