Pelvic pain can result from a lot of different sources. Like with lower back pain, though, the most common cause is strained muscles and a lack of flexibility. Pelvic pain affects women much more than it does men, but for either sex its vital to get a 100% accurate diagnosis of whats going on.


Especially with a strained or sprained muscle, back pain can cause sympathetic pain through the pelvis (or vice versa). A pinched nerve, in particular, can cause pain through the pelvis, lower back and even other far-removed parts of the body. A brief checklist of things that can cause pelvic pain (for both sexes), other than nerve or muscle problems:
o Inflamed prostate
o Irritable Bowel Syndrome
o Diverticulitis
o Bowel problems
o Ovarian or uterine problems
o Endometriosis
o Menstrual pain
o STDs
o Pelvic Adhesive Disease
o Sciatica (although youll probably know it -- sciatica can be debilitating and put you flat on your back)
Youll need to see a physician to rule out all of these. You wont want to waste time with them, either -- some of them can be serious! If youve been able to successfully scratch anything more serious as a possible cause of your lower back and pelvic pain, youll want to treat it as a muscle-related problem. If thats the case, then consider the following:
o Ease back into your daily routines. Thats not to say you should spend all your time on the couch or in bed; in fact, too much bed rest will affect your muscle tone and flexibility. But theres no reason to feel heroic like you need to just bulldoze your way through it. Be sensible and trust your gut; if something hurts, ease off.
o Treat it with over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol or aspirin. They can help reduce inflammation and give you some pain relief.
o What about your mattress and furniture? A medium-firm mattress is probably going to be better than one thats too firm or too soft. Same thing with your couch, recliner or other furniture; bolster your furniture with pillows for your lumbar region and pelvis if it makes you more comfortable
o Talk to a personal trainer about stretches and exercise to help strengthen your abdominal, lower back and pelvic muscles. There are way too many stretches and exercise routines to go into here, but they can help make a big, big difference in going after this type of problem.
o After any exercise routine, stretch. Dont give those muscles a chance to contract and spasm again. If its really acute, use heat (i.e. a heating pad) followed by ice.
o Think about your posture and gait. Do certain areas hurt when you walk, or step a certain way? You may need to consciously modify that. Keep your back straight, your pelvis in line with your back, chin up, chest out, shoulders straight. Something like posture is pretty ingrained and is part of your natural body language, but it can be changed. When you walk, imagine Abe Lincolns stovepipe hat on your head -- it may sound silly, but it will improve your posture and gait both.
o Think about stressors in your life. Theres a direct correlation between stress or depression and physical pain (or well-being).