Common Gynecologic Symptoms

Two of the most common gynecologic symptoms that women experience are pain and excessive or irregular menstrual bleeding. Before a medical appointment, it is helpful to track and document your symptoms - the location, frequency, intensity, etc. The more specific you can be in describing your symptoms, the more helpful this will be for your doctor in diagnosing your con...dition. Bring this information to your appointment. It will help your doctor diagnose your gynecologic condition and offer you the most appropriate treatment options for your condition.
Pain
Pain can be described in many ways. Intensity of pain is commonly measured with a simple 0-10 point scale where 0 equals no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable. Describing your pain can help your doctor pinpoint the condition. Each of the following descriptions of pain may indicate a different gynecologic condition:
• Pelvic discomfort
• Pelvic pressure
• Abdominal tenderness
• Abdominal cramps
• Back ache
• Back pain
• Painful urination and/or bowel movements
• Pain during intercourse
Bleeding
Monthly menstrual bleeding (your period) is different for each woman. It is important to describe what is normal for you, how often you have your period, how long it usually lasts, and how heavy it usually is. Remember that bleeding patterns can be different before and after childbirth, with age, and with any medications you regularlytake. Abnormal bleeding must be compared to what is normal for you. The following are examples of bleeding patterns that may be patterns of specific gynecologic conditions:
• Excessively heavy or abnormal bleeding
• Bleeding longer than 7 days
• Periods more frequent than 21 days
• Periods more than 35 days apart
• Spotting/ bleeding between periods
• Spotting/ bleeding after menopause
• Passing blood clots
• Painful bleeding
• Bleeding after intercourse
• Vaginal bleeding (vs. uterine bleeding)
• Vaginal discharge tinged with blood
Other Symptoms
There are other symptoms that can stand alone or accompany pain and bleeding. Theyalso need to be described, in order for your doctor to accurately diagnose your condition:
• Difficulty with urination or bowel movements
• Improper bowel/bladder function
• Infertility
• Feeling of pressure on your bladder or rectum
• Slipping or dropping of your vagina or uterus
• Feeling heaviness or pressure in your pelvis
• Constant abdominal pressure
• Swelling or bloating
• Urinary urgency (feeling the need to go)
• Recurrent urinary tract infections
• Pain while standing or walking
Talk to Your Doctor
If something doesn't seem right, see your doctor. The symptoms listed above can occur alone or in combination with each other. These symptoms may potentially indicate the presence of endometriosis / adenomyosis, uterine fibroids, uterine prolapse or, possibly, cancer.