5 Causes of lower abdominal pain, apart from menstruation

Have you had lower abdominal pain? This condition usually affects the stomach below the navel and causes a cramping-like sensation, persistent pain, or a sharp, sharp pain.

Sometimes, this condition can also be accompanied by vaginal discharge in women. Although vaginal discharge is a way for the vagina to clean itself and maintain pH balance, it is a different story if the condition is not normal. Abnormal vaginal discharge is usually caused by an infection in the body which is characterized by a foul odor, is very thick, and has an unusual color such as yellow or greenish.

Various causes of lower abdominal pain

To know for sure what condition you are experiencing, here are various health problems characterized by lower abdominal pain.

1. Pelvic inflammatory disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease or pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection of the female reproductive organs. The pelvis is located in the lower abdomen adjacent to the fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix, and uterus. This one disease can be caused by several types of bacteria which also cause gonorrhea and chlamydia.

The bacteria first enter through the vagina. Over time the bacteria move to the pelvic organs, eventually causing infection. This condition is very dangerous, even life threatening if it spreads into the blood.

Apart from pain in the lower abdomen and vaginal discharge that smells bad, you will usually experience fever, pain during sex, painful urination, irregular bleeding, and extreme fatigue. For that, immediately consult a doctor if you experience this one condition.

2. Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that is very dangerous and is one of the causes of death for many women in Indonesia. The cervix, also known as the cervix, is a hollow cylindrical part that connects the uterus to the vagina.

This one cancer is caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) which is sexually transmitted. Usually HPV-16 and HPV-18 are the most common causes of cervical cancer. Apart from lower abdominal pain and vaginal discharge, a person who has cervical cancer will also experience abnormal bleeding from the vagina. For example, experiencing bleeding during menstruation, longer menstrual periods, even bleeding after or during sex.

3. Vaginal yeast infection

Vaginal yeast infection or what is known as candidiasis can also cause lower abdominal pain accompanied by vaginal discharge. This is because the bacteria and yeast in the vagina are unbalanced and undergo changes, causing itching, swelling, and irritation.

If this condition is treated promptly, the symptoms will subside within a few days. However, if the condition is too severe, it will take you about two weeks for it to return to its original state.

4. Urethritis

Urethritis is a condition when the urethra or tube that carries urine from the bladder outside the body becomes inflamed and irritated. This condition can occur in both men and women. Urethritis usually causes pain when urinating or when the urge to urinate occurs.

Urethritis is generally caused by bacteria. Men with urethritis will experience various symptoms such as a burning sensation when urinating, itching at the tip of the penis, blood in the semen or urine, and discharge from the penis.

Meanwhile, in women, the symptoms are frequent trips to the bathroom, painful urination, irritation of the urethral opening, and abnormal discharge from the vagina.

5. Pregnant outside the womb

Pregnancy outside the womb or ectopic pregnancy is a condition when a fertilized egg attaches to a place other than the uterus. Usually, the egg sticks to the fallopian tube. However, in some cases pregnancy can also occur in the abdominal cavity, ovaries, and cervix.

Based on data from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), ectopic pregnancy occurs every 1 in 50 pregnancies in the world. Various symptoms that need to be watched out for when experiencing this condition, namely:

• Sharp pain in the abdomen, pelvis, shoulders, or neck.
• The presence of vaginal spotting or bleeding.
• Dizziness or fainting.
• Pressure on the rectum that is quite strong.