If you have pain in the area below your belly button and above your legs, this is known as pelvic pain. A lot goes on in the pelvic area; it's home to your bowel, bladder, ovaries, uterus (womb) and more. Pelvic pain affects many girls and women, and often the journey to getting the right advice can be a long and bumpy one.
That’s why we’ve created this collection of helpful Jean Hailes health resources on the topic of pelvic pain. Here you’ll find health articles, tools, booklets, fact sheets and videos.
All our resources are based on research and created in consultation with our expert medical team.
Articles
Sleep and persistent pelvic pain (PPP)
There is a strong link between persistent pelvic pain (PPP) and sleep problems, which can affect your quality of life. This page talks about how to improve sleep when you have PPP, and features downloadable fact sheet.
Pelvic pain: know the different causes and when to seek help
This article talks about the common causes of pelvic pain, what's normal and what's not, and when you should seek help.
With chronic pelvic pain, the pain pathways from the pelvis to the brain change. This article explains the science behind chronic pain and that when it comes to managing chronic pelvic pain, a team approach from a variety of health professionals, is best.
In this article, we talk to gynaecologist and specialist pain medicine physician Dr Susan Evans about how earlier identification and treatment of young women with severe period pain can assist in the management and prevention of persistent pelvic pain.
Different types of period pain and what they might mean
Here, we talk to Jean Hailes gynaecologist Dr Janine Manwaring about what causes period pain, the different types, important questions to ask and what the pain might mean.
Vaginal & vulval pain: know the different causes and when to seek help
This article looks at some of the common causes of vaginal and vulval pain, how to tell them apart, what you can do about them and when you need to seek further advice.
Everything you wanted to know about painful sex… but were too embarrassed to ask
Painful sex: one in five women experience it but for many of us it's a private subject that's too embarrassing to bring up in conversation or ask your doctor about. We sit down with Jean Hailes gynaecologist Dr Elizabeth Farrell and ask the questions that you've been wanting to know.
How to cope with a complex condition
Chronic conditions, such as chronic pelvic pain, can not only affect your quality of life physically, but they can also affect your social life, your confidence, how you feel about your body, your future and your relationships. We spoke to Jean Hailes clinical psychologist Gillian Needleman about ways to cope.
Tools & booklets
- Period pain symptom diary Download pdf
- My period - what's normal? Download pdf
- Understanding endometriosis booklet Download pdf
Fact sheets
- Endometriosis fact sheet Download pdf
- Endometriosis fact sheet - Multilingual (all) Download pdf
- Endometriosis - Supporting women with endometriosis Download pdf
- Sleep and persistent pelvic pain (PPP) fact sheet Download pdf
- Uterus cervix ovaries fact sheet Download pdf
- Vulval and vaginal health fact sheet Download pdf
- Yarning about periods Download pdf
Videos
Endometriosis experiences: women share their stories – video
Women with endometriosis share their experiences of the condition; from diagnosis, symptoms and treatment to the impact on personal lives.
Endometriosis - Back to basics - Dr Elizabeth Farrell
Jean Hailes gynaecologist, Dr Elizabeth Farrell gives a brief overview of the symptoms, management and treatment options for endometriosis.
Medical service (Victoria, Australia)
Persistent Pelvic Pain Service at Jean Hailes for Women’s Health
Jean Hailes’ Persistent Pelvic Pain Service offers a unique approach to helping women manage the symptoms of persistent pelvic pain. We offer multidisciplinary care to develop an individual care plan for each woman. A range of women’s health professionals work together including general practitioners, gynaecologists, physiotherapists, psychologists, pain physicians, dietitians, naturopaths and acupuncturists.
Other organisations
Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia
IBS Central - Monash University's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) website
