PhotoConnie Hung
TextConnie Hung/ Becky Tu
Health Leader
Connie Hung
Graduated from School of Medicine, China Medical University
▸Present
Attending Doctor of Department of Gynecology, Central Clinic & Hospital
Attending Doctor of Department of Gynecology, “Taipei Sex Medicine Center,” Central Clinic & Hospital
HYGEIAGRAND Health Clinic Superintendent
Nice Clinique Aesthetics Genital Doctor
▸Experience
Specialty Doctor of Department of Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital
Rebello Vulvovaginoplasty Clinic Training Doctor
Member of T.U.G.A (Taiwan Urogynecology Association)
Member of F.U.G.A (Formosa Urogynecology Association)
U.S. O-Shot＋ Patented Injection Certified Doctor
European Society of Aesthetic Gynecology (E.S.A.G) senior member and certified doctor
Lecturer assigned by FemiLift
▸Specialty
Cosmetic gynecology surgery
Gynecology
Urinary incontinence
Dr. Connie's Advice
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Doctor, I Have Really Bad Abdominal Pain
Q:
People say that women frequently have pain in the body, particularly abdominal pain. Is it really easier for women to have abdominal pain, especially lower abdominal pain?
A:
Indeed, women are more likely to have lower abdominal pain than men due to the digestive system, reproductive system, urinary system, plus hormones. Moreover, the different body systems could lead to different diseases, and we should really draw special attention to the pain signal produced by the body.
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Q:
If it is abdominal pain, what are the causes? Could it be the symptoms of certain diseases?
A:
The abdominal pain can be discussed in the following areas.
1. Digestive System
The lower right abdominal pain is also associated with appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix), usually companied by fever. It is recommended to go to the Division of Gastroenterology, or even the emergency room if the pain is too sharp.
The lower left abdominal pain is often caused by diverticulitis. The symptoms include minor abdominal throbbing pain, bloating, and constipation. I often see women touching their bloating belly and tell me that they feel throbbing pain on the left abdomen. If they also experience difficult defecation, it could have been the discomfort of intestinal obstruction by the bowel. It is recommended to go see a doctor from the Division of Gastroenterology for medicinal treatment.
2. Urinary System
The urinary tract of women is relatively shorter than that of men and hence the probability of getting a bladder infection or urinary tract infection for women is higher than men. Moreover, women undergoing menopause suffer from the urinary tract and vaginal atrophy due to lower female hormones, which allows bacteria to breed easily and thereby causes cystitis.
Urinary tract infections can be divided into the upper urinary tract and lower urinary tract. The lower urinary tract infection comes with frequent urination, and burning and aching urination, pain in the abdominal area near the pubic bone, blood in urine, and fever. The upper urinary tract infection is usually the impact on the kidney due to a more severe infection. Therefore, apart from the symptoms of lower urinary tract infection, there will also be complications of lower back pain, fever, aversion to cold, and nausea. When you have these symptoms, go see a doctor from urology or gynecology for a checkup immediately.
3. Reproductive System
This is a special disease only for women. The most common disease is “pelvic inflammatory disease,” where the pelvic is infected by bacteria and causes inflammation in female reproductive organs (vagina, uterus or cervix, ovary, and oviducts). The symptoms could be subtle pain in the lower abdomen, which gradually intensifies, sometimes comes with a slight fever, and results in extreme pain during sexual intercourse. Failure to treat early could even lead to an abscess, pelvic adhesion, and even infertility. It is recommended to consult the doctor early for checkups and medical treatment.
Moreover, if women suffer from an ovarian tumor such as functional cysts and chocolate cysts, it is possible that the patient could have rupture or torsion. If the patient suffers from severe pain, cold sweat, nausea, and other symptoms after sexual intercourse, it is recommended to find a doctor for a regular checkup.
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Q:
What are the other pains that we need to pay attention to?
A:
For many women, the most common pain is dysmenorrhea during menstruation. Check if you have eaten too much refrigerated/iced food, which uterus vasoconstriction and therefore obstructed menstrual blood discharge. The relief effect of the medication is also limited for symptoms of severe dysmenorrhea. It is recommended to go see a doctor and check if there is endometriosis.
Moreover, some women experience pain resulted from rupture of the ovarian follicle during ovulation, which could come with minor bleeding. For some people it is normal but it is still recommended to get an evaluation by a doctor.
If the menstruation comes late, it is possible that the women are pregnant or could have an ectopic pregnancy. Take a pregnancy test first and if the result is positive, it is also recommended to go see a doctor and check if the embryo has been implanted in the right location.
Q:
It is reported that some women experience repeated distending pain of the abdomen and mistake it for indigestion, so they go to a pharmacy to buy OTC anti-inflammatory medicine or stomach medicine. However, the result turns out to be a more severe disease. How do we observe such symptoms?
A:
Some women look slim but often have bulging abdomen, sometimes companies by bloating pain or throbbing pain. It is recommended to get a regular ultrasound examination with a doctor. Sometimes, it is not easy to detect ovarian tumors. You may discover any anomaly during a regular checkup and that will give you better treatment results.
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Pain sometimes is more than just a simple symptom but could be the distress signal sent out by the body. Confront the distress signal and let your body receive the best medical treatment.
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