Gynecological 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 condition. Bring this information to your appointment. It will help your doctor diagnose your gynecologic condition and offer you the most appropriate treatment option 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:

Painful Urination and/or Bowel Movement
Pelvic Discomfort
Pelvic Pressure
Abdominal Tenderness
Abdominal Cramps
Back Pain
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 regularly take. 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 Bleeding
Spotting/bleeding after menopause
Painful bleeding
Bleeding Longer than 8 Days
Bleeding after intercourse
Vaginal discharge tinged with blood
Passing blood clots
Periods less than 24 days and more than 38 days apart

Other Symptoms

There are other symptoms that can stand alone or accompany pain and bleeding. These also need to be described, for your doctor to accurately diagnose your condition:

Difficulty with urination
or bowel movement
Feeling of pressure on your bladder or rectum
Slipping or dropping of
your vagina or uterus
Feeling heaviness or pressure in your pelvis
Urinary urgency (feeling the need to go)
Recurrent urinary tract infections
Pain while standing or walking
Improper bowel/bladder function
Constant abdominal pressure
Swelling or bloating
Infertility