What is Frozen Pelvis?

Endometriosis is a growing concern among women today. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the endometrial glands and stroma that line the uterus grows outside of the uterus. Endometriosis tissue can grow anywhere inside of the abdominal cavity. The symptoms of endometriosis include severe pelvic pain, heavy or erratic bleeding and fatigue. If the endometriosis spreads through the abdominal cavity and fuses organs together, it is referred to as frozen pelvis.

If you have been diagnosed with frozen pelvis, you may have a lot of questions. Frozen pelvis is caused by pelvic inflammation, most commonly endometriosis. Frozen pelvis can cause a lot of different problems. Each individual inflicted with frozen pelvis will have a unique diagnosis. Your intestine may be fused with the uterus, your bladder can be fused with your abdominal wall, or your ovaries and fallopian tubes can be fused with your uterus, which is fused with a cesarean section scar. Every situation is unique and the problems can be widespread.

You may be wondering why this happened to you. Many women have the same question. Endometriosis occurs when uterine lining, normally shed during menstruation, moves upward in the uterus, through the fallopian tubes, and out into the abdominal cavity. This tissue is very irritating to the abdominal tissues and can cause the abdominal tissue to become sticky and scarred. Long strands of scar tissue, called adhesions, can bind organs together. They pull on the organs that they inflict and can affect their function. This can cause bowels to be obstructed. It can cause your bladder not to empty, causing infections. In many cases, surgery and/or medication will be recommended if problems like this are occurring.

Infertility is another possible side effect of endometriosis. To determine that endometriosis is the cause of infertility, a surgical procedure called laparoscopy may be performed. This allows your doctor to see inside of your abdominal cavity with a small scope. Your doctor may determine that endometriosis is one possible cause of infertility if it is adhering to your ovaries and fallopian tubes, or distorting your reproductive organs in any way. Endometriosis can cause tubes to be blocked or ovaries to adhere to abdominal walls or your uterus. In rare cases the endometriosis can grow into your ovaries and damage your eggs, resulting in a reduced egg quality or quantity.

Your next question is probably about treatment options. Frozen pelvis is an advance stage of endometriosis and may require ongoing treatment for fertility to return or to have relief from its debilitating symptoms. Surgery, hormone therapy and physical therapy can all help you get on your way to healing.

The endometrial cells that are causing your frozen pelvis react to hormones in a manner similar to your uterine lining. This means that the cells thicken and shed just like having a menstrual period inside of your body. Blood and endometrial cells can pool up, since they have nowhere to go, causing a lot of pain. Birth control pills can help the problem tissues shrink and cause fewer problems. The growth of the tissues can be controlled long-term in this manner. Anti-inflammatory medications help with pain. Exercise, stretching and palpation of the affected area can help some of the adhesions break loose from your organs. Talk to your doctor about what options are best for your personal situation and good luck with your journey to fertility and relief.