Clues that point somewhere
- Pain mid-cycle, sharp and one-sided — often an ovulation or ovarian cyst pain
- Pain with periods, worsening over years — consider endometriosis
- Pain with fever, discharge, or pain during sex — consider infection or PID
- Pain radiating from the flank to the groin with bloody urine — consider a kidney stone
- Pain with burning urination — often a UTI
What happens at the visit
We take a careful history, examine you, and test the same day: pregnancy test, urinalysis and urine culture, CBC and inflammatory markers, and STI testing when indicated. Everything is drawn at our on-site labs at both Fresno locations.
When the pattern suggests a kidney stone rather than a gynecologic cause, digital X-ray at our Shields & Palm location can be done during the visit, and we arrange CT or ultrasound when the picture calls for it. Kidney stone pain is a frequent imposter for ovarian pain, and the distinction changes treatment completely.
Conditions we most often find
Ovarian cysts are extremely common and most resolve on their own; pain management and a follow-up ultrasound are often all that's needed. Pelvic inflammatory disease requires prompt antibiotics to protect fertility. Endometriosis is a longer conversation and typically involves gynecology, but symptom management can start here.
Urinary and gastrointestinal causes — UTIs, kidney stones, constipation, and IBS — account for a large share of what walks in as 'pelvic pain,' and all are diagnosable at an urgent care visit.
What we can't do here
We don't perform surgery, laparoscopy, or advanced pelvic imaging on site. What we can do is narrow the cause quickly, treat what's treatable today, and get you into the right specialist with results in hand instead of a months-long detour.
Same-day evaluation is available through our women’s health services, with imaging at our Shields & Palm location when it is needed.
Come to urgent care for:
- New pelvic pain you want evaluated today
- Pain with burning urination or unusual discharge
- Pain during intercourse that keeps recurring
- Cramping that's clearly worse than your normal periods
Go to the ER (or call 911) for:
- Sudden, severe one-sided pain with nausea and vomiting — possible ovarian torsion
- Pelvic pain with a positive pregnancy test
- Fever above 101°F with severe abdominal pain
- Fainting, or pain with heavy vaginal bleeding
Frequently asked
Can you tell if it's a cyst?
Exam and labs narrow it considerably, and we arrange pelvic ultrasound for confirmation. Most simple cysts resolve without intervention.
How do I know it's not a kidney stone?
Stone pain classically waves from the flank toward the groin with blood in the urine. Urinalysis plus imaging sorts it out; our Shields & Palm location has X-ray on site.
Is pain during sex normal?
No. Persistent pain with intercourse has causes worth finding — infection, dryness after menopause, endometriosis, or pelvic floor tension.
Should I go to the ER instead?
Go to the ER for sudden severe one-sided pain with vomiting, pelvic pain with a positive pregnancy test, or a high fever. Otherwise urgent care is the faster, cheaper starting point.
Will I need a pelvic exam?
Often yes, and we'll explain each step first. You can decline any part of it, and you're welcome to have someone in the room.
What if the tests are all normal?
Normal tests are useful — they rule out the dangerous causes. From there we look at pelvic floor dysfunction, GI causes, and endometriosis, and refer as needed.