Treatment for Pelvic Pain

As with any persistent pain condition, we initially want to rule out any medical causes for patients’ symptoms. This may be particularly so in the abdominal and pelvic areas where so many of our organs are situated. Based on patient history and other factors such as age and perhaps co-existing conditions, we may feel it necessary to provide onward referral for specialist medical opinions or investigations in order to hopefully rule out any medical problems. A thorough medical might simply involve an examination with a GP but can also include specialist gynaecology, gastroenterology and other related disciplines given the nature of the body area.

Once we are satisfied that there are no obvious medical issues, we can usually reassure patients that we are dealing with pain that has a more musculoskeletal (MSK) origin such as non-specific, mechanical back/pelvic problems or breathing problems involving dysfunction in the diaphragm that usually responds well to specialist physiotherapy intervention. It may also be associated with more generalised bodily symptoms that we see in many patients with persistent pain who have a sensitised nervous system; non-MSK pelvic pain such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and various women’s health pain conditions such as vulvodynia could also be involved and identified through examination and patient consultation.

As with any pain condition, but particularly with the more personal nature of certain aspects of pelvic pain, a team approach is often needed involving specialist physiotherapy as well as psychological therapy to overcome both the physical as well as psychosocial challenges of some of these conditions.