Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome in Women
“Part of being a woman involves dealing with discomfort in the pelvic region at one point or another. For some women, it may entail monthly menstrual cramps that are short-lived & manageable. For others, pain can linger & be quite severe, possibly signalling a condition known as chronic pelvic pain. Often, pelvic pain can make it hard to live the kind of life you want, interfering with your ability to work, exercise, or have sex” [1]. To that end, the smart move is to book an online or in-person consultation with a Vulva Doctor as soon as possible
Did You Know?
Long-term pelvic pain is linked to comorbidities such as: pelvic inflammatory syndrome, major depressive disorder, and irritable bowel syndrome [2].
Putting a Spotlight on the Symptoms of Chronic Pelvic Pain
The key symptom that is experienced by patients with long-term pelvic pain, is pain in the pelvis and lower abdominal area. Having noted that, the specifics and severity of the said pain, is extremely variable. Indeed, the pain can:
• Come on suddenly and be quite intense in one particular spot
• Be dull, and affect a larger region
• Be continual, or
• Come and go [1]
Moreover, when it specifically comes to women, chronic pelvic pain can generate:
• Discomfort that continues for more than six months anywhere below the stomach button and in-between the hips
• Intense pain in certain spots
• Pain which is dull and more widespread [1]
For a percentage of women, the pain is experienced internally (for example, as an aching inside the uterus). Yet, when it comes to others, the pain is experienced externally (for instance, tenderness on touching the pelvic region). Moreover, dizziness, sweating, vomiting, nausea, fever, or vaginal discharge or bleeding, may also be present. Furthermore, a number of sufferers may feel pelvic pain whenever they lift something heavy, or need to go to the bathroom [1].
So What Causes Chronic Pelvic Pain?
Many conditions (and usually a combination of several different conditions) are associated with chronic pelvic pain. For example, a woman might have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) & endometriosis, both of which cause pelvic pain. Sometimes, the cause remains unknown [1]
The Importance of Booking an Appointment With a Vulva Doctor
Ensuring that you receive an accurate diagnosis from an experienced Vulva Pain Doctor, as opposed to a relying on a general practitioner (GP) who in most cases, has not had the necessary specialised extended training and experience in the field of Pain Medicine, is essential. And one has to be mindful that long-term pelvic pain can be symptomatic of a gynaecological disorder such as
adenomyosis or endometriosis, (the latter of which is a condition involving tissue abnormally growing outside the uterus [1].
Moreover, chronic pelvic pain could also be prevalent in certain conditions which impact the pelvic floor, the muscles, the intestines, the bladder, and even the spine. Furthermore, multiple sources of pain can be identified simultaneously. And in some cases, the root cause of long-term pelvic pain cannot be found [1]. So to that end, consulting a Vulva Doctor who has the necessary skills to make an accurate diagnosis, and determine an appropriate Holistic Personalised Treatment Plan, is absolutely crucial. This plan is likely to include multiple treatments and therapies, some of which are conventional, and some of which involve the latest cutting-edge solutions. Of note, all the consultants at the Vulva Pain Clinic, are continually abreast of the current research in the field of chronic back pain.
Reference
[1]. Yale Medicine (2024). “Chronic Pelvic Pain in Women.”
https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/chronic-pelvic-pain#:~:text=Chronic%20pelvic%20pain%20can%20be,floor%2C%20or%20even%20your%20spine.
[2]. Dydyk AM, Gupta N. Chronic Pelvic Pain. [Updated 2023 Apr 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024, Jan.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554585/#:~:text=Chronic%20pelvic%20pain%20can%20be,the%20United%20States%20is%20affected.