Pelvic Pain
Pelvic pain is an umbrella term that refers to pain in the pelvis.
For some this may be experienced as ;
- pain with sexual intercourse
- pain with wearing tight underpants
- pain with sitting or riding a bike
- pain with tampons
- chronic pain in the pelvis that persists all of the time.
Other terms that are used to describe these types of pain include;
- dyspareunia (pain with sexual intercourse)
- vaginismus (tightening around the vagina that may make penetration impossible +/- pain)
- localised provoked/unprovoked vulvodynia (local pain that is provoked by a cause or present all of the time in the vulva)
This pain can be terribly traumatic for those who are suffering from it. Not to mention that in many cases the cause of the pain was a traumatic experience in the first place.
This may have been a painful urinary tract infection, a painful sexual encounter or in some cases people with pelvic pain may have been the victim of a sexual assault. Some people try to cope with their pain, which some times may resolve but in other cases may become worse and sometimes to the point of partial or complete withdrawal from the aggravating activity.
These outcomes can have damaging consequences on the individual and on relationships.
Pelvic pain is very complicated
There are often biological, psychological and social aspects that all contribute to the pain experience and if the pain persists for more than a couple of months then the central nervous system can also become increasingly sensitive and the pain experience can become more severe and more frequent.
If you suffer from pelvic pain then it is recommended to see a women’s health physiotherapist who has a special interest in pelvic pain.
At myphysiosa for her we will take a thorough history and discuss the best way to manage your pain.
You may benefit from an examination of your pelvic floor muscles but this will not occur during your first consult or until you feel comfortable to do so. With your consent, our Women’s Health Physiotherapist will also liaise with your GP or Gynecologist if required throughout the course of your treatment.
