Chronic pelvic pain
The pelvis is the lowest part of the abdomen. It is formed by the pelvic bones and sacrum. The pelvis contains organs that include the bowel, bladder, and reproductive organs (uterus and ovaries in females, prostate in males). The pelvis also contains many nerves and blood vessels. The problems in the pelvic organs can lead to pelvic pain or spine related issues can also cause pain in pelvic region.
Few causes of pelvic pain are
• Ovulation, dysmenorrhea
• Pelvic inflammation
• Fibroids
• Endometriosis
• Adenomyosis
• Ovarian cysts
• Interstitial cystitis
• Urinary tract infection
• Testicular pain
• Strains and sprains of the lower pelvis or pelvic floor muscles or the abdominal wall muscles
• Lumbar spondylosis
• pudendal neuralgia
• fibromyalgia
• postsurgical pain
What treatment options are available for pelvic pain?
1. Medications: muscle relaxants, anti-neuropathic medicines
2. Pain blocks: caudal epidural injection, hypogastric plexus block, nerve blocks (abdominal nerves like the ilioinguinal nerves, genitofemoral nerves, pudendal nerves, sacral nerves, medial branch nerve, cluneal nerves, gluteal nerves), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and pulsed radiofrequency (PRF)
3. Botox injections
4. Dry needling
5. Surgery to remove the cause of pain
6. Physiotherapy exercises
