Pelvic pain

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Pelvic and perineal pain
Endometrioma3.jpg
Micrograph showing endometriosis (H&E stain), a common cause of chronic pelvic pain in women.
Frequency43% worldwide [1]

Pelvic pain is pain in the area of the pelvis. Acute pain is more common than chronic pain. [2] If the pain lasts for more than six months, it is deemed to be chronic pelvic pain. [3] [4] It can affect both the male and female pelvis.

Contents

Common causes in include: endometriosis in women, bowel adhesions, irritable bowel syndrome, and interstitial cystitis. [5] [6] The cause may also be a number of poorly understood conditions that may represent abnormal psychoneuromuscular function.

The role of the nervous system in the genesis and moderation of pain is explored. [7] The importance of psychological factors is discussed, both as a primary cause of pain and as a factor which affects the pain experience. As with other chronic syndromes, the biopsychosocial model offers a way of integrating physical causes of pain with psychological and social factors. [8]

Terminology

Pelvic pain is a general term that may have many causes, listed below.

The subcategorical term urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS) is an umbrella term adopted for use in research into urologic pain syndromes associated with the male and female pelvis. [9] UCPPS specifically refers to chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) in men and interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) in women. [10]

Cause

Genital pain and pelvic pain can arise from a variety of conditions, crimes, trauma, medical treatments, physical diseases, mental illness and infections.

Female

Many different conditions can cause female pelvic pain including:

Related to pregnancy
Gynecologic (from more common to less common)
Abdominal

Diagnosis

Females

The absence of visible pathology in chronic pain syndromes should not form the basis for either seeking psychological explanations or questioning the reality of the patient’s pain. [14] Instead it is essential to approach the complexity of chronic pain from a psychophysiological perspective which recognises the importance of the mind-body interaction. Some of the mechanisms by which the limbic system impacts on pain, and in particular myofascial pain, have been clarified by research findings in neurology and psychophysiology. [15]

Males

In chronic pelvic pain, there are no standard diagnostic tests in males; diagnosis is by exclusion of other disease entities. [16]

Treatment

Nerve blocks aimed at the pudendal nerve, superior hypogastric plexus and ganglion of impar have shown to be effective for treating certain types of pelvic pain that do not respond to conservative treatment. [17]

Neuromodulation has been explored as a potential treatment option for some time. Traditional spinal cord stimulation, also known as dorsal column stimulation has been inconsistent in treating pelvic pain: there is a high failure rate with these traditional systems due to the inability to affect all of the painful areas and there remains to be consensus on where the optimal location of the spinal cord this treatment should be aimed. [18] As the innervation of the pelvic region is from the sacral nerve roots, previous treatments have been aimed at this region; however pain pathways seem to elude treatment solely directed at the level of the spinal cord (perhaps via the sympathetic nervous system) [19] leading to failures. Spinal cord stimulation aimed at the mid- to high-thoracic region of the spinal cord have produced some positive results. [20] A newer form of spinal cord stimulation called dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRG) has shown a great deal of promise for treating pelvic pain due to its ability to affect multiple parts of the nervous system simultaneously - it is particularly effective in patients with "known cause" (i.e. post surgical pain, endometriosis, pudendal neuralgia, etc.). [21] [22]

There are a number of "alternative" therapies that have been offered for pelvic pain based on the notion that they are "non-invasive" however they are not supported by evidenced-based medicine. Diazepam (Valium) suppositories are an older therapy that was offered to patients with pelvic pain based on the belief that by delivering the medication in closer proximity to the area of pain that a greater effect would be gained. [18] However, this hypothesis has been disproven due to the fact that benzodiazepines work on the GABA receptor which is present within the central nervous system and do not work locally - therefore, regardless of the route of administration of the medication, it will still need to travel to the central nervous system to work so it is no more or less effective being given "closer" to the area of discomfort. [23] Moreover, benzodiazepines have not been shown to be effective for pelvic pain and should only be used with extreme caution due to the potential for addiction. Similarly, hydrodissection is another treatment that has been suggested for pelvic pain despite the fact that there is no evidence whatsoever to substantiate its use. [24] Proponents suggest the therapy is able to "move" adjacent tissue away from a potentially compressed nerve by injecting small amounts of fluid under ultrasound guidance; however this premise is incorrect due to the fact that in vivo tissue will nearly always absorb foreign fluid and return to its original orientation in a matter of minutes to days.

Vibrators have also been found to be effective at addressing Pelvic Pain. [25] [26] Sometimes described as a massager, the vibrator is used on the body to produce sexual stimulation. Examples of FDA registered vibrators for sexual arousal disorder include MysteryVibe's Crescendo [25] [27] [28] and Intimate Rose's Pelvic Wand.

Females

Many women will benefit from a consultation with a physical therapist, a trial of anti-inflammatory medications, hormonal therapy, or even neurological agents. A hysterectomy is sometimes performed however this should only be explored as a last resort given the fact that it is often not effective in treating neuropathic pain. [29]

Males

Epidemiology

Female

Most women, at some time in their lives, experience pelvic pain. As girls enter puberty, pelvic or abdominal pain becomes a frequent complaint. Chronic pelvic pain is a common condition with rate of dysmenorrhoea between 16.8 and 81%, dyspareunia between 8-21.8%, and noncyclical pain between 2.1 and 24%. [30]

According to the CDC, Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) accounted for approximately 9% of all visits to gynecologists in 2007. [31] In addition, CPP is the reason for 20-30% of all laparoscopies in adults. [32] Pelvic girth pain is frequent during pregnancy. [33]

Society and culture

Feminist studies' approach to pelvic pain

Issues have been found in current procedures for the treatment of chronic pelvic pain (CPP). These relate primarily with regard to the conceptual dichotomy between an ‘organic’ genesis of pain, where the presence of tissue damage is presumed, and a ‘psychogenic’ origin, where pain occurs despite a lack of damage to tissue. [34] CPP literature in medicine and psychiatry reflects a paradigm where unproblematically observable ‘organic’ processes are causally and sequentially explained, despite evidence in favour of a possible model which accounts for the “complex role played by meaning and consciousness” in the experience of pain. [34] While in the literature of causal mechanisms reference is made to ‘subjective’ aspects of pain, current models do not provide a means through which these aspects may be accessed or understood. [34] Without interpretive or ‘subjective’ approaches to the pain experienced by patients, medical understandings of CPP are fixed within ‘organic’ sequences of the “purely object” body conceptually separated from the patient. [34] Despite the prevalence of this wider understanding of the biological genesis of pain, alternate diagnosis and treatments of CPP in multidisciplinary settings have shown high success rates for people for whom ‘organic’ pathology has been unhelpful. [34]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstitial cystitis</span> Medical condition

Interstitial cystitis (IC), a type of bladder pain syndrome (BPS), is chronic pain in the bladder and pelvic floor of unknown cause. It is the urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome of women. Symptoms include feeling the need to urinate right away, needing to urinate often, and pain with sex. IC/BPS is associated with depression and lower quality of life. Many of those affected also have irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endometriosis</span> Disease of the female reproductive system

Endometriosis is a disease in which cells like those in the endometrium, the layer of tissue that normally covers the inside of the uterus, grow outside the uterus. It occurs in humans and a limited number of menstruating mammals. Lesions can be found on ovaries, fallopian tubes, tissue around the uterus and ovaries (peritoneum), intestines, bladder, and diaphragm; and may also occur in other parts of the body. Symptoms include pelvic pain, heavy and painful periods, pain with bowel movements, painful urination, pain during sexual intercourse and infertility. Nearly half of those affected have chronic pelvic pain, while 70% feel pain during menstruation. Up to half of affected individuals are infertile. About 25% of individuals have no symptoms and 85% of those seen with infertility in a tertiary center have no pain. Endometriosis can have both social and psychological effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pudendal nerve</span> Main nerve of the perineum

The pudendal nerve is the main nerve of the perineum. It is a mixed nerve and also conveys sympathetic autonomic fibers. It carries sensation from the external genitalia of both sexes and the skin around the anus and perineum, as well as the motor supply to various pelvic muscles, including the male or female external urethral sphincter and the external anal sphincter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sciatica</span> Lower back pain that extends down leg

Sciatica is pain going down the leg from the lower back. This pain may go down the back, outside, or front of the leg. Onset is often sudden following activities like heavy lifting, though gradual onset may also occur. The pain is often described as shooting. Typically, symptoms are only on one side of the body. Certain causes, however, may result in pain on both sides. Lower back pain is sometimes present. Weakness or numbness may occur in various parts of the affected leg and foot.

Pudendal nerve entrapment (PNE), also known as Alcock canal syndrome, is an uncommon source of chronic pain in which the pudendal nerve is entrapped or compressed in Alcock's canal. There are several different types of PNE based on the site of entrapment anatomically. Pain is positional and is worsened by sitting. Other symptoms include genital numbness, fecal incontinence and urinary incontinence.

Neuropathic pain is pain caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. Neuropathic pain may be associated with abnormal sensations called dysesthesia or pain from normally non-painful stimuli (allodynia). It may have continuous and/or episodic (paroxysmal) components. The latter resemble stabbings or electric shocks. Common qualities include burning or coldness, "pins and needles" sensations, numbness and itching.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spinal cord stimulator</span> SCS TREATMENT

A spinal cord stimulator (SCS) or dorsal column stimulator (DCS) is a type of implantable neuromodulation device that is used to send electrical signals to select areas of the spinal cord for the treatment of certain pain conditions. SCS is a consideration for people who have a pain condition that has not responded to more conservative therapy. There are also spinal cord stimulators under research and development that could enable patients with spinal cord injury to walk again via epidural electrical stimulation (EES).

Tethered cord syndrome (TCS) refers to a group of neurological disorders that relate to malformations of the spinal cord. Various forms include tight filum terminale, lipomeningomyelocele, split cord malformations (diastematomyelia), occult, dermal sinus tracts, and dermoids. All forms involve the pulling of the spinal cord at the base of the spinal canal, literally a tethered cord. The spinal cord normally hangs loose in the canal, free to move up and down with growth, and with bending and stretching. A tethered cord, however, is held taut at the end or at some point in the spinal canal. In children, a tethered cord can force the spinal cord to stretch as they grow. In adults the spinal cord stretches in the course of normal activity, usually leading to progressive spinal cord damage if untreated. TCS is often associated with the closure of a spina bifida. It can be congenital, such as in tight filum terminale, or the result of injury later in life.

Sacral nerve stimulation, also termed sacral neuromodulation, is a type of medical electrical stimulation therapy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Responsive neurostimulation device</span> Category of medical devices that respond to signals in a patients body to treat disease

Responsive neurostimulation device is a medical device that senses changes in a person's body and uses neurostimulation to respond in the treatment of disease. The FDA has approved devices for use in the United States in the treatment of epileptic seizures and chronic pain conditions. Devices are being studied for use in the treatment of essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, Tourette's syndrome, depression, obesity, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome</span> Medical condition

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), previously known as chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, is long-term pelvic pain and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) without evidence of a bacterial infection. It affects about 2–6% of men. Together with IC/BPS, it makes up urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nerve compression syndrome</span> Symptoms resulting from chronic, direct pressure on a peripheral nerve

Nerve compression syndrome, or compression neuropathy, or nerve entrapment syndrome, is a medical condition caused by chronic, direct pressure on a peripheral nerve. It is known colloquially as a trapped nerve, though this may also refer to nerve root compression. Its symptoms include pain, tingling, numbness and muscle weakness. The symptoms affect just one particular part of the body, depending on which nerve is affected. The diagnosis is largely clinical and can be confirmed with diagnostic nerve blocks. Occasionally imaging and electrophysiology studies aid in the diagnosis. Timely diagnosis is important as untreated chronic nerve compression may cause permanent damage. A surgical nerve decompression can relieve pressure on the nerve but cannot always reverse the physiological changes that occurred before treatment. Nerve injury by a single episode of physical trauma is in one sense an acute compression neuropathy but is not usually included under this heading, as chronic compression takes a unique pathophysiological course.

Visceral pain is pain that results from the activation of nociceptors of the thoracic, pelvic, or abdominal viscera (organs). Visceral structures are highly sensitive to distension (stretch), ischemia and inflammation, but relatively insensitive to other stimuli that normally evoke pain such as cutting or burning.

Neuromodulation is "the alteration of nerve activity through targeted delivery of a stimulus, such as electrical stimulation or chemical agents, to specific neurological sites in the body". It is carried out to normalize – or modulate – nervous tissue function. Neuromodulation is an evolving therapy that can involve a range of electromagnetic stimuli such as a magnetic field (rTMS), an electric current, or a drug instilled directly in the subdural space. Emerging applications involve targeted introduction of genes or gene regulators and light (optogenetics), and by 2014, these had been at minimum demonstrated in mammalian models, or first-in-human data had been acquired. The most clinical experience has been with electrical stimulation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konstantin Slavin</span>

Konstantin Slavin is a Professor and Head of the Department of Stereotactic and functional neurosurgery at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He is a former president of the American Society for Stereotactic and functional neurosurgery and current vice-president of the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. His specialties include Aneurysm, Brain surgery, Brain Tumor, Cerebrovascular Disorders, Craniotomy, Dystonia, Essential Tremor, Facial Nerve Pain, Facial Pain, Glioblastoma, Headache disorders, Laminectomy, Lower back pain, Movement Disorders, Multiple Sclerosis, Neck Pain, Neurosurgery, Neurosurgical Procedures, Pain, Parkinson Disease, Spinal Cord Injuries, and Stroke.

Fowler's syndrome is a rare disorder in which the urethral sphincter fails to relax to allow urine to be passed normally in younger women with abnormal electromyographic activity detected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hard flaccid syndrome</span> Medical condition

Hard flaccid syndrome (HFS), also known as hard flaccid (HF), is a rare, chronic condition characterized by a flaccid penis that remains in a firm, semi-rigid state in the absence of sexual arousal. Patients describe their flaccid penises as being firm to the touch, rubbery, shrunken, and retracted. This may be accompanied by pain, discomfort, and a range of additional symptoms. Though the exact cause is poorly understood, current research suggests that HFS is the result of excessive sympathetic activity in the smooth muscle tissue of the penis that is induced by a pathological activation of a theorized pelvic/pudendal-hypogastric reflex. This reflex is thought to be triggered by an injury to the erect penis, blunt trauma to the perineum, and cauda equina, among others. An emerging theory suggests that the real explanation for HFS is sympathetic nerve sprouting in the dorsal root ganglia following a peripheral nerve injury. The majority of patients are in their 20s–30s and symptoms significantly affect one's quality of life. Treatment usually involves a multi-modal approach utilizing a combination of alpha blockers, PDE5 inhibitors, and specialized pelvic floor physical therapy though there is not much evidence to support their efficacy and most patients reportedly do not benefit from currently available treatment options. Due to limited awareness and understanding of the condition within the scientific and medical communities, definitive treatment for HFS does not exist.

Urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS) is ongoing bladder pain in either sex, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) in men and interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) in women.

Pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) is a specialty area within physical therapy focusing on the rehabilitation of muscles in the pelvic floor after injury or dysfunction. It can be used to address issues such as muscle weakness or tightness post childbirth, dyspareunia, vaginismus, vulvodynia, constipation, fecal or urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and sexual dysfunction. Licensed physical therapists with specialized pelvic floor physical therapy training address dysfunction in individuals across the gender and sex spectra, though PFPT is often associated with women's health for its heavy focus on addressing issues of pelvic trauma after childbirth.

References

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