pelvic pain, also known as 'persistent' or 'chronic' pelvic pain is an umbrella term to describe any pain between lower tummy and legs that persists for most days for at least 6 months. this might be pain in the mid to lower back, abdomen, hips and pelvic region.
1 in 5 women in Australia will experience persistent pelvic pain at some point in their lives.
some of the conditions that can contribute to pelvic pain include:
- endometriosis and adenomyosis
- painful pelvic muscle spasms, which can start off intermittent and can become more constant
- pain, burning or discomfort of the external female genitalia (vulval pain)
- painful bladder syndrome or interstitial cystitis which can feel like a sense of urgency to urinate and pain with a full bladder that improves only after urination
- recurrent urinary tract infections
- bowel conditions including chronic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome
pelvic pain affects every every part of a person's life. pelvic physiotherapy offers a holistic approach approach to pain management.
treatment might include:
- an understanding of your pain so that you can better manage it
- massage release techniques
- breathing and other relaxation techniques to help calm your nervous system
- tailored exercises to improve pelvic floor muscle function
- movement strategies to reduce pain