PUDENDAL NEURALGIA

Course overview

PUDENDAL NEURALGIA IS A CHRONIC PELVIC AND PERINEAL PAIN SYNDROME THAT ORIGINATES FROM DAMAGE, INJURY, INFLAMMATION, OR IRRITATION OF THE PUDENDAL NERVE. FEW PROVIDERS EXAMINE PATIENTS SPECIFICALLY FOR PUDENDAL NEURALGIA AND FOCUS ON SUSPECTED COMMON MORPHOLOGIC OR INFECTIOUS CAUSES, FREQUENTLY RESULTING IN DELAYED DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT. THIS OFTEN MANIFESTS AS INADEQUATE PAIN CONTROL WITH SUBSEQUENT PATIENT FRUSTRATION, DEPRESSION, AND POSSIBLY SEVERE ASSOCIATED NEGATIVE COGNITIVE, BEHAVIORAL, SEXUAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL CONSEQUENCES. PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PELVIC OR PERINEAL PAIN WHO ARE DIAGNOSED WITH OTHER CONDITIONS BUT FAIL TO RESPOND TO STANDARD THERAPY SHOULD BE RE-EVALUATED FOR POSSIBLE PUDENDAL NEURALGIA AS THE TREATMENT PROTOCOL IS GENERALLY TOTALLY DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE PROPER DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PUDENDAL NEURALGIA AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE AND OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS UNCOMMON BUT POTENTIALLY DEBILITATING DISORDER.