CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN

Course overview

CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN CAN BE A DISABLING, CHRONIC, PERSISTENT PAIN, WITHIN THE PELVIS IN WOMEN. RELATIVELY COMMON, CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN IS ASSOCIATED WITH COMORBIDITIES SUCH AS IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME, MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER, OR PELVIC INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME. ONE IN SEVEN WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES IS AFFECTED. CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN IS CONSIDERED A FORM OF CHRONIC REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME. THE DIAGNOSIS OF CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN IS MADE AFTER THREE TO SIX MONTHS OF PELVIC PAIN AND IS OFTEN BASED ON HISTORY OR PHYSICAL; THERE ARE NUMEROUS ASSOCIATED SYMPTOMS OR PRECIPITATING FACTORS THAT HELP ESTABLISH THE DIAGNOSIS. WHILE IMAGING AND LABORATORY FINDINGS ARE OFTEN INCONCLUSIVE IN MAKING THE DIAGNOSIS OF CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN, OFTEN, THEY ARE USEFUL IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF A COMORBID CONDITION RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN. AN ESTIMATED FIFTY PERCENT OF CASES REMAIN UNDIAGNOSED. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN AND EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.