Chronic pelvic pain syndrome: diagnosis and treatment

Chronic pain is pain that lasts for more than 3 months, exceeding the normal time for healing of damaged tissue. It loses its adaptive value and can itself become a disease. Patients with chronic pain develop certain psychological problems associated with constant pain. These problems, in turn, can lead to the progression of the pain syndrome and nullify any efforts to restore the patient's ability to work.

One of the most common types of chronic pain is myofascial pain, which is caused by dysfunction of a muscle and its fascia — a membrane that connects bones, organs, and blood vessels throughout the body.

Chronic pain can be caused by:

• Severe stress

• Previous operations or injuries

• Stroke or heart attack

• Insomnia

• Quick fatigue

• Attention problems

• Feeling of hopelessness

The main symptom of chronic pelvic pain syndrome is a persistent feeling of pain or discomfort in the perineum and pelvis. In some patients, the pain spreads to the abdomen, lower back, or genital area.

Ejaculation is often accompanied by painful sensations, and about 50% of men suffer from urinary tract problems. Such symptoms have the most negative impact on the quality of life of a man.

The most common cause of chronic pelvic pain syndrome is chronic prostatitis. In other cases, the syndrome may be associated with myalgia, which occurs due to tension of the muscle tissue of the pelvic floor, which is in a spastic state. The focus of chronic pelvic pain syndrome can often be a trauma of the intervertebral discs, a neoplasm of the spinal cord or pelvic organs.

This can happen in both women and men. Pain can be classified as chronic if it is episodic or constant and bothers the patient for 6 months or more. In most cases, there is a pain-related negative impact on cognitive function, behavior, and sexual activity and emotions of the patient.

• Constant pain, tightness in the lower abdomen, bladder, perineum, vagina, and anus;

• Painful urination.

The localization of pain can be different, but its constancy deprives a person of a normal life and often causes a disorder of the nervous system.

Treatment of chronic pain involves:

• Pain relief with medication;

• Physical therapy, physiotherapy, massage by a specialist, which will restore mobility and relieve muscle tension;

• The use of antidepressants to restore chemical processes in the brain;

• Motivation of the patient to recovery.