An Insight into Chronic Pelvic Pain in Females

Pain is considered as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience linked to actual or potential tissue damage. Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) as defined by the European Association of Urology (EAU) is a persistent pain in the pelvic region that can lead to negative cognitive, behavioral, sexual, and emotional effects. It exhibits symptoms related to the lower urinary tract, sexual function, bowel, pelvic floor, or gynecological disorders.

The present study was aimed to explore the etiology of CPP in females along with its differential diagnoses. It enrolled female patients between 18-70 years age during the period of over 2 years.

The findings of the study revealed:

• A total of 38% of the women were diagnosed with endometriosis, establishing it the most common cause of CPP, while 14% were diagnosed with adenomyosis. 
• Moreover, 48% women required surgical intervention, 27% opted for medical management, and about 9% were referred to other specialties, including psychology and orthopedics.

To summarize, women with CPP frequently experience associated symptoms, with dysmenorrhea being the most common (51%). In addition, a history of lower segment cesarean section (LSCS) has been associated with a higher prevalence of CPP (63%). Thus, a multidisciplinary approach could be beneficial in managing these cases.

Source: Purankar S, Karlapudi KS, Sundari T. Evaluation of chronic pelvic pain in females a prospective observational study. Int J Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2024;8(6):01-09. DOI: 10.33545/gynae.2024.v8.i6a.1530