Most people know where their pelvis is located, but many are unaware that they may be dealing with something known as Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. What is it? That is not something that is entirely simple to answer.

When speaking about chronic discomfort or pain, generally a physician will view something that has lasted longer than a six month period as chronic, and when a patient visits a doctor because they have discomfort in the area of their pelvis for a period of six months or more they are often considered to be suffering from Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome.

What is so interesting about the syndrome is that the actual cause of the pain may have disappeared, but the pain itself remains. For example, if a woman has some sort of reproductive organ trouble, such as an ovarian cyst, she may experience some extreme pelvic pain for a short period of time, but even after the issue has been properly treated and alleviated, she still has persistent pain.

Is this all “in her head”? Usually the answer is no, and this is where some of the mystery of Chronic Pelvic Pain comes from. Not only will someone experience ongoing pain and discomfort, but soon it will usually lead to changes in their mood or behavior. This might be depression, anger, tension, or obvious emotional distress. When someone demonstrates these behaviors it is vitally important to remember that while pain is usually a symptom of a disease, patients with Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome actually endure pain that IS the disease.

What are the general symptoms? Usually a patient displays the following signs:

•    A six month, or longer, period of ongoing discomfort and pain;
•    Symptoms are not alleviated through treatment or even surgery;
•    The pain experienced is not a match to any existing disease or condition;
•    The individual shows signs of severe emotional alteration that can include restlessness, sleeplessness, depression; fatigue, constipation, and more;
•    The pain prevents them from performing their normal level of physical activity; and
•    They may abandon their pre-existing roles in their life such as “boss”, “wife”, “parent”.

Is there any known cure for this syndrome? Because it is often difficult to identify the issue that created the initial onset of pain, or which damaged the tissue to the point that chronic pain exists, it is also tough to know how to handle it. Most patients are encouraged to explore as many options as possible, including alternative medicines like massage and psychological therapies in order to see where they find the best results.

There is a cure for chronic pelvic pain syndrome. There are many type of cures which works differently on patients. It’s important to treat CPPS in order to relief the irritating pain.

Family members are also encouraged to participate in some of the therapies in order to help them understand the turmoil that their loved one is facing.