Studies have shown that chronic pelvic pain affects up to 15 percent of American women at some point in their lives.
Chronic pelvic pain can be a frustrating and perplexing condition. Often times, patients go through multiple, unsuccessful treatments only to find there is nothing more doctors can offer.
Chronic pelvic pain is defined as pain in the area of the lower abdomen and pelvis that lasts six months or longer. It is a complex condition because it can be caused by many different medical problems, and most patients have more than one problem needing treatment. Here are just a few of the medical conditions common in these patients:
Endometriosis
Pelvic infection
Pelvic scarring
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Interstitial cystitis
Sacro-ileitis/Lower back pain
Abdominal muscle pain
Fibromyalgia
Patients suffering with chronic pelvic pain have often taken many different medications, such as painkillers, anti-depressants, and muscle relaxers, and have been through one or more surgeries, such as a laparoscopy or even a hysterectomy. Because of the lack of results from these various treatments, chronic pelvic pain can also cause sexual dissatisfaction, and anxiety and depression. As a result, many patients are sent to psychiatrists, and have even been told: "it's all in your head."
Henry Ford Hospital’s Center for Pelvic Pain offers relief for women whose pelvic pain continues in spite of attempts to treat it with medicine or surgery. The Center is comprised of a team of dedicated health care providers who specialize solely in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain. The Center is completely dedicated to treating this condition individually. The Center‘s staff believe that by building a strong and motivating "partnership in healing" with patients and applying a comprehensive therapeutic plan, they can help women suffering from chronic pelvic pain return to a physically and emotionally rewarding quality of life.
The team at Henry Ford Hospital’s Center for Pelvic Pain delivers care based on a philosophy of non-surgical, "conservative" treatments, because research shows multi-disciplinary approaches achieve better long-term results for chronic pelvic pain than stand-alone surgery.
The Center’s team treats patients based on research that shows chronic pain causes changes in the nerves, muscles and the brain, and that multiple, interactive problems are usually present. Therefore, patients are cared for in a comprehensive fashion, and the goal is to reduce pain and increase function by using any of the following techniques:
Medical therapy using prescription medicines to treat specific conditions such as endometriosis, control pain, and manage anxiety or depression.
Behavioral or cognitive therapy from a psychologist specializing in chronic pain management strategies and techniques.
Physical therapy, which uses exercises and various treatment methods to reduce the "triggers" for pain often found in soft tissues such as muscle and tendons.
The Center taps into the very latest resources in the departments of behavioral medicine, physical therapy, anesthesia and complementary medicine at Henry Ford. Newer pain therapies, such as electric nerve stimulators offered by the Henry Ford Anesthesia Pain Clinic, as well as alternative techniques, such as acupuncture and St. John's neuromuscular therapy are also available through Henry Ford’s Center for Integrative Medicine program.
If patients have conditions for which surgery is an appropriate option, such as endometriosis or pelvic scarring, patients are counseled about the pros and cons of that choice and involve their referring physician as much as possible. If that is the case, patients can feel confident knowing Henry Ford offers the most advanced techniques in minimally invasive surgery, including advance operative and robotic-assisted laparoscopy.
Patients are accepted at the Center for Pelvic Pain by self-referral or referral from their doctors. Patients will complete a standard question sheet at home and mail it to us before their first visit. This allows a patient to carefully reflect on what she has been going through, and allows the medical team to get to know the patient prior to her first visit. At that first visit, the team performs a detailed evaluation and makes recommendations for a plan of treatment. The visit lasts most of the morning or afternoon. Follow-up visits are arranged based on the plan of care.
