• Do you have persistent abdominal or pelvic pain that affects your participation in everyday life activities such as exercise or work?
• Do you have persistent pain in your hip, back or pelvis?

 

Pelvic pain is a general term used to describe pain within the pelvic region. Pelvic pain affects up to 1 in 5 Australian women. Pain can become chronic or persistent due to your body’s protective response persisting after an initial injury. These changes are often associated with a change in your nervous system and your movement behaviour.

Persistent pain can be influenced by sleep patterns, stress, anxiety or depression. Many women suffer for many years before reaching out for help.

Common Symptoms

Some common symptoms of Pelvic Pain may include:

• A feeling of heaviness in your abdomen / hips / pelvis
• Hormonally driven pelvic pain before or during your period, or during ovulation
• General pelvic pain or abdominal pain
• Pain during or after sexual intercourse
• Pain inserting a tampon
• Pain with urination
• Abdominal bloating
• Coccygeal (tailbone) pain

Your pain may come and go, or be constant, and can range from mild and simply annoying to severe and debilitating.

How can we Help?

Managing Pelvic Pain is complex. Our experienced Women’s Health physiotherapists can assist you with your symptoms by providing you with a holistic and tailored approach to your pain management.

The selected pain management strategy will depend on the nature of your symptoms and diagnosis. In some cases, physiotherapy care is the best treatment option. In other cases, physiotherapy provides a valuable adjunct to medical care, in conditions such as endometriosis. Some people also benefit from input from a psychologist or dietician. A multidisciplinary approach to managing pelvic pain is in many cases the most effective way to successfully treat pelvic pain.

Even if you have had pelvic pain for a long time, it doesn’t mean you cannot modify or improve your pain. With appropriate management by a team of health professionals including physiotherapists, there is hope to manage your pain.

What to Expect From my Appointment?

• Detailed Interview to fully understand your symptoms, medical and surgical history and your specific goals.
• Physical Assessment of your body, and pelvic floor using the latest technologies.
• Targeted Treatments which may including real time Ultrasound to facilitate pelvic floor muscle relaxation and strengthening if required, manual therapy and comprehensive advice and education about persistent pain and strategies to manage this.
• Progressive Exercise Program to assist you not only with your pelvic floor strength and endurance, but with your general fitness, health and well-being.
• Communication and Collaboration with your specialist and General Practitioner to keep them informed of your progress and to support your care.