Chronic Pelvic Pain

In Brief As opposed to the satisfying solutions found in the management of acute pain, chronic pelvic pain can be a vexing problem for the patient and physician. Seldom is a single source or cause found, and nearly always the condition is influenced by the broader social and psychological context of the patient. In this article, we discuss the evaluation of chronic pelvic pain, often considering pain as the disease itself, and identify peripheral generators, which gynecologists can address to help reduce their contributions to symptoms. Successful treatment of chronic pelvic pain begins with thoughtful assessment of all contributing factors.