Complementary and Alternative Approach to Chronic Pelvic Pain

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is defined as pain of at least 6 months' duration that occurs in the lower abdomen or below the umbilicus and has resulted in functional or psychological disability, and required intervention and treatment. Therapeutic interventions center around the treatment of CPP as a diagnosis in and of itself, and treatment of specific disorders that may be related to CPP. A multidisciplinary approach for diagnosis and treatment seems to be most effective for symptomatic relief. The evidence for such interventions as psychological treatments including the use of complementary and alternative medicine techniques for CPP treatment is reviewed in this study. Unfortunately, finding the best evidence in this setting is difficult as very few randomized controlled trials are available. A combination of treatments is usually required over time for the treatment of refractory CPP. The multifactorial nature of CPP needs to be discussed with the patient and a good rapport as well as a partnership needs to be developed to plan a management program with regular follow up. Promotion of a multidisciplinary approach which includes complementary and alternative medicine techniques in managing CPP in women seems to yield the best results