Over 25% of women experience chronic pelvic pain that lasts consistently for more than six months. This is one of the most difficult conditions to diagnose. In fact, only about 50 percent of cases receive a diagnosis. Without a diagnosis, it is hard to know what and how to treat.  

What’s more, 80 percent of chronic pelvic pain is unrelated to gynecologic conditions, but accounts for 40 percent of laparoscopies and 12 percent of hysterectomies in the U.S. Since biomedical testing is limited in its efficacy, functional medicine can help us understand the root cause of chronic pelvic pain.  

We know that chronic pelvic pain usually has multiple contributing factors. These include organs and other structures that are outside of the pelvis, a history of trauma (including emotional trauma), inflammatory conditions and a myofascial component to pain. As such, when someone visits a healthcare provider to help with chronic pelvic pain, this practitioner will not only look at the pelvis or the muscles and joints.  

An adequate work-up includes assessing structures and systems outside of the pelvis, as well as involving the patient in both treatment protocols and decision-making. There is no home-run intervention for chronic pelvic pain. This could mean chronic pelvic pain has many possible origins, so for an intervention to be successful, the specific origin of pelvic pain must be identified in order to treat it correctly.  

Dr. Caroline Peterson is a board-certified chiropractic physician. For more information, visit NaturalWomensHealthInstitute.com.