Pelvic floor pain is common, affecting many women. While pain can be a purely structural cause, this isn’t always the case. When there is no structural cause, scans and even surgery can come back completely normal. While this is good news, it can be very disheartening for women who have chronic pelvic pain and are told that there is no cause or surgical options for their pain.
So what is causing the pain? While there can be many contributors to pain, pain can also be caused by tight or overactive pelvic floor muscles. Pelvic floor muscles can become tight for a number of reasons. This may be due to an underlying pelvic floor issue like endometriosis, due to a nerve or neurological condition, or may occur after a severe bout of thrush or other infection. In these cases the initial pain can trigger increased tension of the pelvic floor, leading to a cascade of pain and pelvic floor tension, leading to a vicious circle. Once this vicious circle has commenced, it needs to be broken to be effectively treated.
If you feel like this applies to you, please see a physiotherapist trained in the pelvic floor. Your physiotherapist can give you effective strategies and use manual techniques to reduce your muscle tension and reduce your pain.
Written by : Rebekah
