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Medications | Complementary | Physical Therapy | Psychology | Surgery
Pelvic Pain Complementary/Alternative Treatment Options
Apart from traditional and herbal medications, a wide variety of treatments are available to help ease chronic pelvic pain. The positive attribute of these treatment modalities is the minimal risk the patient experiences by attempting them.1 These include:
Acupuncture - Originating in China, this age-old practice involves inserting long, extremely slender needles into specific points along the body to relieve pain and discomfort. Acupuncture also can be combined with electrical stimulation (electro-acupuncture).
Trigger point release has been shown to be effective. This can be attained by the use of manual massage and acupuncture. A number of clinical trials have demonstrated a significant reduction in pain and even resolution of the painful stimuli.
Biofeedback - This involves using visual or sound cues to control the biological response to pain and stress. Learning to relax muscles and induce a state of calmness can help pelvic pain patients. Some also claim that biofeedback improves blood-flow to affected limbs, however there is no scientific evidence to support this.
For pelvic pain, 80% to 90% success rates have been reported with biofeedback (use of a vaginal tampon that monitors muscle tone).
Homeopathy - This is an alternative, non-toxic approach used to treat illness and relieve discomfort in a wide range of health conditions. Founded in Germany in the late 1860's, the practice of homeopathy is based on using the "law of similars" to stimulate a healing response – a principle that goes back to the days of Hippocrates. The law of similars states that a substance that will cause disease symptoms in a normal person can, when given in homeopathic dilutions to an ill individual, prompt the same set of symptoms to initiate a healing response.
Hypnosis - This involves entering a state of altered consciousness, usually artificially induced, in which you focus your attention and awareness in an intense manner. It may be helpful to pelvic pain patients to learn self-hypnosis techniques to distract themselves from pain and/or improve sleep.
Manipulation - Chiropractors, osteopathic physicians and manual therapists most commonly practice this intervention. Manipulation involves the movement of tissue by the laying on of hands. When performed gently, it is usually referred to as mobilization. (NOTE: Do not undergo vigorous or "thrust"-type manipulation or numbness, weakness or paralysis may follow.)
Doctors of Chiropractic and Osteopathy often perform manipulations that are called adjustments. Patients often experience temporary pain relief from this therapy and many prefer these interventions because they avoid the potential side effects or complications of medications or surgery. Patients often can learn manipulation techniques that are helpful in improving mobilization and can be performed at home in six to eight sessions. Long-term and ongoing dependence on these therapies to provide pain relief is discouraged.
Over-the-counter herbal remedies - There are many different herbal remedies, but there is little research about the beneficial effects of such products. Your doctor must be informed if you are using herbal medicines. There are certain dietary supplements and other remedies that contain active biologically effective substances (eg, gingko, ginseng, vitamin E) that may cause bleeding at the time of surgery or spinal injection procedures. If taken to excess, some herbal remedies can cause cardiac irregularities. Deaths have been reported as a result of some remedies (eg, ephedra).
For more information on these types of treatment options and for tips on how to choose a complementary/alternative practitioner, read
Using Complementary Therapy to Relieve Pain.
Reference
Medications | Complementary | Physical Therapy | Psychology | Surgery
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