Surgery

Surgery is most likely to help when it's done for a specific condition, such as fibroids or endometriosis.

Hysterectomy, the removal of the uterus, is sometimes used as a last-resort treatment. Depending on the cause, hysterectomy may relieve pain for some women.

Studies have shown that surgery to remove scar tissue adhesions from previous surgery or from pelvic inflammatory disease doesn't relieve pain unless the adhesions are severe.¹

Surgery to remove reproductive organs may also help when the cause of pain can't be found.¹ When surgery, such as hysterectomy or cutting of specific pelvic-area nerves, is done for pain with no known cause, there is a risk of persistent pain or pain that is worse after surgery. And it can have serious side effects that you need to consider.

Laparoscopy to diagnose chronic pelvic pain may be done before other treatment. Areas of endometriosis or scar tissue may be removed or destroyed during the laparoscopy.

Other Treatment

Chronic pelvic pain takes time to develop and can take a long time to treat. Take charge of how you cope with pain by using one or more of the treatment choices below. Combining your medical treatment with these practices can help you keep a positive state of mind.

Counseling and stress management

Counseling and mental skills training help you learn the mental and emotional tools for managing chronic pain and the stress that makes it worse. Combining medical and psychological treatment increases your chances of treatment success.

Commonly used treatments include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy focused on changing the way you think about and mentally manage pain. See a psychologist, licensed counselor, or clinical social worker who specializes in pain management skills.
• Biofeedback. This is the conscious control of body function that is normally unconsciously controlled.
• Interpersonal counseling, focused on managing your life events, stressors, and relationships.

For more information, see the topic Stress Management.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy can help you learn specific exercises to stretch and strengthen certain muscle groups. This helps you to improve posture, gait, and muscle tone.

Alternative pain treatments

Alternative pain treatments for chronic female pelvic pain aren't well studied. But they are considered helpful for managing stress and building mental mastery over pain.

Acupuncture and transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) have shown some success in relieving painful menstrual periods. Acupuncture has also been used as a treatment for nonmenstrual chronic pelvic pain, but it isn't yet well studied.¹

Other low-risk alternative pain treatments that many people use to help manage pain include:

• Relaxation and breathing exercises.
• Hypnosis.
• Guided imagery.
• Aromatherapy.
• Meditation.
• Yoga.
• Massage therapy.