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Chronic Pelvic Pain Discharge Instructions


About this topic


Pain can be an unpleasant feeling that happens in any part of the body. It can be mild or very bad. You may feel it always or it may just come and go. It may be dull, sharp, or throbbing. Pain can last for a long time or a short time. Pain can cause upset stomach and throwing up. When you are in pain you may not feel hungry. You may feel nervous. ‚  
Chronic pelvic pain is pain in the pelvic area of the body that lasts for more than 6 months. The pelvis is the part of the body between the belly button and the hips. Pain is most often a warning that something is wrong inside the body. The pain may be from many different health conditions. Chronic pain is persistent and it may disrupt your daily activities. How chronic pain is treated depends on many things. Some of them are the kind of pain, how bad it is, and what is causing the pain. ‚  
Treatment can include drugs or surgery. If the doctor cannot find the cause of the pain, treatment may focus on pain management. ‚  

What care is needed at home?


  • Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
  • Pay attention to your levels of pain. It is a good idea to keep a diary and write this down. Make notes about:
    • How your pain feels. Is it dull, sharp, burning, stabbing, or cramping?
    • Where your pain is
    • What causes your pain
    • What makes your pain better or worse
    • When you have the pain
  • Ice and heat may be used to ease pain and help with swelling from muscle pain.
    • When using ice ¢ ˆ ’ Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Use for the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury or workout.
    • When using heat ¢ ˆ ’ Heat may be used later but not right away. Do not use heat with sharp pain or after an acute injury. Heat can make swelling worse. If your doctor tells you to use heat, put a heating pad on your painful part for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Never go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.
  • Try to stay calm. Anxiety and stress may make your pain worse. Try using massage, relaxation, breathing exercises, yoga, tai chi, and music therapy.
  • You may think about other ways to help with pain. Some of them are acupuncture, biofeedback, or meditation. Ask your doctor if these may help manage your pain.

What follow-up care is needed?


  • Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. If the pain is worse or comes more often, see your doctor.
  • You may also need:
    • To see a physical therapist (PT). The PT will teach you exercises to help you stretch.
    • To see an occupational therapist. This person may help you find ways to make you more comfortable doing your regular daily activities.
    • Psychological therapy to help deal with the stress of chronic pain

What drugs may be needed?


The doctor may order drugs to: ‚  
  • Help with pain and swelling
  • Help muscle spasms
  • Fight an infection
  • Help hormone levels

Take your drugs as ordered by your doctor. Some of these drugs can be habit forming and may cause side effects. ‚  

Will physical activity be limited?


Pain may cause you to limit your activities. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚  

What changes to diet are needed?


Changes in food or diet may depend on what kind of pain you have. You may talk with your doctor what kind of food is good for you. ‚  

What problems could happen?


  • Not able to function well
  • Irritation, sadness, anxiety, and low mood
  • Sex problems
  • Loss of appetite
  • Need more drugs to lower pain

When do I need to call the doctor?


  • Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, very bad sore throat, ear or sinus pain, pain or blood with passing urine.
  • Very bad upset stomach, throwing up, or belly pain; not being able to eat or drink anything
  • Dizziness, seeing things that are not really there
  • Chest pain or trouble breathing
  • Back or side pain that lasts and you do not know why (you have not done any hard exercises or other activity that you may have pulled a muscle)
  • Not able to move or do daily actions
  • Very bad pain that is not helped by your drugs
  • Health problem is not getting any better or you are feeling worse

Teach Back: Helping You Understand


The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚  
  • I can tell you about my pain.
  • I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
  • I can tell you what I will do if I have very bad back, side, chest, or belly pain, or the pain is not helped by my drugs.

Where can I learn more?


American Academy of Family Physicians ‚  
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/chronic-pelvic-pain.printerview.all.html ‚  
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ‚  
http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq099.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20120315T0108578179 ‚  

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

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