Can physical therapy help with pelvic pain?
with advice from Jessica Hice, PT, DPT
Pelvic pain is a symptom that is easy to ignore. When considering talking to a doctor or physical therapist, women (and men) think about the awkward conversations, and the prospect of an invasive examination, and they often decide to postpone such uncomfortable situations.
But like any bodily pain, the longer it continues, the more likely that chronic pain is a sign that something is wrong and needs to be treated.
Pain that continues for six or more months would be considered chronic and worthy of discussion with a healthcare professional, according to the Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy, a subset of the American Physical Therapy Association that offers training for physical therapists who want to specialize in women’s health or pelvic pain. Pelvic pain can present in the lower abdomen, pelvic or perineum, the Academy notes, and it could also feel like aching or burning.