Chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and dyspareunia

Pain-related menstrual disorders and pain of the genital organs is very common. Frustrating to patients and physicians alike because of its subjective symptoms, the symptoms of these pain disorders can be decreased or alleviated with collaborative care. Chronic pelvic pain: Definition: Chronic pelvic pain lasts more than six months, and affects social and physical functioning. It is usually non-cyclic and unrelated to the menstrual cycle. Research concerning CPP is lacking and sparse, and not recent. Incidence and risk factors: CPP may affect up to one in seven women. Its incidence is difficult to determine because most studies have been performed in skewed populations, such as pain, STD, or gynecological clinics. One early study in the UK found no community based study from which to determine prevalence. A study in the USA suggested that 14% of more than 5000 women age 18 to 50 suffered CPP. Another US study of women in gynecology or family practice offices found that more than 39% of women reported CPP. A prevalence of 38 per 1000 adult woman has been suggested in general population., The cost of CPP is enormous. CPP is responsible for more than one-third of all laparoscopies and more than 80,000 (12%) hysterectomies in the USA It is the cause of more than 20% of referrals to gynecologists and costs more than 800 million dollars in the USA yearly. CPP is estimated to cost more than 146 million pounds in the National Health Insurance.