Chronic Pelvic Pain Research
Alternative & Complementary Therapies

Chiropractic & Chronic Pelvic Pain

Whilst there are published studies documenting the possible relationship of musculo-skeletal conditions and CPP, there are a number of published case reports which have indicated that chiropractic care may be effective in alleviating the symptoms. A feasibility study was therefore set up at the Palmer Centre for Chiropractic Research, USA to investigate whether ‘chiropractic care has a measurable effect on women with CPP using valid and reliable outcome measures’.

Nineteen patients were recruited from ads on a local radio station. All patients had to be female, 18 years or older , and had persistent CPP symptoms for a minimum of three months (the average was, in fact, 9 years). Common symptoms included lower back pain (84%), headaches (52%), menstrual cramps (79%), painful intercourse (32%) and urinary (37%). The women had three chiropractic treatments every week for the first two weeks and two times per week for the following two weeks, after which time their symptoms were measured and compared to the marks before the commencement of the study.

The results showed that the symptoms reduced by an average of 70% from a baseline of 18.7 to 5.7 after six weeks of treatment. At the beginning of the study, over two-thirds of the patients took analgesic medications, and at the end of the study this number had dropped by more than half. Interestingly, over 25 per cent of the sample brought their spouses/significant other into the clinic after the course of treatment to report that their overall mood and behaviours had improved as a result of the treatment.

The researchers concludes that chiropractic treatment in the form of ‘flexion-distraction technique and manual trigger point therapy had positive short-term effects on symptomology, disability and pain associated with CPP.’ However, the report does acknowledge the need for a larger, randomised clinical study.

Azad. A, Long C, Cox JM. Chiropractic care for women with chronic pelvic pain. Alternative Therapies in medicine 1997, 3; 2:91-92.