Posted by Article on 10/20/2002, 9:30 pm
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Survey: Women's Pelvic Pain Often Trivialized Doctors, Family Say Pain Is Normal Or Exaggerated Posted: 11:03 a.m. EDT October 15, 2002 When you're in pain, the last thing you want to hear is that you're exaggerating what you're feeling. Yet a new survey found that a majority of women who suffer from chronic pelvic pain have been told that their pain is normal or even exaggerated, even though they believe it is severe and debilitating. And these comments are coming from the people they rely on most for support -- their physicians, families and friends, according to a survey conducted by the Endometriosis Association and presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. The survey found that 40 percent of women who suffer from chronic pelvic pain due to endometriosis or post-surgical scar tissue have been told they exaggerate their pain. More than half -- 52 percent -- were told this by their obstetrician/gynecologist, and 43 percent were told by a friend or family member. Nearly 60 percent of these women have been told that their pain is normal. Of these, 56 percent were told this by their doctor and 29 percent by family or friends. "The results of this survey are concerning given the impact pelvic pain can have on a woman's life," said Mary Lou Ballweg, president and executive director of the Endometriosis Association. "On a regular basis, we see women completely alter their lives because of the debilitating effects of pelvic pain. The frustrating part is that it often takes years for women to receive a diagnosis, and by then, many are unable to work or fully participate in normal activities." In fact, 43 percent of women surveyed described their pain as constant. More than half described the intensity of pain as severe to unbearable. More than 80 percent said they have been unable to work at times due to pelvic pain, and 45 percent said they have been debilitated for two to three days or longer each month. "Chronic pelvic pain accounts for 12 percent of hysterectomies and 40 percent of laparoscopic surgeries. The total costs of treating chronic pelvic pain are more than $2 billion each year," said Dr. Charles Miller, medical director of Specialists in Reproductive Health in Arlington Heights and Naperville, Ill. "As I've seen with many patients and with this survey, chronic pelvic pain also exacts a significant emotional toll, which makes it even more important that women speak to a doctor at the first signs of pelvic pain." Two of the leading causes of chronic pelvic pain are endometriosis and the formation of post surgical scar tissue, also called adhesions. Of the women surveyed, 89 percent had endometriosis, and nearly 40 percent had been diagnosed with adhesions. Endometriosis is an immune and hormonal disease that impacts 5 million women and girls in the United States. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus is found outside the uterus, usually in the abdomen, on the ovaries, or on fallopian tubes. Post-surgical adhesions are abnormal bands of scar tissue that form inside the pelvis after gynecologic surgery. Endometriosis can also cause adhesions. As many as 90 percent of the 3 million women who undergo gynecological surgery each year to treat common female health problems such as ovarian cysts, fibroids and endometriosis, will develop adhesions. The Endometriosis Association offers diagnostic kits, information about choosing the right physician, and other educational literature to help shorten the time between onset of symptoms and an accurate diagnosis. For more information, visit KillerCramps.org or call (800) 992-3636.

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