Somatoform disorders—chronic pelvic pain in women

Abstract

Pelvic pain in women is aclinically common symptom and afrequent finding in general practitioner, urological, gynecological, and pediatric practice. The list of possible differential diagnoses is long and the clarification ranges from avisual diagnosis to technical and surgical examinations to complex interdisciplinary consultations. But when do we talk about chronic lower abdominal pain? What can be the cause of this and how can we approach it diagnostically and therapeutically? What should we pay attention to? The difficulty begins with the definition. If we look at the national and international guidelines and publications, we find different definitions for chronic pelvic pain. There are various causes of chronic pelvic pain. There is often acombination of physical and psychological factors, which is why it is often not possible to identify asingle diagnosis behind chronic pelvic pain syndrome. The clarification of these complaints requires abiopsychosocial approach. Multimodal approaches should be considered in assessment and treatment, and experts from other disciplines should be consulted.