pelvicpartnership.org.uk

What causes pain?

Most pain is caused by damage to joints, nerves or other tissues. PGP is often caused by stiffness at one joint causing another joint to become inflamed and painful, therefore it is important to try to find the cause of the pain, not treat the symptoms alone. Of course, no matter what the causes, if you think you are in pain, you are in pain.

Pain can affect a person's:

• Physical health – decreasing strength and endurance, interrupting sleep and appetite.
• Relationships – when a loved one is in constant pain, they can seem like a different person.
• Outlook – it can lead to a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. It can rob a person of interest even in favourite activities.

Treatment of pain

The level of pain experienced in PGP varies immensely between individuals as well as from day to day. It is often possible to manage pain effectively by combining treatment, lifestyle changes and pain relief preparations. It is also important to seek treatment from a therapist (for example, a physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor) to make sure that any mechanical or joint cause of your pain is being treated, and that you are not just treating the symptoms when there is a treatable cause for those symptoms. Other forms of pain relief aim to complement any treatment you are receiving.

Understanding the pain cycle

Don’t wait for pain to become a problem. The longer pain goes untreated, the harder it is to relieve.