The Effects of a Brief Mindfulness-based Intervention on Pain Perceptions in Patients with Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Case Series

Introduction: Chronic pelvic pain affects 15-20% of women, and patients frequently do not find relief with first-line therapies. Mindfulness-based meditation programs are effective in improving outcomes for patients with chronic pain conditions, but limited data exists for patients with chronic pelvic pain. We describe the effect of a brief mindfulness-based program, incorporated into pelvic-floor physical therapy visits, on perceived pain in patients with chronic pelvic pain.

Case Series: Patients being treated for pelvic pain participated in this 8-week program. Pelvic-floor physical therapists delivered a brief mindfulness-based exercise during routine physical therapy visits. Patients reported pain scores and pain catastrophizing scores at the beginning and end of the program. Ten patients completed the program. Paired-samples -tests showed that pain catastrophizing significantly decreased from baseline to 8 weeks in patients who completed the mindfulness training and increased among patients who withdrew.

Conclusion: Mindfulness-based exercises may be a useful complementary therapy for the treatment of chronic pelvic pain.