Is It Really Pudendal Neuralgia? Part 1

Overview

Diagnostic certainty feels important to clinicians to build confidence in themselves and with their patients.  However, we have strong evidence that being comfortable with uncertainty is an important component to address the whole person in persistent pain states, particularly low back pain (Costa et al, 2022).

Pudendal Neuralgia is one of the most "scary" diagnoses that pelvic pain patients can receive.  Dr. Google does not hold out much hope that pain associated with pudendal neuralgia can be resolved.

However, like most other pelvic pain conditions, diagnoses describe the symptoms but not necessarily the underlying pain mechanisms. This is true for pudendal neuralgia, vulvodynia, bladder pain syndrome, dyspareunia, dysmenorhea and more.

If we take a whole person approach to persistent pain, considering the phenotypes of pain system hypersensitivity, including mood, stress, sleep, catastrophization, fear and sensory motor dysregulation give us many targets to change the pain experience without getting caught in "fixing" the tissues.

Embrace the evidence for a whole-person approach in pelvic pain and low back pain! Join Carolyn Vandyken for this online demand course 'Is it really Pudendal Neuralgia'.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this online course, participants will be able to:

1. Discuss the role of diagnostic uncertainty in persistent pain and apply strategies to build confidence in clinical decision-making.
2. Analyze the impact of clinical language on patient experience, including,  physical and mental wellbeing, and demonstrate strategies for using patient-centered communication.
3. Identify and  address  phenotypes of persistent pelvic pain, including anxiety, depression, catastrophization, and sensory-motor dysregulation, within a whole-person framework.
   
   

Audience

This online course is intended for pelvic health practitioners; however, all clinic owners and practitioners are welcome to join. This course is professionally relevant to physiotherapists and other rehabilitation providers, as it equips them with evidence-based strategies in diagnostic reasoning, patient-centered communication, and management of pain system hypersensitivity within a whole-person, biopsychosocial framework.