Osteopathic Approach to Pudental Neuralgia
Evaluation of pain, its emotional impact and functional disorders
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a loyal servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”
Albert Einstein
Summary: Pudendal neuralgia is a condition that affects certain patients and should not be considered an imaginary disease. Pudendal neuralgia is characterized by a conflict between the nerve that innervates the region of the perineum and the surrounding tissues, causing specific chronic pain in the area. This pain includes burning, stinging, and electric shock sensations in the pelvic region, rectum, anus, and genitals, and is often worse when sitting. This condition has a significant impact on the social life of sufferers and is often difficult to diagnose due to the complexity of the symptoms.
The author highlights the importance of early diagnosis and multidisciplinary care to prevent the condition from becoming chronic. He also suggests that osteopathy, with its holistic approach, could be beneficial for patients who have not responded to other treatments.
The research includes details about a study conducted with 14 patients with chronic pudendal neuralgia, which shows that the osteopathic approach significantly improves patients’ description of pain and mood throughout treatment. Additionally, a progressive improvement in pain relief and pain threshold is observed, with a peak in the fifth session. However, no improvements were found in the emotional impact of pain.
In conclusion, the text emphasizes the importance of approaching osteopathy as an approach that seeks to treat dysfunctions and restore tissue functionality rather than focusing solely on symptomatic pain relief. He also highlights the need for early diagnosis and multidisciplinary care to address this condition effectively.
“The fight against pain is exhausting… Consenting to suffer is a kind of slow suicide… And there is only one type of pain that is easy to bear, it is the pain of others.”
René Leriche.
