Are you living with persistent pelvic pain that just won't go away? Do you find yourself avoiding sitting for long periods or dreading certain daily activities because of discomfort in your pelvic region? If so, you're not alone. Chronic pelvic pain is a common problem, affecting as many as one in seven women in the U.S. When traditional treatments fail to provide relief, patients are often left feeling frustrated and even hopeless.
While pelvic pain can have many causes, one potential culprit is a condition called pudendal neuralgia. Understanding this condition is the first step toward finding relief and reclaiming your comfort and quality of life.
Pudendal neuralgia is a condition characterized by pain, discomfort, or numbness in the pelvic region caused by damage or irritation to the pudendal nerve, which runs through the pelvis. The condition results in intense pain caused by the entrapment, compression, or dysfunction of the pudendal nerve. It is characterized by pain that lasts for longer than three months and is often aggravated by sitting down.
While pelvic pain is a broad term that can describe discomfort stemming from a variety of causes, pudendal neuralgia stands apart because it is directly related to irritation or damage of the pudendal nerve—a major nerve in the pelvic region. This distinction is important because the pudendal nerve’s role in sensation and function means that the pain often feels different from other types of pelvic pain. You might notice symptoms such as burning, stabbing, or a pins-and-needles sensation in specific areas like the perineum, genitals, or rectum.
Dr. Tzvi Small, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction, emphasizes the importance of understanding this unique condition, which is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. He explains, “By identifying the nerve as the source of pain, patients can finally move toward targeted treatment options that offer meaningful relief.”
Following a diagnosis, Dr. Small says, “Our approach involves carefully analyzing each patient's unique presentation, educating them about potential causes, and collaboratively determining the best diagnostic and treatment path.”
If you answer 'yes' to several of these questions, pudendal neuralgia might indeed be a potential explanation for your symptoms.
However, Dr. Small points out why it’s important for anyone with pelvic nerve pain symptoms to get a comprehensive evaluation by experienced professionals: “Pudendal neuralgia is a complex condition, and its symptoms can mimic other disorders, making an accurate diagnosis challenging without specialized expertise,” he says.
Once we identify the pudendal nerve as the source of your pain, we can discuss whether surgery is the right choice for you. We offer a specialized, minimally invasive procedure called pudendal nerve decompression surgery. By relieving pressure on the pudendal nerve, the surgery can alleviate pain and help restore normal function, providing potentially life-changing results.
Living with chronic pelvic pain can be physically and emotionally challenging. Call 732-401-8404 to make an appointment with Dr. Tvzi Small.