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 t-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.