What is PCOS?

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, widely known as PCOS, is an endocrine system disorder that affects up to 20% of women in their reproductive years. PCOS can be extremely burdensome for young women in their daily lives and when attempting to get pregnant.

Understanding PCOS & Pelvic Pain

What is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

As an endocrine system disorder, patients with PCOS grow a number of small cysts, or fluid-filled sacs, on their ovaries that can cause a wide variety of painful and lifestyle-altering symptoms.

Symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

While the severity of chronic pelvic pain symptoms range, symptoms are usually related to gynecologic, urologic, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal conditions and exhibit a wide range of symptoms in both women and men.

Pain From PCOS Is Not in Your Head

What Causes Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

Chronic pelvic pain sufferers may experience frustration with negative lab work ups and imaging when trying to find relief for their symptoms. This is usually because the pain is directly related to the nerves and muscles within the pelvis, and caused by conditions that are difficult for many healthcare providers to diagnose.

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    Pelvic Floor Muscle Hypertonia

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    Endometriosis

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    Adenomyosis

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    Fibroids

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    Chronic Prostatitis

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    Postpartum pelvic pain

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Risk Factors

While chronic pelvic pain affects many people and is caused by different conditions, some people may have an increased risk of experiencing chronic pelvic pain due to lifestyle and other factors. If you suspect you have CPPS, and any of these risk factors apply to you, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider about both.

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    Pelvic Floor Muscle Hypertonia

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    Endometriosis

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    Adenomyosis

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    Fibroids

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    PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)

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    Diagnosis of Chronic Prostatitis

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    Hip Impingement

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    Hyper Mobility

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    STD/UTI/Yeast Infection History

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    Hernia

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    Post Partum

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    Diastasis Recti

Is Your Pain From PCOS?

Diagnosing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Diagnosing chronic pelvic pain syndrome and the issues that are causing it requires an in-depth examination of both the nerves and muscles within the pelvis, learning of your medical history, and getting a full picture of your symptoms and lifestyle.

Here’s what you can expect when you are a patient at Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine:

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    Step One – First, our providers will ask questions about your medical history and listen to your symptoms to get a full picture of what is going on with you.

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    Step Two – Next, an external exam of your hips, abdomen, and posterior sacrum.

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    Step Three – Next, your pelvic nerves are evaluated externally with a soft cotton tip.

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    Step Four – Next, with your consent, gel is placed on a gloved finger and an internal exam is performed to allow us to evaluate the nerves and muscles within the pelvis. There is no speculum required as we are evaluating the pelvic floor muscles and nerves not the organs.

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    Step Five – Sometimes patients will need Imaging to help us understand if there is an associated cause of the pelvic nerve and muscle pain and dysfunction found on exam.

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    Step Six – Oftentimes, treatment can be started the same day as there is no down time. Our patients have been suffering with pelvic pain symptoms for 6+ months. We like to get them on the road to feeling better as soon as we can as the longer the symptoms are present the harder it is for us to resolve them.

PCOS Treatment

It is important to understand that PCOS does not have a cure, but once a proper diagnosis has been given, we offer a proprietary office-based procedure to treat any underlying pelvic floor dysfunction and pelvic pain symptoms that may be associated with PCOS. This treatment consists of a series of pelvic nerve and muscle treatments to directly target the spastic pelvic floor muscles, inflammation in the pelvis, and nerve pain. PCOS patients will be educated about lifestyle modifications such as diet, exercise, and sleep aimed at helping to control the hormonal and metabolic imbalances. Depending on the symptoms that you are experiencing due to PCOS, other modalities may be needed in addition to our treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no cure for PCOS, but our treatment directly targets inflammation in the pelvis and nerve pain that can be caused by PCOS. Because of the pain associated with PCOS and the unknown factor of cause, it can lead to other conditions affecting the pelvic region. Because of all the tension and stress held in that area, it can lead to chronic pelvic pain syndrome or pelvic floor muscle dysfunction.

If the pain is left unaddressed these pelvic floor conditions can ultimately affect multiple other muscular-skeletal, gastrointestinal, colorectal, urogynecology, and other bodily systems.

We recommend scheduling an appointment with one of our pelvic pain specialists if you have been experiencing any pelvic floor conditions such as urinary frequency and urgency, pain with bowel movement, or pain with intercourse.

Both PCOS and Endometriosis can cause pelvic pain, difficulty getting pregnant, and heavy bleeding. The symptoms of either PCOS and Endometriosis can be subtle, and subsequently, often misdiagnosed. It is possible to have either PCOS or Endometriosis and not have any symptoms at all. Both conditions are common – with Endometriosis prevalence of 10-15% and PCOS prevalence of 5-20%. Both PCOS and Endometriosis are associated with a family history of the condition.

Yes, it is possible to have both underlying conditions. Studies have shown that women with PCOS are more likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis.

Next, we’ll conduct a full pelvic exam. Externally, we will look at your hips, abdomen, and posterior sacrum. Internally, we will evaluate the nerves and the muscles within the pelvic area. This full exam is necessary , as it will help our pelvic pain specialists understand the connection between your symptoms, and your nerve and muscle pain and dysfunction. There is no speculum, so the exam is gentle and more comfortable than that of, for example, gynecological exams you may have experienced in the past.

We will discuss our findings with you and come up with a comprehensive treatment plan TOGETHER. We want you to know that your pain is validated and that we are here to work with you on getting you back to the life you deserve.

Unfortunately, PCOS is a chronic condition with no cure. With the PRM Protocol, PCOS patients can experience increased pelvic function and decreased pain.
After the PRM Protocol, 88% of patients stated they missed 0 days of work due to their pelvic pain in the last 3 months.
After the PRM Protocol, 75% of patients stated their pelvic pain symptoms affected them 0 Hours per week while at work.
After the PRM Protocol, 96% of patients did not need to go to the ER for their pelvic pain in the past 3 months.
75% of our patients note a statistically significant improvement in pain and function.

You’ll meet with one of our pelvic pain specialists, who focuses solely on pelvic pain. We’ll start by reviewing your full health history, including a discussion of your symptoms. This will help us to understand what you’ve been experiencing, so we can work to identify the source of your pain.
Next, we’ll conduct a full pelvic exam. Externally, we will look at your hips, abdomen, and posterior sacrum. Internally, we will evaluate the nerves and the muscles within the pelvic area. This full exam is necessary, as it will help our pelvic pain specialists understand the connection between your symptoms, and your nerve and muscle pain and dysfunction. There is no speculum, so the exam is gentle and more comfortable than that of, for example, gynecological exams you may have experienced in the past.

Experience Freedom from PCOS.