Pain
Male pelvic pain is more common than you think. It can affect anywhere from 3 to 10 percent of men during their lifetime.
Conditions that can cause pelvic pain:
- Prostate enlargement
- Nerve entrapment
- Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland, in which prostate can feel sore and irritated. This can be bacterial or non-bacterial.
- Coccydynia is pain and tenderness around the tail bone/coccyx that can be aggravated with sitting. In most cases this is due to abnormal movement of the tailbone such as instability or stiffness. Conservative intervention such as physiotherapy is the gold standard for Coccydynia treatment.
- Overactive pelvic floor muscles can also cause pain, similar to a knot if your thigh. This may make it difficult for you to relax these muscles to go to the toilet.
Risk factors for pelvic pain include:
- History of lower urinary tract disorders or sexually transmitted diseases
- Acute prostatitis
- Excessive loading of the abdominal muscles e.g. abdominal crunches, heavy lifting
- Constipation
- Cyclists
- Stress
Symptoms of pelvic pain can include:
- Dysuria (painful urination)
- Constipation
- Urgency
- Frequent and painful urination
- Painful ejaculation
- Lower back pain
- Tail bone pain
- Perineal pain which is pain at the base of the scrotum and penis
Management of pelvic pain includes:
- A thorough assessment of the condition, medical history and current health, including diet and fluid intake, exercise levels and mobility, all the medicines you are currently taking, and any other factors that could affect bladder, bowel and erectile function
- Physical assessment of the pelvic floor function, strength and endurance
- Musculoskeletal assessment of your pelvis, lower limbs and trunk
- Rehabilitation which may include pelvic floor muscle relaxation exercises, soft tissue release and trigger point therapy, erectile dysfunction information, changes to lifestyle and bladder habits, void retraining and pain management.
