What is pudendal neuralgia?
Pudendal neuralgia is a painful disorder of the pudendal nerve due to damage and/or loss of function in this nerve.
Cause
Pudendal neuralgia can have many causes, the most common being damage as a result of pelvic surgery and shingles.
Signs and symptoms
The symptoms in pudendal neuralgia usually consist of a unpleasant painful sensations in the genitals and are brought on by sitting. Patients complain of a severe burning and stabbing pain.
How is pudendal neuralgia diagnosed?
The diagnosis can be made based on the symptoms and by exclusion of other causes. A neurological examination must always take place.
Do I need additional examinations?
- Diagnostic examination for other non-physical factors important for your pain, have already been done by yourself trough filling out your pain questionnaires.
- EMG.
- A diagnostic test block of this nerve can confirm the diagnosis.
What are my treatment possibilities?
Multidisciplinary Treatment
Depending on the cause of your pain, your pain specialist will decide whether or not to embark on physical treatment. Based on the results of the completed pain questionnaire, additional examinations can be carried out and, apart from physical treatment, other methods of treatment will be suggested.
Non-physical Treatments
If the results of your pain questionnaire are abnormal, your pain specialist will offer you one of the non-physical treatments listed below:
- Psychological Treatment
- Depression Treatment
- Cognitive-Behavioural Treatment
- Rehabilitation Treatment
Physical Treatments
Medication
Interventional Pain Treatments
- Local infiltration of the nerve
- PRF treatment of the nerve
- Sacral nerve stimulation (treatment by a urologist)