Chronic pelvic pain sufferers’ experiences of Norwegian psychomotor physiotherapy: a qualitative study on an embodied approach to pain

Abstract

Purpose

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a multifaceted condition, and many women live with CPP without receiving any explanation for their complex symptoms. A multimodal approach including physiotherapy is the recommended treatment. To increase the limited knowledge of what is beneficial in physiotherapy, this article aims to explore women’s experiences of Norwegian psychomotor physiotherapy (NPMP) as treatment for CPP.

Method

This qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews with eight women undergoing CPP. The concept of embodiment underpins the entire research project, and the analysis of the participants’ experiences builds on a phenomenological approach.

Results and conclusion

Three final themes embrace the participants’ experiences of change after NPMP treatment: experiencing their body in new ways, letting go of tension, and understanding their symptoms. Through treatment, the participants moved from keeping bodily sensations at a distance towards increased bodily self-awareness. They realised that their state of tension was linked to their emotional life and stress was revealed as a trigger of bodily reactions they related to their symptoms. Positive bodily sensations were essential for the participants to let signals from their body guide their actions in a change process.

Keywords:

• Chronic pelvic pain
• Norwegian psychomotor physiotherapy
• embodiment
• body awareness
• phenomenology
• stressful life events
• pain
• psychosomatics

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the patients participating in this study and the physiotherapists for recruiting them.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 According to a phenomenological framework empathy concerns our general ability to access the experiences of others by their expressions, expressive behaviour and meaningful actions by Zahavi.

2 The participant referred to a theory presented by Moseley.

3 The participant referred to the book by Van der Kolk.