Education in Patients With Persistent Pelvic Pain

Educational Program Interventions for Patients Suffering From Persistent Pelvic Pain and Their Effects Over Pain and Functionality. A Multi-centered Randomized Clinical Trial.

Patients suffering pelvic persistent pain deal with significant pain that affects their quality of life. Often, conservative treatment interventions are scarce for these patients and are therefore not considered. Education has been developed as a relevant tool in the treatment of patients who suffer from chronic pain or any other pain processing alterations, and has the potential to become a powerfull treatment alternative.

In this intervention, the effects of implementing educational programs in patients suffering from pelvic persistent pain will be assessed. Patients with pelvic persistent pain have both problems directly related with their pain and other issues that appear derived from suffering pain over a determined period, such as alterations in the sexuality or overall quality of life. Facing these patients is a challenge for professionals, and many can't find the treatment that properly fits the patient's clinical presentation. Education, and educating patients on their problem, is an exponentially growing alternative used in Physical Therapy involving patients who suffer from a dysfunctional pain, chronic pain, or any kind of pain presentation that affects the patient's well-being. This study will assess firstly if the implementation of a pain-related education program is relevant in the treatment of pelvic persistent pain, and will further observe which modality (presential workshops or online-accessed material) is the most effective involving adherence and improvement.

Due to the nature of the intervention, participants can't be blinded to allocation, but are strongly inculcated not to disclose the allocation their status at the follow up assessments. Care providers will be different from outcome assessors and will be both blinded by an external investigator.

This group will attend face-to-face workshops were the educational program will be developed. These workshops will be available in several sites, and specific care providers will be assigned for each of these sites.

This group will be granted online access to a platform were the educational program will be uploaded. They will be given autonomy regarding when to enter the platform and view the content.

Pain intensity assessment instrument. Minimum value 0, maximum value 10. Higher scores mean worse outcome

Pain intensity assessment instrument. Minimum value 0, maximum value 10. Higher scores mean worse outcome

Instrument developed quantify an individual's pain experience. Minimum value 0, maximum value 52. Higher scores mean worse outcome

Instrument to understand the pain-related beliefs of your chronic pain patients. Minimum value 0, maximum value 285. Higher scores mean better results

Inventory designed to assess female sexual function. Minimum value 2, maximum value 36. Higher scores mean better functioning

Inclusion Criteria: Patients over 18 years-old suffering from dyspareunia for more than 3 months Exclusion Criteria: Patients suffering from a previous medical condition that explains logically the presence of pain