Pelvic, or pudendal, pain can be chronic and very uncomfortable. Medically referred to as pudendal nerve entrapment, or PNE, it has no known cause. The pain is often located in the outer areas of the genitals such as the penis, scrotum, labia or perineum, and can be very difficult to diagnose and treat; however, you have multiple options that may manage your pain. If your efforts to treat the pain are not effective, your doctor may be able to help.
Step 1
Take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium. Take the medication on a regular schedule according to package directions, which is usually every six to 12 hours. If you take it regularly on a preventative basis, it may relieve your discomfort more effectively than if you wait for the pain to return.
Step 2
Apply a topical pain-relieving cream. Look for a cream that contains capsaicin, a pain-relieving chemical naturally present in chili peppers.
Step 3
Apply a hot or cold compress to alleviate the pain.
Step 4
Consult with your family physician or a urologist if over-the-counter treatments fail to relieve the pain. Your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant medication, such as amitriptyline or fluoxetine, which often relieves chronic pain.
Tips and Warnings
- Practice regular relaxation techniques and get adequate sleep; stress and poor sleep can make pain worse. Ask your doctor about surgical options to treat your pudendal pain if the over-the-counter medication treatments have all failed. According to a 2003 paper published in the "American Journal of Roentgenology," CT-guided anesthetic blocks may be injected into the pudendal area to provide longer-lasting pain relief.
Things You'll Need
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen
- Pain-relief cream
- Hot or cold compress
