Prevalence of pelvic floor symptoms among Veteran and civilian women participating in a chronic pain program

LAY SUMMARY Pelvic floor dysfunction is not well known. Some common symptoms are pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, difficulty emptying the bowels, and painful intercourse. Because these symptoms could contribute to chronic pain, the authors examined the frequency of pelvic floor symptoms among women Veterans and civilians participating in a chronic pain program. Results showed that many patients had symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, yet few were medically diagnosed with this condition. These findings suggest that symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction should be included in the assessment of patients with chronic pain. Introduction: Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is expressed as many different pelvic floor symptoms (PFS), including pain. Chronic pain and PFD can affect quality of life. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of PFS among Veteran and civilian women participating in an intensive five-week program for the management of chronic pain. A secondary objective was to compare the frequency of PFS between the two samples because research with the Canadian women Veteran population is limited. Methods: This is a descriptive retrospective study. Initial medical reports and physiotherapy assessments were reviewed. Data were extracted from the medical charts of participants who entered the virtual and in-person programs between January 2021 and December 2023. Results: Fifty charts were reviewed. Only two of the 50 participants were given a PFD diagnosis. Half of the participants self-reported four or more PFS. Stress urinary incontinence and history of hysterectomy were more frequently reported among the Veteran population. Discussion: Multiple PFS were reported by women being treated for chronic pain; however, only a small number were medically diagnosed with PFD. Civilian and Veteran women with chronic pain should be screened for PFD.