Neuroscience Education to Help You Understand Pelvic Pain and Treat it Using Healthy Lifestyle Changes You Can Do Today Pain is a normal human experience and is a powerful motivator that encourages us to stop, pay attention, and take care of a problem. However, living in pain is not normal. Pain―particularly pelvic pain―can be frustrating, scary and exhausting. If you are experiencing pelvic pain, this book will help you weave through the stigma and complexities of chronic pain to discover what’s causing your pain and start your journey to recovery. The more you know about pain, the better off you’ll be. Written by a pain neuroscience expert and pelvic pain specialists, this book teaches you the truth about your chronic pelvic pain: what it is, how the brain and nervous system collaborate to create pain, and how you can finally find relief. In Why Pelvic Pain Hurts: Neuroscience Education for Patients with Pelvic Pain you’ll learn: What the different types of pelvic pain are - How the brain processes pain - How your body’s alarm system works - What can cause nerves to be extra sensitive and how that makes your body’s alarm system extra sensitive - How prolonged pain can cause symptoms like mood swings, appetite changes, fatigue, stomach sensitivity and more - What makes pelvic pain particularly stressful - Lifestyle changes that can help treat pain including knowledge, breathing and relaxation, pelvic floor exercises, sleep and more - How to set realistic goals and safely and effectively move towards them Pelvic pain has orthopedic, gynecological, gastrointestinal, urological and neuropathic considerations, but these specialties all have one thing in common―the pain system. Since the issue is pelvic pain, you need to understand how pain works. This book will provide you with the education and tools to move better, function better, experience less pain and have an increased ability and interest in healthy exercise and movement. Written by Adriaan Louw, PT, PhD; Sandra Hilton, PT, DPT, MS; and Carolyn Vandyken, PT, Cred MDT, CCMA (acup). Illustrated. Softcover; 72 pages. Published On: 2023-10-09 Many people suffer from pelvic pain, but it's drastically underreported. Factors like shame, privacy concerns, fear of the unknown and a staggering lack of integrated medical and rehabilitative services often leave people without the answers they need. Pelvic pain has orthopedic, gynecological, gastrointestinal, urological and neuropathic considerations, but these specialties all have one thing in common―the pain system. Since the issue is pelvic pain, you need to understand how pain works. Research shows that the more you know about pain, the better off you'll be. We now know that the nervous system and brain are more likely the source of chronic pain than are injured tissues. This book was written to tach you the truth about pelvic pain: what it is, how the brain and nervous system create pain, and how you can find relief. With pelvic pain you need to treat the whole person, not just the tissues. That treatment begins here, understanding the science of the nerves. Adriaan Louw, PT, PhD Physical therapist, neuroscience researcher and author, Dr. Adriaan Louw has been teaching throughout the US and internationally since 1996. He has authored and co-authored numerous articles, books and book chapters related to spinal disorders and pain science. Sandra Hilton, PT, DPT, MS Practicing since 1988, Dr. Sandra Hilton focuses on treatment of persistent pain with an emphasis on pelvic rehabilitation, and she teaches Professional and Community Education classes on returning to function following back and pelvic pain. Carolyn Vandyken, PT, Cred MDT, CCMA (acup) 29-year clinical physiotherapist, pelvic pain researcher and instructor, Carolyn Vandyken has been teaching throughout Canada, the US and internationally since 2009. She has co-authored several articles and book chapters related to pelvic pain and pain science education. Nerves work like an alarm system. At all times, nerves have a small amount of electricity traveling through them. This is normal and shows you’re alive. The nerves’ activity increases or decreases depending on many factors in your life, such as stress, movement, and temperature. Written by Adriaan Louw, Sandra Hilton and Carolyn Vandyken Explains the complexities of chronic pelvic pain Teaches readers what chronic pelvic pain is Provides tools to help readers find relief Illustrated; Paperback, 70 pages