Pelvic floor muscles can be the source of pelvic pain problems. Since men have pelvic floor muscles, these muscles can be the reason why you are suffering from pain in the pelvic area.
Typically, pain will be described in different parts of the pelvis: penis, testicles, area between anus and testicles, anus, groins. The pain may be aching, stabbing, tense, tight or any number of different descriptions. The problem may also cause urinary frequency and irritation making you feel like going to the toilet.
We tend to call this pain “chronic pelvic pain syndrome”. Chronic refers to pain that has been present for several months and won’t go away. If the pain was managed well in the first place, it wouldn’t need to become “chronic”. We sadly see some men who have been suffering for years without knowing where to turn. It is important to see a Doctor who will do tests and find any infection or any obvious medical source of pain. You may be referred to a Urologist. Hopefully you will be recommended to see a Physiotherapist trained in treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction.
Men ask why do the muscles start causing pain? Sometimes the muscles become tense in response to a painful infection. Once the infection is clear, the pain continues because the pain is now in tense muscles that don’t know how to let go. Or a major stress in life might be enough to trigger the muscles into a state of tension and pain. Just like neck and shoulder muscles for example, the pelvic floor responds to stress, in some people, by becoming tight and uncomfortable.
There is also a condition known as “pudendal neuralgia”. This is pain relating to a problem with a particular nerve called the “pudendal nerve”. There is a typical pattern to pain whereby the pain is worse sitting, relieved by standing and does not wake you at night. It may be on one side or both sides. It could become irritated by trauma from surgery for example or it can even by irritated by tension from tight pelvic floor muscles.
Whatever the nature or cause of your pelvic pain, we can help you to understand and find management strategies.
