Frequency and Distribution of Multiple Diagnoses in Chronic Pelvic Pain Related to Previous Abuse or Drug-Seeking Behavior

Bradford W. Fenton, Christopher Durner, James Fanning
In: Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation · 2008 · vol. 65(4) , pp. 247–251 · doi:10.1159/000113048 · PMID:18196907 · W1964117827
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 6 in-corpus citations
View on OpenAlex View on PubMed View at publisher
⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This study found that chronic pelvic pain patients frequently have multiple diagnoses, with abuse history correlating to higher non-gynecologic pain scores and multiple diagnoses, unlike drug-seeking behavior.

One-sentence paraphrase of the abstract; not a substitute for reading it. No clinical advice. How this works

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to describe the nature and number of pain diagnoses in a chronic pelvic pain population, and to determine the relationship between these and a patient's history of abuse, drug-seeking behavior, or initial symptom scores. METHODS: 175 consecutive patients were evaluated at the Summa Chronic Pelvic Pain Center and assigned diagnoses. These diagnoses included gynecologic pain, interstitial cystitis (IC), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), pelvic floor tension myalgia, abdominal wall myalgia, and vulvodynia. The diagnosis of drug seeking was based upon a patient's refusal of non-narcotic management. RESULTS: Multiple diagnoses were common, occurring in 58% of all patients, and in up to 96% of those diagnosed with non-gynecologic pain. A history of abuse was present in 55% of all patients. Drug seeking was diagnosed in 13% of all patients. Significantly elevated IC, IBS, and myalgia scores were associated with previous abuse and multiple pain diagnoses. CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic pelvic pain frequently have multiple pain diagnoses, and non-gynecologic pain in particular is common. Multiple pain diagnoses and a history of abuse have similar symptom patterns, suggesting a relationship which can be used to distinguish these patients from those with drug-seeking behavior.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Condition tags

chronic_pelvic_paininterstitial_cystitisirritable_bowel_syndrome

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (14)

Cited by (6)

Source provenance

openalex
last seen: 2026-06-10T17:14:06.276822+00:00
unpaywall
last seen: 2026-06-02T02:00:03.124865+00:00
License: CC0 · commercial use OK