Relating Chronic Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis to Signs of Sensitization and Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction

Jacqueline V Aredo, Katrina Heyrana, Katrina J Heyrana, Barbara I Karp, Jay Shah, Jay P Shah, Pamela Stratton
Seminars in reproductive medicine · 2017 · vol. 35(01) , pp. 088–097 · doi:10.1055/s-0036-1597123 · PMID:28049214 · W2567532748
review OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 140 in-corpus citations
View on OpenAlex View on PubMed View at publisher

Abstract

Chronic pelvic pain is a frustrating symptom for patients with endometriosis and is frequently refractory to hormonal and surgical management. While these therapies target ectopic endometrial lesions, they do not directly address pain due to central sensitization of the nervous system and myofascial dysfunction, which can continue to generate pain from myofascial trigger points even after traditional treatments are optimized. This article provides a background for understanding how endometriosis facilitates remodeling of neural networks, contributing to sensitization and generation of myofascial trigger points. A framework for evaluating such sensitization and myofascial trigger points in a clinical setting is presented. Treatments that specifically address myofascial pain secondary to spontaneously painful myofascial trigger points and their putative mechanisms of action are also reviewed, including physical therapy, dry needling, anesthetic injections, and botulinum toxin injections.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Condition tags

mesh:D004715mesh:D017699endometriosischronic_pelvic_pain

MeSH descriptors

Central Nervous System Sensitization Chronic Pain Endometriosis Myofascial Pain Syndromes Pelvic Pain Analgesics Analgesics Anesthetics Anesthetics Botulinum Toxins Botulinum Toxins Chronic Pain Chronic Pain Chronic Pain Chronic Pain Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female

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 (62)

Cited by (50)

Source provenance

europepmc
last seen: 2026-06-04T01:30:01.192114+00:00
openalex
last seen: 2026-06-04T00:00:01.174412+00:00
pubmed
last seen: 2026-05-13T22:20:37.704673+00:00
License: CC0 · commercial use OK