Alison J Huang1,2, Tami S Rowen3, Priscilla Abercrombie4, Leslee L Subak2,3, Michael Schembri2,3, Traci Plaut1,2, Maria T Chao1,5. 1. Department of Medicine. 2. Women's Health Clinical Research Center. 3. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences. 4. Women's Health & Healing, Healdsburg, California, USA. 5. Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To develop a group-based therapeutic yoga program for women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and explore the effects of this program on pain severity, sexual function, and well-being. METHODS: A yoga therapy program for CPP was developed by a multidisciplinary panel of clinicians, researchers, and yoga consultants. Women reporting moderate to severe pelvic pain for at least six months were recruited into a single-arm trial. Participants attended twice weekly group classes focusing on Iyengar-based yoga techniques and were instructed to practice yoga at home an hour a week for six weeks. Participants self-rated the severity of their pelvic pain using daily logs. The impact of participants' pain on everyday activities, emotional well-being, and sexual function was assessed using an Impact of Pelvic Pain (IPP) questionnaire. Sexual function was further assessed using the Sexual Health Outcomes in Women Questionnaire (SHOW-Q). RESULTS: Among the 16 participants (age range = 31-64 years), average ratings of the severity of pain "at its worst," "at its best," and "on average" decreased by 29%, 32%, and 34%, respectively, from start to six weeks (P < 0.05 for all). Women demonstrated improvements in scores on IPP subscales for daily activities (1.8 ± 0.7 to 0.9 ± 0.7, P < 0.001), emotional well-being (1.7 ± 0.9 to 0.9 ± 0.7, P = 0.005), and sexual function (1.9 ± 1.1 to 1.0 ± 0.9, P = 0.04). Scores on the SHOW-Q "pelvic problem interference" scale also improved over six weeks (53 ± 23 to 27 ± 23, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide preliminary evidence of the feasibility of teaching women with CPP to practice yoga to self-manage pain and improve quality of life and sexual function.
OBJECTIVE: To develop a group-based therapeutic yoga program for women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and explore the effects of this program on pain severity, sexual function, and well-being. METHODS: A yoga therapy program for CPP was developed by a multidisciplinary panel of clinicians, researchers, and yoga consultants. Women reporting moderate to severe pelvic pain for at least six months were recruited into a single-arm trial. Participants attended twice weekly group classes focusing on Iyengar-based yoga techniques and were instructed to practice yoga at home an hour a week for six weeks. Participants self-rated the severity of their pelvic pain using daily logs. The impact of participants' pain on everyday activities, emotional well-being, and sexual function was assessed using an Impact of Pelvic Pain (IPP) questionnaire. Sexual function was further assessed using the Sexual Health Outcomes in Women Questionnaire (SHOW-Q). RESULTS: Among the 16 participants (age range = 31-64 years), average ratings of the severity of pain "at its worst," "at its best," and "on average" decreased by 29%, 32%, and 34%, respectively, from start to six weeks (P < 0.05 for all). Women demonstrated improvements in scores on IPP subscales for daily activities (1.8 ± 0.7 to 0.9 ± 0.7, P < 0.001), emotional well-being (1.7 ± 0.9 to 0.9 ± 0.7, P = 0.005), and sexual function (1.9 ± 1.1 to 1.0 ± 0.9, P = 0.04). Scores on the SHOW-Q "pelvic problem interference" scale also improved over six weeks (53 ± 23 to 27 ± 23, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide preliminary evidence of the feasibility of teaching women with CPP to practice yoga to self-manage pain and improve quality of life and sexual function.
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