THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN AND PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS: AN APPROACH IN PELVIC PHYSIOTHERAPY

Abstract

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a multifactorial condition involving physical, psychological, and social factors, impacting quality of life. This study aimed to analyze the scientific evidence on the relationship between psychosocial factors and CPP in men and women, discussing its implications for pelvic physiotherapy from a biopsychosocial perspective. This is an integrative review with a qualitative approach, conducted in the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and PubMed databases, using descriptors in Portuguese and English combined with the AND operator. Studies from the last 10 years, available in full, with adult populations and addressing the thematic proposal were included. The results showed an association between CPP and factors such as anxiety, depression, catastrophizing, and fear of movement, which influenced the painful experience. Pelvic physiotherapy, especially when associated with multimodal disciplines such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, pain education, and therapeutic exercises, proved effective in reducing pain, improving functionality, and emotional aspects. It is concluded that the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) should be comprehensive and patient-centered, and that further studies on the subject are necessary.