Electroacupuncture for Refractory Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Case Report with 24-Month Follow-Up

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a common condition involving multiple systems, characterized by complex manifestations and diverse clinical symptoms. The current treatment options for CPP are limited and may be only effective for some patients with identifiable etiologies. This paper aims to report a woman with refractory CPP who experienced significant improvement in pain and quality of life following electroacupuncture (EA) treatment. Case Summary: A 28-year-old woman experienced abdominal pain (Numeric Rating Scale [NRS] score of 6–7) after a medical abortion and intense exercise. Despite treatment with leuprolide acetate and pregabalin, her pain persisted (NRS score of 7–8). In January 2022, she was diagnosed with CPP and underwent superior hypogastric plexus neurolysis. Postoperatively, she experienced severe pain exacerbation (NRS score of 10). Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture provided little relief. After 40 sessions of EA treatment, the patient experienced significant relief in pain (from 10 to 2 in the worst NRS score and from 8 to 1 in the average NRS score), and there was also notable improvements in her quality of life and overall health status (from 0.331 to 0.942 in five-level EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire [EQ-5D-5L] index and from 20 to 80 in the EQ visual analogue scale [EQ VAS]). Conclusion: EA may be a complementary and alternative therapy for CPP women, particularly when other treatments failed. Additionally, EA may offer potential long-term relief for CPP patients.