Sex Shouldn’t Hurt…And Neither Should Sitting: A Guide to Pelvic Pain
Untangling Pelvic Pain: Understanding Chronic Pain Syndromes and the Path to Real Relief
At Everbloom Pelvic Health, we see a common thread among many of the women we serve: persistent pain with no clear answers. Maybe it’s sharp, burning discomfort during intimacy. Maybe it’s a dull ache deep in your pelvis that flares with your cycle, or pain that seems to radiate into your low back, hips, or even thighs. Often, these symptoms are brushed off, misdiagnosed, or normalized as “just part of being a woman.”
But chronic pelvic pain is never just in your head, and you deserve more than a vague answer or a prescription for birth control. Let’s explore the most common pelvic pain syndromes, why they’re often misunderstood, and how pelvic floor therapy can help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
What Is Chronic Pelvic Pain?
Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is any pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis that lasts six months or longer. It can be constant or come and go. While it’s incredibly common, it’s also incredibly complex because pelvic pain isn’t always tied to one clear diagnosis.
In fact, multiple systems are often involved: musculoskeletal, gynecological, gastrointestinal, urological, and even nervous system regulation. That’s why healing pelvic pain requires a holistic, whole-body approach.
Common Pelvic Pain Syndromes We Treat at Everbloom
Here are some of the most common diagnoses and symptom patterns we see and support:
1. Dyspareunia (Painful Intercourse)
Dyspareunia can feel like sharp pain at the vaginal opening, deep aching during thrusting, or soreness after intimacy. It may be related to muscle tension, hormonal shifts (especially postpartum or postpartum), scarring, or emotional trauma.
Pelvic floor therapy helps by identifying muscular, fascial, or postural contributors and addressing them gently, through hands-on manual work, breathwork, and nervous system support.
2. Vulvodynia
This refers to chronic pain in the vulva that isn’t linked to a specific infection or cause. It may feel like burning, stinging, rawness, or irritation, and can make daily activities like sitting, wearing tight clothing, or using tampons unbearable.
Because vulvodynia is often a “diagnosis of exclusion,” it’s frequently overlooked. But pelvic floor therapy can offer relief through gentle desensitization work, muscle re-education, and whole-body nervous system regulation.
3. Endometriosis
Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, often causing intense period pain, painful sex, bloating, digestive issues, and chronic pelvic pain. While pelvic floor therapy cannot treat endo directly, it is a powerful tool for managing secondary muscle tension, improving mobility, and restoring function in the presence of chronic inflammation and pain.
4. Pelvic Floor Hypertonicity (Tightness)
Not all pelvic floor dysfunction is about weakness. In fact, many women have overactive or “too tight” pelvic floors. This tension can create pain during intercourse, chronic constipation, urinary urgency, tailbone pain, and even low back pain.
This one hits close to home: After the birth of my second child, I developed persistent low back pain. I was convinced it was from poor epidural placement until a fellow pelvic floor therapist evaluated me and found tightness and asymmetry in my pelvic floor. After just one release session, I felt as good as new. Even as a pelvic floor OT myself, I hadn’t connected the dots… which is why it’s always valuable to have a second set of eyes (and hands) on your body.
Other Related Diagnoses We See
Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome
Coccyx (Tailbone) Pain
Sciatica from Pelvic Origin
Abdominal Wall Pain (such as nerve entrapment)
Why Traditional Medical Approaches Often Miss the Mark
Many pelvic pain syndromes fall through the cracks of our medical system. Imaging might come back normal. You’re told your labs are fine. Providers may suggest “relaxing more,” or worse; recommend surgery without addressing the whole picture.
At Everbloom Pelvic Health, we take a different approach. We don’t just look at isolated body parts. We listen to your full story, assess how your pelvic floor works with the rest of your body, and address pain from multiple angles.
What Pelvic Floor Therapy Looks Like at Everbloom
Pelvic floor therapy is more than just kegels or internal work. Here’s how we help:
90 Minute Comprehensive Assessment: We look at posture, breath, abdominal tension, hip mobility, and of course, your pelvic floor.
Manual Therapy: Gentle, hands-on techniques to release tension and improve tissue mobility (internally or externally).
Visceral Work: Addressing tension or restriction around the bladder, uterus, and other organs that may contribute to pain.
Movement-Based Care: Rebuilding your connection to movement, breath, and function through customized exercises.
Nervous System Regulation: Calming overactive systems that may be amplifying pain.
All of this is done in a cozy, private setting where you are in charge of your body, your care, and your healing.
You Are Not Alone, and You Are Not Broken
Chronic pain can make you feel isolated, misunderstood, or even hopeless. But your pain is valid. Your body is not broken. And there are tools that can help.
Whether you’ve been struggling with pelvic pain for years or just started noticing discomfort after childbirth, you deserve answers and compassionate support.
Get Started with Everbloom Pelvic Health
Everbloom Pelvic Health is proud to serve Sanford, NC and the surrounding Sandhills region including Pittsboro, Carthage, Southern Pines, and beyond. As the area’s only pelvic floor occupational therapy clinic, we specialize in hands-on, whole-person care.
Not sure if your symptoms are “bad enough”? We offer free 15-minute virtual consultations so we can talk through what you’re experiencing and help you determine your next steps.
Let’s get to the root of your pain, and help you reconnect to your body, your strength, and your wholeness.
Book your pelvic health assessment HERE, today
