Practical pelvic pain neuroscience for GPs
Webinar 5 Mar, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (AEDT)
In this session we’ll take a practical, GP-friendly look at pelvic pain neuroscience — making the complex more understandable. We’ll explore how pelvic pain is multifactorial, and why we can rarely quantify how much is attributable to endometriosis itself versus pelvic floor muscle tension, sensitisation, overlapping pain states (pain begets pain), sleep or mood disturbance. Everything matters because pain is a whole system-generated experience — you simply can’t have pain without a brain interpreting threat.
Using a case study, we will explore some helpful target concepts. We will take a look at the tissue element of endometriosis, but also look at it in a much broader, more complex, emergent way. We’ll map the unique features of pelvic pain, including neural crosstalk, and how protective bracing of the pelvic floor can amplify symptoms even after tissue drivers have settled. The focus throughout is practicality: communication skills, reframing pain safely, and building patient confidence through neuroplastic change and whole-person interventions.
Learning outcomes
- Describe the multifactorial nature of pelvic pain.
- Apply practical communication and clinical skills to support patient confidence and neuroplastic change using a case-based approach.
Educational Activities
1.5
hours
Presenter
Dr Adele Stewart
Chair, RACGP Specific Interests Pain Management and Accredited Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Teacher
Dr Adele Stewart MBBS FRACGP has been a GP for over 30 years in the Illawarra. Adele has gained Recognition of Extended Skills in Psychological Medicine for Fellows of the RACGP. Her special interests include pain neuroscience, complex trauma, mindfulness and chronic pelvic pain. Adele is a certified Mindfulness Teacher and has co-created a successful mindfulness programme for patients experiencing chronic pain “Pain to Peace”.