Chronic pelvic pain, lasting more than six months, affects one in six women and one in ten men.

The pain can vary widely in severity and may be influenced by factors such as the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, sexual activity, bowel movements, urination, body movement, or other pain or illness in the body.

While certain diseases and structural abnormalities can cause this condition in some cases, in many instances these abnormalities are not responsible for the pain. This may explain why laparoscopic surgery provides complete pain relief for fewer than half of female patients.

If medical evaluations do not identify any disease or injury, or if treatments fail to provide expected improvement, it is likely that the brain plays a role in generating or contributing to the pain or illness. This is called a neuroplastic symptom.