What lifestyle modifications should I recommend to patients suffering from chronic pelvic pain syndrome?

Lifestyle modifications recommended for patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) include:

• Encourage physical activity and supervised exercise programmes, such as yoga or pelvic floor muscle training, which may help improve symptoms related to pelvic floor dysfunction and chronic pain.
• Advise on weight management for patients with a BMI over 30 kg/m², as weight loss can improve symptoms associated with pelvic floor dysfunction, including urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.
• Promote a balanced diet and appropriate fluid intake to improve stool consistency and reduce constipation, which can exacerbate pelvic pain.
• Recommend reducing caffeine intake and modifying fluid intake if overactive bladder or urinary incontinence symptoms are present.
• Provide education and reassurance about the chronic nature of CPPS, emphasizing symptom control and self-management strategies rather than immediate cure.
• Encourage participation in structured self-management programmes and use of self-help resources to support coping and symptom management.
• Address psychosocial factors such as stress and depression through counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy, as these can influence symptom severity.

These lifestyle modifications should be part of a multimodal treatment approach tailored to the patient's symptom profile and preferences.

References: ¹,²,³,⁴