• Are you continuing to struggle with pelvic pain even after trying IC treatments?
  • Are you getting worse rather than better?
  • Do you wonder if something else could be triggering your bladder and pelvic pain symptoms?

Jill OsborneI am delighted to announce the release of Facing Pelvic Pain: A Guide For Patients and Their Families, a patient education book that provides hope for people who have struggled to find the causes of and relief from their pelvic pain. From endometriosis to testicular pain, bladder pain (IC/BPS) to pain with intimacy, it features leading specialists in urology, gynecology, gastroenterology, orthopedics, physical therapy, psychology, and neurology who discuss the many potential causes of pelvic pain. The book is currently free in the Amazon.com Kindle Unlimited program and available in print format for $29.99.

I’ve been waiting for a book like this for years. Why? Because it’s the FIRST to review, in-depth, the many potential causes of bladder and pelvic pain. It also reflects the remarkable diversity found in the IC and pelvic pain patient communities. Some of our members struggle with bladder wall driven symptoms while others have pelvic floor muscle, joint and/or nerve dysfunctions. The reproductive tract and bowel can also play a role. For those patients not responding to IC treatments and/or their bladder appears to be normal, it’s time to look at other structures which could be contributing to their symptoms.

“Many patients are stunned to learn that their bladder, prostate, vaginal or bowel pain can be the result of an injury or trauma to their pelvis. An abnormality in the hips, SI joint, tailbone, knees, or feet can contribute to long-term muscle dysfunction, bladder symptoms and pelvic pain. The book may open new doors worthy of exploration on one’s own and with one’s clinicians.” offered  Dr. Elise De, Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and Urologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. It is beautifully written and essential reading for anyone struggling to find a correct diagnosis and effective treatments.

Facing Pelvic Pain: A Guide For Patients and Their Families is divided into twenty-one chapters that review gynecological, urological, gastrointestinal, neurological, musculoskeletal, rheumatologic, vascular, and bone and ligament problems that can lead to pelvic pain. Each chapter is written by experts in their field and will compassionately guide patients through diagnosis, testing and treatments. It reviews the successful role that pelvic floor physical therapy often plays in the recovery from pelvic pain. Minimally invasive treatments that can reduce nerve pain are explored in depth, as well as medication use.

What makes the book all the more effective is the compassion it provides to patients who are struggling. They will find information on the many ways that pain can be treated and, of course, the anxiety that often accompanies chronic pain.   It explores intimacy and family relationships in depth, as well as how patients can find the best support. Ted Stern M.D., who heads the Facing Series of the MGH Psychiatry Academy, points out: “We have the opportunity to do so much more for our patients than treat the disease. We can guide people on how to maintain and restore quality of life and how to handle the stresses that accompany interruption of health. We’ve done this in Facing Heart Disease, Facing Diabetes, Facing Overweight and Obesity, and many others. Now it is time to help people with the intimate issue of Facing Pelvic Pain.”

I strongly recommend this book to any IC’ers who are struggling to find relief. If you’ve tried bladder therapies for years and have not improved, could your bladder symptoms be the result of something else in your pelvis?  This book provides an extensive diagnostic and treatment list that you can work through on your own and with your physicians to help you unravel the mystery of your pelvic pain. And if you attend my Sunday live support group meetings, you know that I suggest that you read something new about IC or pelvic pain for 15 minutes every day. This book will not only improve your knowledge, it will open many potential new doors. Did your symptoms begin after you fell off a chair lift? Did you have very painful periods? Had a difficult delivery? Played football? Served in the military? Danced ballet or cheer? This connects the dots and I truly believe will help. It’s also free in the Kindle unlimited program. Please check it out!  I promise you this book is a game changer. It was such an honor to write the chapter on IC support.   – Jill H. Osborne, ICN Founder

Publisher: Massachusetts General Hospital (February 2021) – Mass General is the #1 research hospital in America and the only hospital to be recognized across all 16 specialties assessed by U.S. News & World Report.
Pages: 420 pages

How to Purchase

Facing Pelvic Pain is currently available through Amazon.com. It is FREE for Kindle Unlimited members. Paperback editions cost $29.99!

Click here to download or buy Facing Pelvic Pain

 

Watch A Video About The Book

Additional Educational Materials

The Facing Pelvic Pain website you will find a variety of patient tools and materials. Take a moment and check out their treatment map. This will help many patients not only track the treatments that they’ve tried, but also consider other treatments that they may have missed.

About the Editors:

Dr. Elise J.B. De Co-Editor

Associate Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Staff Urologist, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Urology and the Center for Pelvic Floor Disorders
Director of Neurourology Services at Spaulding Rehabilitation Network
Chair, Education Committee, International Continence Society
Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Urology

 

Dr. Theodore A. Stern, Co-Editor

Chief Emeritus, Avery D. Weisman Psychiatry Consultation Service,
Director, Thomas P. Hackett Center for Scholarship in Psychosomatic Medicine,
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts;
Ned H. Cassem Professor of Psychiatry in the field of Psychosomatic Medicine/Consultation, Harvard Medical School