Cognitive-behavioral therapy, that includes stress management and relaxation techniques, has been used for some time now in order to help patients cope with chronic pain. A new therapy, called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), helps patients process trauma.
The treatment includes having the patient follow a moving object with their eyes while talking about a traumatic event. "The best treatment is to get the brain to light up both sides. You have to activate the side of brain that has stored this terror. That’s a new perspective."
Metzger claims that while some women with chronic pelvic pain get better and bounce back, others resist getting well. Their lives and family relationships are defined by chronic pain. She calls these dysfunctional relationships the "collateral damage" of chronic pelvic pain.
"It’s difficult when husbands have become so attentive and helpful, Metzger says. "The relationship is more relevant than pain relief."
She empathizes with her chronic pelvic pain patients and recommends them to email her when they need any support and to find someone to talk to. "They have been through hell, and they can’t escape from it, like getting away from an abusive husband. They need support."
