Pudendal Neuralgia Treatment in India

Olivia Brown, a 42-year-old elementary school...

Olivia Brown, a 42-year-old elementary school teacher and mother of two, had been suffering for three years. Her symptoms began after a difficult childbirth, starting as occasional pelvic discomfort that gradually worsened into a constant, burning pain in her perineum and vulva. Sitting for more than 15 minutes became excruciating, forcing her to use a special donut cushion in class. She saw multiple gynecologists and a pain specialist, trying physical therapy, nerve medications, and even a laparoscopic surgery for suspected endometriosis, all with no relief. She felt dismissed and began to believe the pain was 'all in her head,' leading to anxiety and depression. Her neurologist, Dr. Chen, recognized the classic signs of pudendal neuralgia, pain aggravated by sitting and relieved by standing, with a normal MRI. He recommended a diagnostic pudendal nerve block to confirm the source. Olivia was terrified but desperate. The procedure, guided by ultrasound, involved a precise injection of anesthetic near the nerve. The immediate, profound relief of her pain during the diagnostic block was the first validation she'd felt in years. It confirmed the diagnosis. She later underwent a series of therapeutic nerve blocks with corticosteroid. Post-procedure, she experienced significant relief, with pain levels dropping from a constant 8/10 to a manageable 2-3/10. She could sit through a parent-teacher conference again. Emotionally, she moved from a place of hopeless isolation and self-doubt to one of validation and cautious optimism. While she still manages some chronic discomfort, the diagnosis and effective treatment gave her her life and identity back.