Hypnosis for Chronic Pelvic Pain and Other Urogenital Pain Syndromes in Women: A Narrative Review

Chronic Pelvic Pain (CPP) is a complex and often debilitating condition that significantly impacts quality of life. Its diverse symptoms and intricate biological and psychological mechanisms highlight why multimodal and multidisciplinary approaches are widely recommended for CPP management. Hypnotherapy is an underutilized treatment for patients with CPP, despite widespread dissatisfaction with pharmacological options. Though research on psychological approaches has had mixed results, there's emerging evidence that hypnosis may be effective. A few case studies and controlled trials have shown its potential to not only modulate pelvic pain but also help restore a patient's overall quality of life, including hedonic functions like sexual pleasure. This review explores the available research on hypnotherapy for various urogenital pain syndromes. While preliminary findings are promising, they are limited by the lack of standardized interventions and the heterogeneity of the studies. More research is needed, specifically in the form of well-designed randomized controlled trials using validated measures for pain, sexual satisfaction, and quality of life.