Program to Overcome Pelvic Pain With Yoga

Inclusion criteria

• Women aged 21 years or older who report difficulties with pelvic or genital pain for at least 6 months
• Report that their chronic pelvic or genital pain has had an adverse effect on their interest in or ability to enjoy sexual activity
• Report an eligible average daily pain intensity score after completion of a Daily Pain Log for one week prior to baseline
• Have an established primary care or gynecologic healthcare provider (to facilitate medical follow-up of any health issues detected incidentally in the study or adverse events that develop during the study)
• Report prior clinical evaluation of their pelvic or genital pain by a health care professional including at least a superficial pelvic exam
• Willing to refrain from initiating other new clinical treatments that may affect their pelvic or genital pain during the study period (6 weeks)

Exclusion criteria

• Participation in organized yoga classes in the past 1 month, or any prior yoga therapy directed specifically at pelvic or genital pain (regardless of timing)
• Currently pregnant (by self-report or screening test), pregnant within the past 6 months, planning pregnancy during the study, or unwilling to use contraception (if not postmenopausal) during the study
• Diagnosed with an alternate cause of pain that is unlikely to respond to yoga and requires another treatment modality, such as pelvic infection or a gynecologic dermatosis
• Surgery to the vulva, vagina, cervix, or pelvic organs within 6 months of screening, or any prior history of cancer or irradiation to these structures
• Initiation of or dose escalation of pharmacologic agents that may affect pelvic or genital pain in the past 1 month (e.g., antidepressants, anticonvulsants, anxiolytics)-women on stable dose for >1 month are eligible
• Use of formal psychological therapies specifically for pelvic or genital pain (e.g., systematic desensitization, sex therapy, cognitive therapy, relaxation therapy) within 1 month of screening
• Use of formal behavioral therapies for pelvic or genital pain (e.g., pelvic floor rehabilitation or biofeedback performed by a certified healthcare practitioner) within 1 month of screening
• Unable to walk up a flight of stairs or at least 2 blocks on level ground (i.e., functional capacity < 4 METs), or unable to get up from a supine to a standing position without assistance in <10 seconds
• Currently involved in a malpractice suit or other litigation specifically related to pelvic or genital pain
• Participation in another interventional study that might interfere with or confound study procedures, inability to sign an informed consent or fill out questionnaires, or conflict with available yoga class dates