To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of perineal Thiele massage in the treatment of women with dyspareunia caused by tenderness of the pelvic floor muscles. A total of 18 women with diagnoses of dyspareunia caused by tenderness of the pelvic floor muscles were included in the study. The women were divided in two groups: the dyspareunia (D) group - 8 women with dyspareunia caused by tenderness of the pelvic floor muscles; and the chronic pelvic pain group (CPP) group - 10 women with dyspareunia caused by tenderness of the pelvic floor muscles associated with CPP. Each patient filled out the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the McGill Pain Index, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). After an evaluation, the women underwent transvaginal massage using the Thiele technique over a period of 5 minutes, once a week for 4 weeks. All women had significant improvements in their dyspareunia according the VAS and the McGill Pain Index ( < 0,001), but the HADS scores did not show significant differences. Regarding sexual function, the D group showed improvements on all aspects of sexual function, while the CPP group showed differences only in the pain domain. Thiele massage is effective in the treatment of dyspareunia caused by tenderness of the pelvic floor muscles with a long-term pain relief.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a função cognitiva dos idosos e determinar a frequência do déficit cognitivo, estratificando-os por idade, escolaridade, passatempo, relação social, doenças crônicas informadas e depressão. A uma amostra aleatória de 394 idosos com idade igual ou maior que 60 anos do município de Batatais (SP) foi aplicado questionário sobre condições socioeconômicas, saúde e Escala de Depressão Geriátrica (EDG). Para rastrear o déficit cognitivo, foi utilizado o MEEM - Mini-Exame do Estado Mental modificado. Na avaliação do desempenho cognitivo, usou-se ponto de corte 23. Observou-se que 81,7% dos idosos ficaram acima desse ponto e 18,3% ficaram abaixo. Os idosos que tiveram os escores mais elevados foram associados a fatores como idade (60-69 anos), nível de escolaridade, hábito de leitura, boa relação social, principalmente com familiares, e não ter hipertensão arterial, diabete, incontinência urinária, catarata e ou sintomas depressivos. O desempenho cognitivo global dos idosos avaliado pelo instrumento baseado no MEEM revelou que aqueles com escores abaixo do ponto de corte tiveram proporção semelhante à encontrada em outros estudos.

Existing studies were not able to define the best approach for the treatment of BPS/IC. The lack of standardized treatment may be related to the diversity of interventions used; therefore, further studies with better methodological quality are needed.

Evaluation of anthropometric parameters and pain measurements can be applied in clinical practice, making a contribution to the diagnosis and influencing the choice of a more effective treatment for women with CPP.

Background: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is defined as recurrent or continuous pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis, non-menstrual or non-cyclic, lasting at least 6 months. There is strong evidence that up to 85% of patients with CPP have serious dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system, including abdominal myofascial syndrome (AMPS). AMPS is characterized as deep abdominal pain, originating from hyperirritable trigger points, usually located within a musculoskeletal range or its fascia of coating. In the literature, there are few studies that address AMPS. Objective: This study aimed to compare the responses of ashi acupuncture treatment and local anesthetic injection in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain secondary to abdominal myofascial pain syndrome in women. Study Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Setting: Tertiary University Hospital. Methods: Women with a clinical diagnosis of CPP secondary to AMPS were randomized and evaluated using instruments to assess clinical pain, namely, the visual analogue scale (VAS), numerical categorial scale (NCS), and the McGill Questionnaire, after receiving treatment with ashi acupuncture (group A, n = 16) or local anesthetic injections (group B, n = 19). They were reevaluated after one week and one, 3, and 6 months after each treatment, in addition to assessments of pain and adverse events performed during the sessions. Results: Ashi acupuncture and local anesthetic injections were both effective in reducing clinical pain assessed through the analyzed variables among study participants. There was no difference between the groups and there was a strong correlation between these pain assessment instruments. Limitations: The absence of blinding to the different forms of treatment among the patients and the researcher directly involved in the treatment, the absence of a placebo group, the selective exclusion of women with comorbidities and other causes of CPP, and the difference between the number of sessions used for each technique. Conclusion: Treatments with ashi acupuncture and local anesthetic injections were effective in reducing clinical pain in women with abdominal myofascial pain syndrome. Key words: Chronic pelvic pain, abdominal myofascial pain syndrome, trigger points, acupuncture, topical injectable anesthetic