Pain is our body’s way of telling us something is wrong or that we need to protect ourselves. Everyone experiences pain differently, but it is generally described as an uncomfortable feeling. Pain can be anywhere from a slight ache to very strong and intense. It might last for a short time (this is called acute pain) or stick around for a long time (which is called chronic pain).

Pain is controlled by the nervous system, which is a network of nerves and cells that send messages between your brain and body through your spinal cord.

Your spinal cord has five main sections:

Cervical (neck)
Thoracic (middle back)
Lumbar (lower back)
Sacral (pelvis)
Coccygeal (tailbone)

Sometimes, the messages sent between the nerves in your spinal cord and brain get mixed up. This means the brain doesn’t always understand the signals properly, which can lead to long-lasting pain, even when there’s no injury.

For people with chronic pelvic pain syndrome, the brain has trouble understanding the messages from the sacral nerves. These nerves are responsible for feeling in the pelvis, buttocks, genitals, thighs, calves, and feet, which can result in ongoing pain in these areas.

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