‘I was alive but not living': The chance discovery that saved Lilli chronic pelvic pain
'I'd answer, 'I fixed your leg', and they would say, 'but the pelvic pain is gone too',' said associate professor Villalba, an honorary fellow at the University of Wollongong's faculty of Science, Medicine and Health.
Persistent pelvic pain affects between 15 and 25 per cent of Australian women. But research into the poorly understood, complex and multifactorial causes is underfunded, leaving an estimated 50 per cent of cases undiagnosed.
'So, I started looking more closely and asking more questions, and I soon realised that a lot of my patients had chronic pelvic pain that had not been diagnosed, or treated or even investigated,' Villalba said.
Pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS) is among the chronically under-researched contributors to chronic pelvic pain. It's characterised by damage to the major veins that run through the pelvis, restricting blood flow and causing pressure to build up. Some studies suggest this may contribute to 30 to 40 per cent of chronic pelvic pain cases where no other cause (such as endometriosis) can be identified.
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One promising treatment is stenting, which involves inserting a small mesh tube to open a narrowing or blocked vein. The technique is more commonly associated with repairing the arteries of cardiovascular patients.
A recent study, led by Villalba, followed 113 women (aged 17 to 88) with a blockage in an iliac vein – major veins running from each leg through the pelvis – who underwent stenting after suffering severe pelvic pain, some for up to 25 years.
Before stenting, the women's median pain score was seven out of 10 (10 being the most severe).
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Sydney Morning Herald
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So while planners have pursued the larger block to create an idea of suburban bliss, Carter argues the model for good neighbourhoods already existed, even if it was almost accidental. 'You realise how radical in a contemporary planning sense the Victorians were,' he says. 'It was really around the strategy of not wasting land, but it made fantastic streets.' Loading Indeed, this has been reflected in lists like Time Out 's annual World's Coolest Neighbourhoods, which are judged on criteria including community life, walkability, street life and cultural attractions. In recent years, East Brunswick and Windsor in Melbourne and Marrickville, Enmore and Chippendale in Sydney have made the top 10. Each are characterised by vibrant main streets with extended use into the evening, good public transport with proximity to the city – and a celebration of diversity that fosters inclusion. 'The balanced-diet analogy speaks to the need for a little bit of everything,' says Haddow. 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The Age
17 minutes ago
- The Age
‘It's not rocket science': How your neighbourhood could improve your mental health
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Haslam says it's a point sometimes lost on planners. 'Feeling at home in a space is incredibly important.' UNSW professor of planning Susan Thompson says that is unlikely to happen where people don't enjoy secured tenancy. 'If you are unable to afford renting and you have to move every six months, that is not going to be conducive to embedding a sense of belonging or attachment to a place,' she says. Haslam says the ultimate sense of belonging and connection comes from knowing you have influence and ownership about the neighbourhood you call home. 'Co-design and people's ability to have input into the process is critical,' he says. 'It is not just about doing a survey and asking people what they want; it is about engaging with groups of people who are going to use that space.' For those communities and governing bodies prepared to make that leap, Haslam says the pay-offs extend beyond creating desirable places to live. 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Perth Now
an hour ago
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