Alternative Approaches to the Management of Prostatitis: Biofeedback, Progressive Relaxation and the Concept of Functional Somatic Syndromes

Specific mechanisms underlying chronic pelvic pain syndrome have yet to be identified. However, the disorder has features common to other chronic pain syndromes, such as fibromyalgia and chronic pelvic pain in women. Like other chronic pain patients, men presenting with chronic prostatitis may meet diagnostic criteria for other functional pain syndromes as well as affective disorders, which should be screened for. Finally, as with other chronic pain conditions, chronic nonbacterial prostatitis patients respond very well to non-specific modalities that act to reduce stress and/or muscle tension, including progressive relaxation and biofeedback.