Kimberly Weikel and her colleagues from the University of Colorado’s Division of Chronic Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis.
🇺🇸 English
Female Chronic Pelvic Pain: From trauma-informed assessment to evidence-based treatment
Have you ever wondered what our AAMPR board members do besides fight for Asociados Médicos in Puerto Rico? Well, here is a little insight into what our AAMPR president does day-to-day. Kimberly is the lead APP for the Division of Chronic Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis at the University of Colorado. In this role, she works alongside three amazing and supportive minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons who she is honored to call colleagues and friends. Everyday their team applies a multidisciplinary approach to help women navigate the complexities of living with chronic pelvic pain.
Learn more in the summary below and if that entices you, feel free to read the whole article in JAAPA!
Female Chronic Pelvic Pain
Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) affects an estimated 26% of reproductive-age women and drives 20% of gynecology visits and up to 40% of gynecologic laparoscopies yet it remains notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat. In the February 2026 issue of JAAPA, AAMPR President Kimberly Weikel, MPAS, PA-C, along with Elyse Watkins, DHSc, PA-C, and Megan Orlando, MD, offer a practical, evidence-based roadmap Asociados Médicos can apply in any primary care or women's health setting.
The article covers trauma-informed history-taking and physical exam techniques, a system-by-system differential spanning gynecologic, GI, urologic, and musculoskeletal causes, and a multimodal treatment approach from hormonal therapy and trigger point injections to pelvic floor physical therapy and behavioral health referrals.
Reference
Weikel K, Watkins E, Orlando M. Female chronic pelvic pain: From trauma-informed
assessment to evidence-based treatment. JAAPA. 2026;39(2):18-24.
doi:10.1097/01.JAA.0000000000000309
🇵🇷 Resumen en Español
Dolor pélvico crónico femenino: desde la evaluación informada por el trauma hasta el tratamiento basado en la evidencia
El dolor pélvico crónico afecta aproximadamente al 26 % de las mujeres en edad reproductiva y representa el 20 % de las consultas ginecológicas y hasta el 40 % de las laparoscopias ginecológicas. A pesar de su prevalencia, continúa siendo difícil de diagnosticar y tratar. En la edición de febrero de 2026 de JAAPA, la presidenta de la AAMPR, Kimberly Weikel, MPAS, PA-C, junto con Elyse Watkins, DHSc, PA-C, y Megan Orlando, MD, presentan una guía práctica basada en la evidencia que los Asociados Médicos pueden aplicar en entornos de atención primaria y salud de la mujer.
El artículo aborda la recopilación del historial clínico y las técnicas de examen físico desde un enfoque informado por el trauma; el diagnóstico diferencial de posibles causas ginecológicas, gastrointestinales, urológicas y musculoesqueléticas; y un enfoque de tratamiento multimodal que incluye terapia hormonal, inyecciones en puntos gatillo, fisioterapia del suelo pélvico y referidos a servicios de salud conductual.