One Man’s Chronic Pelvic Pain Story

Carl Giandinazoo
Author of Core Matters: The Evolution of a Chronic Pelvic Pain Sufferer
Former Director and Board Member, Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia

My chronic pelvic pain appeared gradually and without warning, developing over more than a decade before becoming severe. At 36, I was married with two young children, working relentlessly, pushing myself beyond my limits and living with constant fatigue and stress. In hindsight, my body was clearly trying to tell me something through pain—that I was not invincible, and that fundamental change was needed to restore balance.

My symptoms were extensive. I ached and throbbed from front to back and from nipple to knee, and even the most basic daily functions became sources of anxiety and discomfort. Despite countless tests, scans, and procedures repeatedly showing that I was “healthy,” the medical explanations I received did not align with how I felt or functioned. This disconnect left me feeling deeply frustrated, isolated, and helpless, to the point where I feared I might never again feel at peace within myself.

Pain soon became my constant focus. I learned to hide it from family and colleagues, making concealment both a necessity and a skill. Even so, I worried about the toll this preoccupation was taking on my work, my family, and my long-term wellbeing.

After five years of severe pain and demoralising dysfunction, I discovered the website pelvicpainhelp.com in 2004. For the first time, I learned that I had Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome—and that I was not alone. Simply having a name for my condition was profoundly reassuring. It removed the fear of the unknown and allowed hope to return. I came to understand that my condition was stress-related, and that other men experience chronic pelvic pain due to a wide range of factors, including prostatitis, urinary tract infections, urological surgery, sports injuries, overload, and dysfunction involving the organs, muscles, structures, and nerves of the male pelvic floor.

My life is undeniably different because of chronic pelvic pain. I can no longer operate at the pace or intensity I once did, but through perseverance, support, and expert care—particularly from my physiotherapist, Shan Morrison at Women’s and Men’s Health Physiotherapy—I have found acceptance and clarity about what truly matters. Recovery, for me, has been as much a journey of self-discovery as it has been physical treatment. I do not expect a cure, but I do have a management plan, practise daily relaxation and pelvic floor exercises, and intentionally live a quieter, less stressful life. This journey has changed me—perhaps even for the better.

Chronic pelvic pain tests both mind and body, making it essential to seek high-quality care, support, and understanding. While it may not be cured, it can be managed. That management requires belief, self-awareness, and acceptance. I don’t speak of cure, because cure implies eradication—and that has not been my experience. Instead, I have learned to listen to my body, respect my limitations, and accept that each day is part of an ongoing journey filled with challenges, hurdles, and moments of fulfilment.

My enduring passion is to help myself by helping others. Writing Core Matters was my way of offering hope and encouragement to fellow sufferers, and my involvement with the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia reflects my commitment to improving wellbeing for all those living with this complex and often misunderstood condition.

Read Carl Giandinazoo’s Pelvic Pain Q&A interview to learn more about his triggers for flare-ups, how he manages his condition, and his advice for others living with chronic pelvic pain. Director of the Pelvic Pain Foundation Australia talks Pelvic Pain