What causes PNE?
PNE is caused by entrapment of the pudendal nerve at any of various places on the nerve. Nerve entrapment occurs when a nerve is constricted for some reason and responds by inflammation, scarring, or thickening. All these cause nerve diameter to increase and the nerve to misbehave. The initial constriction is caused by pressure or trauma of some type or an unknown reason. If this occurs where a natural constriction is also present, such as where the nerve passes over a bone or through a tunnel, then once the nerve increases in size a vicious cycle can begin. As the nerve swells it encounters a natural constraint. This increases prolonged pressure on the nerve, which causes more swelling, which causes more pressure, and so on. This vicious cycle explains why the pain can go from a low to a high level so fast, and why once a case becomes chronic, very little sitting, no sitting at all, or the least bit of movement can elicit pain. Entrapment is a bit of a catch all term. Stretching or ru
