My Trip to See PTs Liz and Steph in San Fran

Posted by Pelvic Pain Support in By Molly, Education, Physical Therapy, Tools, Tricks & Treatments

I’ve never looked forward to anything in my life as much as I looked forward to the trip I took to the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center in San Francisco back in August of this year.

After six years and many disappointing visits to doctors and therapists, it might have been wiser for me to approach my visit with more cautious optimism. However, in the Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD) arena, the two PTs that run the clinic in San Fran, Liz Rummer and Stephanie Prendergast, have reputations for being the best at what they do. Because of direct feedback I’d gotten from former patients of theirs, I was confident that Steph and Liz would live up to the hype. In fact, I knew two women who, after seeing Steph and Liz were put on the right path to healing and are now pain-free.

Expectations

For nearly six years I’ve been in constant pain from Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. Prior to booking my appointments with Steph and Liz, I’d received treatment from five physical therapists and 10 doctors. Besides PT, I’ve tried a variety of other remedies including Botox, various medications, acupuncture, herbs, diet changes, self-treatment, nerve blocks, meditation, and epidurals. (Click here if you’d like to read my complete pelvic pain story.) When I realized I was at an impasse in my healing, I began planning my trip to San Fran. As the trip drew nearer, my excitement grew. Not only was I looking forward to a week of outstanding PT; I was confident that I was finally going to get something I had craved for so long— an explanation. Continue reading →

Molly’s Pelvic Pain Story

Posted by Pelvic Pain Support in Uncategorized

One April morning five years ago, I woke up in excruciating pain—it was as if someone had set me on fire while I was asleep. The focal point of my pain was the left side of my vulva, but I also had extreme vaginal and urethral burning. My first thought was that I either had a yeast or bladder infection. I had just moved to California three weeks before, so I found a doctor on the fly and hoped for the best.

Dr. Number One took several tests and sent me home with an armload of creams, suppositories and other meds. None of the remedies worked and all of the tests came back clear; from there I began to see the doctor regularly in an effort to get to the bottom of my pain. After my third visit with Dr. Number One, he told me he wasn’t sure what was causing my pain, but that my pelvic floor muscles did seem to be in a spasm state. He diagnosed me with Vulvodynia and recommended I see a specialist and also a physical therapist.

The doctor didn’t explain what he meant by “pelvic floor muscles,” or “spasm state,” or even what a physical therapist could do to help me. Instead, he gave me a handful of brochures: Interstitial Cystitis, Vulvodynia, and an article about how a woman who had been diagnosed with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction had been cured with biofeedback. (Incidentally, during the first year of my pain before I figured out exactly what was causing it, Dr. Number One administered biofeedback treatments to me twice a week, which made my pain worse.)

At that point I was in a full-on state of panic…

Continue reading →

What’s my Pelvic Floor For?

Posted by Pelvic Pain Support in By Molly, Education

Originally published on Pelvicpainmatters.com and Wellsphere.com on Jan. 15, 2009.

Hi there! Welcome to Tuesdays with?! Today our very special guest blogger is blogging all the way from her home in Australia! Her name is Mary O’Dwyer. Mary is a pelvic floor PT with more than 30 years of experience treating women’s health issues. She’s dedicated her life to not only treating pelvic floor dysfunction, but educating other PTs on how to best treat PFD. Mary is also the author of a wonderful book titled: “My Pelvic Flaw: Preventing Pelvic Floor Problems Throughout Life.” Mary, you have the floor—pardon the pun.

Much of our present epidemic of pelvic floor problems is underpinned by a general lack of knowledge about this most central part of our female body. What did your mother tell you about preventing leaky bladders, prolapse, correct bowel and bladder habits, exercise after birthing, pain with intercourse etc.? Not much, because women just don’t have the correct knowledge to pass onto their daughters. So, I thought today I’d answer a few questions about the basic functions of the pelvic floor.

What’s the role of your pelvic floor muscles? Your pelvic floor muscles have about four major roles:

• Your muscles tension to close the sphincters to keep you continent.
• Your muscles tension and hold up your bladder, vagina and bowel against the downward intra-abdominal pressure happening every time you lift a child, cough, pull down the lat. bar at the gym or run.
• Your pelvic floor automatically tensions with your deep abdominal muscles to provide stability for your lumbar spine when you move. Research shows a high correlation between pelvic floor problems and spinal problems.
• Your pelvic floor muscle strength is related to the strength of your sexual response, sensation and orgasm.

Are all pelvic floors the same?

No way!…

Continue reading →

Is Your Physical Therapist Treating you Right?

Posted by Pelvic Pain Support in By Molly, Physical Therapy

Originally published on Pelvicpainmatters.com and Wellsphere.com on Jan. 15, 2009.

The key to healing pelvic floor dysfunction and ultimately living a pelvic pain-free life is finding a physical therapist that knows what she’s doing. That’s not to say that a good PT is the only piece of the puzzle, but in my mind it’s the most important piece. A good PT is able to see the big picture of your pelvic pain, while at the same time focusing in on each and every small detail. Think of her as the CEO of your company, “Pelvic Pain Be Gone Inc.” If she’s good, put your trust in her and prepare to start reaping the dividends of healing and health, if she’s bad, fire her on the spot, and get to work recruiting another.

But how do you distinguish the good physical therapists from the bad? After all, because of the complicated nature of pelvic floor musculoskeletal dysfunction (PFMD), there is no standard protocol for PTs to follow. True. But luckily there is a list of PFMD physical therapy DOs, just as sure as there is a list of PFMD physical therapy DON’Ts.

Following is my list of DOs and DON’Ts…

Continue reading →