Emerging Perspectives on Chronic Pelvic Pain and Sexual Health By Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas Last fall (2024), I attended a mast cell conference where my colleague Alyssa Yee, MD and I were invited to speak about the topic of pelvic pain conditions and the role of mast cells; specifically on the topic of endometriosis and neuroproliferative vestibulodynia (NPV) …
Mental Health: A Vital Conversation for Chronic Pain Sufferers
By Emily Tran, AMFT By definition, mental health relates to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences how we think, feel, and behave in everyday life. But what really is mental health? For many of us, mental health might be seen only as a clinical concept; however, it is far deeper and much more personal. It is the underlying …
Obturator Internus: A Treatable But Often Overlooked Little Beast
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC Pasadena Comprehensive pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy includes much more than examination and treatment of pelvic floor muscles. Many factors contribute to normal and abnormal pelvic floor functioning, this post and series will focus on muscles of the pelvic girdle and how they influence the pelvic floor. The pelvic girdle refers to …
Male Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment
Table of Contents . Introduction . Male Pelvic Floor Anatomy and Physiology . Diagnostic Challenges and Categories . Symptoms of Male Pelvic Floor Dysfunction . Urinary . Bowel . Sexual . Pelvic floor, girdle, trunk, and lower extremity pain . Causes of Male Pelvic Floor Dysfunction . Treatment for Male Pelvic Floor Dysfunction . Why PHRC and What To Expect …
Posture and the Pelvic Floor: Why Your Posture Matters!
Why Does Our Posture Matter for Our Pelvic Health? By Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas When we think about our posture, we often think “mine can be better” and we picture sitting up straight or avoiding slouching to prevent back or neck pain. Usually these corrections last a few minutes until we find ourselves slumped back over our computer …
Origins of Our Private Parts: A Fascinating Etymology Lesson
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, PHRC Lexington At the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center, we talk about the pelvis all day long. But today, instead of focusing on how it works, let’s explore something just as interesting—where our body part names actually come from! If you’ve ever wondered why we call certain body parts what we do, you’re not alone. The …
Dietary Interventions for Endometriosis: What You Need to Know
By Amanda Stuart, DPT, PHRC Los Angeles Endometriosis is a chronic condition affecting millions of women worldwide, causing severe pelvic pain, painful periods, and even infertility. While medical and surgical interventions exist, many women seek additional ways to manage their symptoms—one of the most promising being dietary changes. Research suggests that diet influences inflammation, hormone levels, and gut health, …
Endometriosis Awareness Month: Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned & Future Hopes By Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas Once a year, in March, individuals – providers, advocates, and patients, dedicate their time to promoting education around increasing awareness about Endometriosis. Though for many of us, we are just becoming louder during this time, hoping our efforts will expand further. We are in a moment where …
How Your Muscles Create the Ultimate Crescendo
The Orgasm Orchestra: Designed by PHRC and explained by Dr. Maria Uloko A little bit about Dr. Uloko before we dive into this blog…Dr. Maria Uloko is a board-certified urologist, researcher, and educator, internationally recognized for her work in sexual health, vulvar anatomy, and disparities in care. She is one of only seven experts globally trained in comprehensive sexual …
Success Story: How Chris Conquered CPPS
By Alexa Savitz, DPT, PHRC Pasadena At PHRC we are no strangers to working with male pelvic pain patients. About 50% of our case loads at PHRC can be made up of male pelvic pain diagnoses. Research shows that up to 16% of men suffer from Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS) at some point in their life. Pelvic floor …
Differential Diagnosis of Cauda Equina VS Pudendal Neuralgia
By Alexa Savitz, DPT, PHRC Pasadena Cauda equina syndrome and pudendal neuralgia can present with similar alarming symptoms, which may complicate the diagnostic process. However, prompt and urgent referral is critical when cauda equina syndrome is suspected to prevent the progression of symptoms. In contrast, pudendal neuralgia is not an emergent condition though we acknowledge pudendal neuralgia symptoms can …
Your Pelvic Floor Wants You to Breathe Better – Here’s Why
By Cambria Oetken, PT, DPT The lost art of breathing… I recently read the book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, written by author James Nestor who explores the power of breath, its impact on our health, and the ways in which we’ve lost touch with the ancient practices that can unlock optimal wellbeing. Breathing is …
Better Orgasms for EveryBODY
By Cambria Oetken, PT, DPT In every one of my pelvic floor evaluations, I always ask about your sexual health. How does it function? Do you experience any pain? Where is the pain located? Can you achieve an orgasm? If so, is it painful or difficult to achieve? The list of questions depends on what brings you into pelvic floor …
Overcoming Hysterectomy, Prolapse Repair Surgery, and Returning to Paddle Boarding!
By Cambria Oetken, PT, DPT Background Diane is a 66-year-old woman with a history of three vaginal deliveries. She came to PHRC with a significant history of pelvic floor pain, muscle spasms, urinary incontinence, pain with intercourse, and muscle weakness. Diane had undergone multiple pelvic reconstruction surgeries for pelvic organ prolapse (POP), the most recent being a total hysterectomy and …
Clitoral Adhesions: Clarity on Clitoral Care
By Cambria Oetken, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village Our sexual medicine experts have written a review shared in the International Society of Sexual Medicine Journal in regards to Clitoral Adhesions through a literature review written by Jennifer P. Romanello, Monica C. Myers, Elsa Nico, and Rachel S. Rubin. If you have not already, check out our recent blog on “How …
How Pelvic Pain Patients Can Help Change the System
By Keena Batti Keena Batti is a Los Angeles Chapter Campaign Leader of Tight Lipped. Stephanie Prendergast is a member of the Tight Lipped Speakers Bureau. When I was 19, I wanted to start taking birth control. When I visited my gynecologist, he cataloged the many ways birth control would benefit me. He also warned of blood clots, but …
Attention Moms: Breast Feeding & Genitourinary Symptoms Are Connected!
By Cambria Oetken, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village Here is What You Need To Know! This year new moms are finally getting the attention they deserve! We are excited to report our trusted sexual medicine experts coined a new term that describes the genitourinary hormonal deficiencies of lactating moms experience. What is the Genitourinary Syndrome Lactation? Earlier this year, …
How High is Your Clitoris IQ?
By Cambria Oetken, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village The Clitoris. We Found it! There is conflicting evidence as to when the clitoris was exactly discovered and studied. It is thought to date back to 400 BC when Hippocrates described the clitoris as a protrusion which functioned to protect the vagina. There was a later time when anatomists denied its …
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments Everything You Need to Know
Table of Contents . Introduction . What is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD)? . Urinary Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments . Bowel Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments . Sexual Dysfunction Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments . Musculoskeletal Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments . Pudendal and Pelvic Neuralgias Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments . What To Expect During Your Appointment . Find Relief From PHRC SCHEDULE …
2024: A Year in Review
By Emily Tran Hello 2025, farewell 2024! It’s been another year full of changes for Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center. With the start of the new year, we would like to acknowledge all of the changes that have occurred both virtually and in person. Last year….. Social Media Expansion and Engagement With our ever increasing audience, we wanted …
Acknowledging the Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause
By Cambria Oetken, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village and Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC Pasadena HOT off the Press: Menopause is finally getting the attention it deserves in recent years with an exponential amount of attention in 2024. This year, Let’s Talk Menopause has considered their advocacy work, heading to Capital Hill and hosting in-person events for women. Tamsen Fadel and …