By PHRC Admin & Co-Author Cecilia Plaza, J.D
Have you listened to The Retrievals podcast series?
In a world where pain is subjective, women often find themselves marginalized, dismissed, and even ignored when it comes to their own experiences of pain. This issue has recently been brought to light through a thought-provoking podcast called “The Retrievals,” hosted by Susan Burton, which explores the systemic dismissal of women’s pain within the medical field. In this blog post, we will delve into the revelations shared by the podcast and shed light on the urgent need for change.
The podcast, “The Retrievals,” sheds light on the challenges faced by women when seeking adequate pain control during medical procedures and shares stories from women who underwent IVF egg retrievals without adequate pain control.
The Dismissal of Women’s Pain:
“The Retrievals” podcast serves as a powerful platform to amplify the voices of women who have undergone IVF egg retrieval without proper pain control. Shockingly, these women’s pain was exacerbated by a nurse diverting their medication, leaving them in excruciating discomfort. This series revealed the truth behind Yale’s fertility clinic and their involvement and handling of one of their nurses swapping saline for fentanyl in these procedures. The journalist raises the question of why we do not trust our patients more, especially when it comes to pain. hy did no one intervene or stop the procedure when the patient was clearly in extreme pain? Why was the patient’s pain minimized and not believed? How did this happen, over and over, to so many women?
Systemic Minimization of Women’s Pain:
Unfortunately, the dismissal of women’s pain is not an isolated incident. It is a systemic issue deeply ingrained within the medical profession. Many medical practitioners tend to think of women as being more emotional, irrational, and “hysterical” than men, leading practitioners to believe that women patients exaggerate their symptoms. As a result, they’re treated less seriously, and, on average, receive less screening, testing, and treatment than men. Women of color, particularly Black women, face even more extreme dismissal of their pain, highlighting the intersectionality of this problem. There is a pervasive myth, still believed by some, that Black patients, and Black women in particular, are less able to feel pain than White patients. Finally, the racist and misogynistic history of government control over reproduction, from 1900s eugenics to present-day birth control restrictions, has left the medical system primed to view women as vessels, prioritizing their reproductive function over their overall well-being.
Gender Bias and Its Consequences:
The podcast sheds light on the gender bias that permeates the medical profession. Doctors often assume that women seek treatment solely for eventual pregnancy, neglecting other aspects of their health and well-being. Women’s worth is all too frequently tied to their reproductive capacity, leaving little room for acknowledgment of their pain and trauma.
Inequality in Medical Care:
Women’s pain is not treated equally because women are not treated equally. Suing for malpractice due to subpar treatment is often more difficult for women. The standard of care provided to women is lower due to a lack of knowledge about women’s health, symptom presentation, and illnesses that disproportionately affect women, as well as a pervasive distrust and discounting of women patients. This perpetuates their suffering and compromises their overall quality of life. It is crucial to recognize that women are more than mere vessels and that their pain should be taken seriously. This is highlighted in the podcast when Susan Burton stumbles upon an article titled “Miss Diagnosis: Gendered Injustice in Medical Malpractice Law” by Cecilia Plaza, J.D., when asking the question “can you sue for pain?” This article is a must read and identifies and addresses the knowledge gap, as well as the trust gap that has led to the dismissal of women’s pain and gender gaps in medical research and practice.
Paving the Way for Change:
To address this pressing issue, it is essential to challenge sexism within the medical profession and advocate for a paradigm shift in how women’s pain is perceived and treated. Healthcare providers must prioritize women’s pain and trauma, considering their holistic well-being beyond just their reproductive capacity. Finding supportive and understanding healthcare providers can significantly improve a woman’s quality of life during fertility treatments and beyond.
The revelations shared by “The Retrievals” podcast have brought to light the disturbing reality of women’s pain being minimized within the medical system. It is imperative that we recognize the gender bias and systemic flaws that perpetuate this injustice. By amplifying these voices, advocating for equal treatment, and demanding change, we can strive toward a future where women’s pain is acknowledged, validated, and appropriately addressed.
The pod criticizes the medical system for treating women’s bodies as vessels solely for reproduction, prioritizing the goal of having a baby over the overall well-being of women. This is highlighted in the podcast when Susan Burton describes the letter that was sent to women who might have been impacted by the clinic nurse’s diversion of fentanyl and the clinic’s improper handling of opiates, stating that there was “no reason to believe that this event has had any negative effect on your health or the outcome of the care that you received.” It exemplifies the prevalence of sexism in the medical profession, with doctors assuming that women seek treatment solely for eventual pregnancy. The idea that extreme pain, trauma, and betrayal by trusted medical professionals didn’t negatively affect the health of the victims is laughable. And yet, this is the basis of and continues to reproduce lower standards of care and unequal treatment for women, as well as making it harder for them to sue for malpractice after receiving appropriate pain management.
What are your thoughts?
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FAQ
What are pelvic floor muscles?
The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that run from the coccyx to the pubic bone. They are part of the core, helping to support our entire body as well as providing support for the bowel, bladder and uterus. These muscles help us maintain bowel and bladder control and are involved in sexual pleasure and orgasm. The technical name of the pelvic floor muscles is the Levator Ani muscle group. The pudendal nerve, the levator ani nerve, and branches from the S2 – S4 nerve roots innervate the pelvic floor muscles. They are under voluntary and autonomic control, which is a unique feature only they possess compared to other muscle groups.
What is pelvic floor physical therapy?
Pelvic floor physical therapy is a specialized area of physical therapy. Currently, physical therapists need advanced post-graduate education to be able to help people with pelvic floor dysfunction because pelvic floor disorders are not yet being taught in standard physical therapy curricula. The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center provides extensive training for our staff because we recognize the limitations of physical therapy education in this unique area.
What happens at pelvic floor therapy?
During an evaluation for pelvic floor dysfunction the physical therapist will take a detailed history. Following the history the physical therapist will leave the room to allow the patient to change and drape themselves. The physical therapist will return to the room and using gloved hands will perform an external and internal manual assessment of the pelvic floor and girdle muscles. The physical therapist will once again leave the room and allow the patient to dress. Following the manual examination there may also be an examination of strength, motor control, and overall biomechanics and neuromuscular control. The physical therapist will then communicate the findings to the patient and together with their patient they establish an assessment, short term and long term goals and a treatment plan. Typically people with pelvic floor dysfunction are seen one time per week for one hour for varying amounts of time based on the severity and chronicity of the disease. A home exercise program will be established and the physical therapist will help coordinate other providers on the treatment team. Typically patients are seen for 3 months to a year.
What is pudendal neuralgia and how is it treated?
Pudendal Neuralgia is a clinical diagnosis that means pain in the sensory distribution of the pudendal nerve. The pudendal nerve is a mixed nerve that exits the S2 – S4 sacral nerve roots, we have a right and left pudendal nerve and each side has three main trunks: the dorsal branch, the perineal branch, and the inferior rectal branch. The branches supply sensation to the clitoris/penis, labia/scrotum, perineum, anus, the distal ⅓ of the urethra and rectum, and the vulva and vestibule. The nerve branches also control the pelvic floor muscles. The pudendal nerve follows a tortuous path through the pelvic floor and girdle, leaving it vulnerable to compression and tension injuries at various points along its path.
Pudendal Neuralgia occurs when the nerve is unable to slide, glide and move normally and as a result, people experience pain in some or all of the above-mentioned areas. Pelvic floor physical therapy plays a crucial role in identifying the mechanical impairments that are affecting the nerve. The physical therapy treatment plan is designed to restore normal neural function. Patients with pudendal neuralgia require pelvic floor physical therapy and may also benefit from medical management that includes pharmaceuticals and procedures such as pudendal nerve blocks or botox injections.
What is interstitial cystitis and how is it treated?
Interstitial Cystitis is a clinical diagnosis characterized by irritative bladder symptoms such as urinary urgency, frequency, and hesitancy in the absence of infection. Research has shown the majority of patients who meet the clinical definition have pelvic floor dysfunction and myalgia. Therefore, the American Urologic Association recommends pelvic floor physical therapy as first-line treatment for Interstitial Cystitis. Patients will benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy and may also benefit from pharmacologic management or medical procedures such as bladder instillations.
Who is the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Team?
The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center was founded by Elizabeth Akincilar and Stephanie Prendergast in 2006, they have been treating people with pelvic floor disorders since 2001. They were trained and mentored by a medical doctor and quickly became experts in treating pelvic floor disorders. They began creating courses and sharing their knowledge around the world. They expanded to 11 locations in the United States and developed a residency style training program for their employees with ongoing weekly mentoring. The physical therapists who work at PHRC have undergone more training than the majority of pelvic floor physical therapists and as a result offer efficient and high quality care.
How many years of experience do we have?
Stephanie and Liz have 24 years of experience and help each and every team member become an expert in the field through their training and mentoring program.
Why PHRC versus anyone else?
PHRC is unique because of the specific focus on pelvic floor disorders and the leadership at our company. We are constantly lecturing, teaching, and staying ahead of the curve with our connections to medical experts and emerging experts. As a result, we are able to efficiently and effectively help our patients restore their pelvic health.
Do we treat men for pelvic floor therapy?
The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center is unique in that the Cofounders have always treated people of all genders and therefore have trained the team members and staff the same way. Many pelvic floor physical therapists focus solely on people with vulvas, this is not the case here.
Do I need pelvic floor therapy forever?
The majority of people with pelvic floor dysfunction will undergo pelvic floor physical therapy for a set amount of time based on their goals. Every 6 -8 weeks goals will be re-established based on the physical improvements and remaining physical impairments. Most patients will achieve their goals in 3 – 6 months. If there are complicating medical or untreated comorbidities some patients will be in therapy longer.