Earlier this month I had my wisdom teeth removed. Last thing I remember was talking about elephants in Thailand, and next thing I know I wake up looking like a chipmunk that got in a bar fight (and lost). After a few days, I couldn’t understand why I still felt bad. This was a “simple” […]
Vulvodynia can affect up to 25% of women in their lifetime.1 The vulva is the anatomical term for the external genitalia in women that includes the clitoris, labia, mons pubis, and vestibule (vaginal opening). Vulvodynia has received specific diagnostic terminology as we now know there are various causes and presentations of symptoms that can be […]
The holiday season tends to be a stressful time for many people. It’s not uncommon for people to feel their bodies tense up as the levels of stress and anxiety rise – and every year we see an increase in patient numbers as a result. In December, I had the opportunity to evaluate a male […]
By: Sigourney Cross, DPT, PHRC Walnut Creek If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably spent the last couple of months eating everything in sight. With Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s back to back, it’s hard to say no to all those delicious side dishes and homemade desserts. But now that the holidays have come to […]
By: Guest Blogger – Kristen Herlihy On January 16, 2019 at 1:30pm EST PHRC Cofounder Elizabeth Akincilar and Baby Boot Camp instructor Kristen Herlihy will be discussing postpartum fitness! For information on how to tune in and listen, please visit their Facebook page. In the spirit of this talk, Kristen wanted to share her thoughts […]
Asking patients about pain is a major component of an initial evaluation as well as with follow-up treatments. Monitoring changes in pain behavior, the intensity and the location can help gauge treatment success and progress. However, not a lot of people are aware of a major source of pain which is visceral pain. Kevin Hellman, […]
Pelvic floor dysfunction can lead to symptoms like pain with sex or urinary incontinence, which can have a negative impact on someone’s quality of life. Many patients seen at The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center report pain with gynecological visits, primarily pelvic exams and pap smears. While few people jump for joy at the idea […]
Remember our earlier post on fascia? Simply put, fascia is a continuous sheath of connective tissues that lines everything in our body – the organs, bones, muscles, blood vessels, nerves etc. Healthy fascia is fluid and mobile. It allows everything in the body to slide and glide promoting healthy and balanced movement. Restrictions in fascia […]
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is considered a functional gastrointestinal disorder. The Rome Foundation defines IBS as when a person has chronic abdominal pain at least one day per week in the last three months combined with at least two of the following: abdominal pain related to having a bowel movement; abdominal pain onset is associated […]
Last week, in Part 1 of What is a good pelvic PT session like, we described what a pelvic floor physical therapy evaluation consists of and how we go about developing an assessment and setting goals to help our patients get better. This week we dive deeper into pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy treatment […]
Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center is proud to announce that we now have eight locations across the country. Our newest locations include Walnut Creek, CA, Bedford, NH and Westlake Village, CA. We pride ourselves on our constant commitment to give the best possible care for our patients. Patients suffering from long-standing pelvic conditions are often […]
In the age of social media and WebMD, often times I will have a patient who has gained information from all sorts of sources all over the internet. It takes a lot of effort to weed through the information that the patient has “learned” and separate fact from fiction. One of the best and most […]
In 2012, The Journal of Sexual Medicine published an article, What we don’t talk about when we don’t talk about sex: results of a national survey of U.S. obstetrician/gynecologists. The results from the survey revealed that though Ob/gyns routinely (63%) assess their patients’ sexual activities, only 40% of them ask their female patients about sexual […]
Do you know what the most common cause of female infertility is? Polycystic ovary syndrome, also known as PCOS. It is estimated that 15-20% of women will be diagnosed with PCOS at some point in their lives.1 It is the most common endocrine (hormone) disorder for women of reproductive age.2 Approximately 90-95% of women with […]
By: Sigourney Cross I love taking bubble baths. I use my scented body wash and a loofah down there. Sometimes I wipe so hard I bleed a little bit. I always use scented wet wipes to stay fresh. I wear thongs under my yoga pants. I use a daily scented panty liner just in case […]
It should be a surprise to no one that we are in the middle of a serious, nationwide opioid epidemic. And to top that off, a crisis on opioid overdose. Did you know that on average 115 Americans die each day from opioid overdose?2 In October 2017, President Trump declared the opioid crisis a public […]
Ladies, have you ever felt bloated or backed up the week before your menstrual cycle? What about noticing diarrhea at the start of your menstrual cycle? I know I have. If you’ve been or are pregnant, have you noticed major changes in your digestive system and bathroom behaviors? Below I explore the connection between hormones […]
May is a great month. Summer is starting to creep in, which in San Francisco means more fog, but if you are a sex nerd like me then you know that May is Masturbation Month. An entire month dedicated to self-love and pleasure. In a prior post, I talked about masturbation in general, including the […]
By: Admin As a pregnant woman and pelvic floor physical and occupational therapists, I am surrounded by stories, advice, and opinions about the right way to give birth. Most of us know that pregnancy and childbirth often result in trauma to the pelvic floor and perineum, which can lead to incontinence, pelvic organ […]
Photo via Joe Loong via Flickr In previous entries, Britt beautifully took us through all things posture (Posture and the Pelvis Part One and Part Deux). Here are some important takeaways from her posts to consider as we explore how sitting may affect your pelvic floor: The diaphragm, trunk (back extensors, transversus abdominis, obliques, etc.) […]
Other than pelvic health and sex, my favorite conversation topic is cats water! Yes, good old H-2-O! You may recall a post I did a while back that discussed how diet can play a role in pelvic health. I talked about the importance of water intake, but patients still ask me questions about this topic. […]
