By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, PHRC Lexington SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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 …
Dietary Interventions for Endometriosis: What You Need to Know
By Amanda Stuart, DPT, PHRC Los Angeles SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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 …
Endometriosis Awareness Month: Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned & Future Hopes By Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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 …
How Your Muscles Create the Ultimate Crescendo
The Orgasm Orchestra: Designed by PHRC and explained by Dr. Maria Uloko SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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 …
Success Story: How Chris Conquered CPPS
By Alexa Savitz, DPT, PHRC Pasadena SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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. …
Differential Diagnosis of Cauda Equina VS Pudendal Neuralgia
By Alexa Savitz, DPT, PHRC Pasadena SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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 …
Your Pelvic Floor Wants You to Breathe Better – Here’s Why
By Cambria Oetken, PT, DPT SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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. …
Better Orgasms for EveryBODY
By Cambria Oetken, PT, DPT SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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 …
Overcoming Hysterectomy, Prolapse Repair Surgery, and Returning to Paddle Boarding!
By Cambria Oetken, PT, DPT SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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 …
Clitoral Adhesions: Clarity on Clitoral Care
By Cambria Oetken, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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 …
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. SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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, …
Attention Moms: Breast Feeding & Genitourinary Symptoms Are Connected!
By Cambria Oetken, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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? …
How High is Your Clitoris IQ?
By Cambria Oetken, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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 …
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 SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT 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 …
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 …
New Terminology: Myofascial Urinary Frequency Syndrome
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC Pasadena Here at PHRC we help people recover from irritative bladder symptoms with pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy. Bladder symptoms plague millions of people on a daily basis and anyone suffering can explain how much the symptoms compromise their quality of life. Multiple terms and diagnoses have been used to describe bladder symptoms …
Surf Therapy as an Approach to Chronic Pain Management
A Novel Approach using Blue Mind Science By Tracey Chester, LMFT, CCTP Founder and Director of the Pain Trauma Institute In the summer and fall of 2023 an innovative study was born, “Project Stoke” (Surfing Therapy with the Ocean and Kinesthetic Engineering). Project Stoke is a collaboration between the Pain Trauma Institute (PTI) and USC’s Department of Biokinesiology and …
10 Things I Wish I Was Taught About My Period
By PHRC Admin Team Menstruation. The word alone can bring a lot of emotions – confusion, embarrassment, relief, or sometimes just plain annoyance. Despite the fact that it’s a natural part of life for many people, there’s still so much we aren’t taught about our periods and menstrual cycles. Here are ten things I wish I was taught about my …
Dilators: helpful or harmful for recovering from pelvic pain?
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Pasadena and Cambria Oetken, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village Spoiler alert: the answer is both. Let us explain. Vaginal dilators are tools used to assist in the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, specifically when there are issues with penetration of any kind. Historically, patients have had to direct their own care and may have purchased …
The “Skinny” on Ozempic and Your Pelvic Floor
Slimming Success or Health Setback? Weight Loss Drugs + The Pelvic Floor By Cambria Oetken, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village What is Ozempic? You may be familiar with the name “Ozempic,” “Semaglutide” or even “GLP-1” likely due to their social media presence and celebrity influencers, so what really are these drugs and what do they do in our bodies? Semaglutide …