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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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), […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
By PHRC Admin Over the course of the years here at Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center, we have had numerous opportunities to collaborate with other professionals in the field. This blog is a compilation of the various articles, podcasts and resources we wanted to put in one place for you to be able to […]
BY PHRC Admin Team All those who are pregnant and/or postpartum can benefit from pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy given the crucial role these muscles play during delivery and how prevalent dysfunction is after birth. Pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy reduces the risk of pelvic organ prolapse, urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunction and […]
By Alexa Savitz, DPT, PHRC Pasadena Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is mediated by estrogen and can present as cyclic/non-cyclic pelvic pain, low back pain, GI and IBS symptoms, painful sex , infertility, painful bladder symptoms, fatigue and chronic pain, to name a few. The gold standard for diagnosis is laparoscopic excision […]
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Pasadena Pelvic pain knowledge is improving, but not as quickly as desired by suffering patients. Many of our page followers might have some or all conditions shown. Researchers and NIH now term them Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions (COPCs). Imagine if these symptoms and diagnoses were interconnected. Endometriosis, diagnosed […]
It’s time for the FDA to remove the outdated and misleading boxed warning label on local vaginal estrogen. 75 million women in menopause are being held back by outdated and misleading FDA warnings on local vaginal estrogen—a proven, safe, and effective treatment for GSM symptoms like tissue thinning, painful sex, and recurrent UTIs. Despite overwhelming […]
