By Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas
Here at PHRC we regularly discover all sorts of new and cool products that are available for people’s pelvic health needs. I am amazed at some of the products available and that are being developed and am so thankful there are people that are creating these products because they are SOOO helpful! This is an updated version of one of our previous blogs, since there have been some new developments in the last few years and we wanted to share them with you!
Pelvic health physical and occupational therapistss treat a multitude of conditions that can include, but are not limited to, urinary dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, bowel issues (aka pooping), as well as pain in the pelvic region. Pelvic floor dysfunction is not a gender-specific disorder and can affect all people at different phases of their lives.
This week, we wanted to highlight some of our continued go-tos that can help people recover from pelvic pain, specifically painful sex, and introduce some new products that have been developed. There are a variety of pelvic floor disorders that affect daily life; we hope this list helps you receive the best care possible while alleviating any discomfort being experienced. If you see a product on this list that interests you, it may be a good idea to discuss it with your physical and occupational therapists and how it can be implemented into your treatment plan.
Let’s talk about sex baby… and many of the products, tools, and resources available.
Dilators aka “trainers”
Here at PHRC we have quite a few that we are a fan of! Dilators are used to increase tolerance of both vaginal and anal sex for all people, straight, bisexual, transexual, pansexual… literally everyone! There are differences in materials, colors, styles, and pricing so finding the right fit for you is important. Dilators are a great tool to pair up with a regimen of pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy.
Milli vaginal trainer
Milli vaginal trainer This dilator is unique, it is the only expandable dilator yet. This means that you don’t have to insert a series of dilators each time which may eliminate irritation if you have pain with initial insertion. It expands inside of you and you can measure specifically the dilation. Recovering from painful sex can take time, we love that this device helps people objectively measure progress with the digitized face depicting the size it has expanded to. It is made of a soft silicone and it does have a vibrating feature. It comes in its own charging case so it is easier to travel with as well.
Soul Source Silicone Dilators
Soul Source Silicone Dilators
With the release of their new silicone finish, these dilators come in a vast variety of sizes and have different sets to match your needs. They are also made locally in CA! They are a bit on the pricier side, but they are definitely a quality product!
GRS – Dilator set by Soul Source
GRS – Dilator set by Soul Source
Soul source has made these specifically for those undergoing gender reassignment surgery in conjunction with a surgeon that performs this surgery. These dilators are made of rigid polyurethane, and can be chilled in order to use for post-surgical swelling in addition to using them for general dilation post-surgery.
New Flora Dilator Sets |
She-ology Wearable Dilators |
Intimate Rose Dilator Set |
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 With a nice smooth silicone finish, these dilators are slightly different in length and size, and are one of the more affordable sets on the market. |
These silicone dilators are like no other. This is the first set of wearable dilators for those that want to try a different position or move around. They also come in a larger, more advanced set.
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Similar to soul source, these offer soft silicone (maybe even a little softer) and a variety of sizes and sets, and a bit cheaper as well! Silicone in general is nice because it often feels more like human skin instead of hard plastic. |
Clone-A-Willy
Clone-A-Willy
Yes, you heard it correctly, a cloning kit that allows you to clone your partner! This is for patients working specifically towards a goal of pain-free intercourse with their partner who may have anxiety/have a hard time communicating their needs during intercourse with their partners. Also comes in a variety of colors, and it even glows in the dark!
New Flora Pelvic Wand
Intimate Rose Pelvic Wand
Many patients ask us, “so how can I do this on my own?” Well, the pelvic wands offer just that. With the S-shape meant to help with your ergonomics of gripping, this slides right in and allows you to access your pelvic floor muscles. With the tapered end, it’s great for trigger point release. They also offer a wand with a vibrating feature as well. There are now a couple on the market, both offering vibrating options, though each have a slightly different shape.
Ohnut!
Made for the people, by the people. This device made by The Pelvic People, was developed for those that have pain with deep penetration. They are very soft, stackable rings that go on the male partner to create essentially a buffer so that penetration does not go so deep, yet both partners still feel pleasurable. They now offer an additional vibrating ring to enhance pleasure!
The Kiwi
Featuring the newest product from The Pelvic People, this device is a two-for-one. With the ability to help you tackle pelvic pain and progress towards pleasure, this is one of the best devices on the market right now! Offering a dual control vibration and multiple options for use, we give it 5 stars!
Personal Lubricants
To begin, there are a ton of personal moisturizers aka lubricants out there that are better used for anal vs. vaginal use. These depend on both the pH of the product as well as the osmolality. And there are things to consider like water-based or oil-based. SO. MANY. OPTIONS!
Lube + Sperm:
- The best conditions for sperm survival and motility is pH 7.2-8.5 and osmolality 270-360 mOsm/kg.
- Brands: Pre-Seed, Yes Baby
Vaginal and Rectal pH
- Vaginal: 3.8 – 4.5
- Rectal: 7.0
Osmolality
- The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends osmolalities of less than 380 mOsm/kg
- Silicone-, Plant, and Oil-based lube are also less likely to irritate, but their osmolality cannot be measured.
For a more in depth review about why lube selection is important, one of our senior physical and occupational therapistss, Melinda Fontaine (Walnut Creek, CA), wrote a blog that you can read here.
What we use in the clinic:
Typically we use slippery stuff for our transvaginal work and surgilube for transrectal work. Releveum is now classified as a moisturizer because it can be used for longer than 60 minutes, while lubes are short-term and do not last longer than 60 minutes. Releveum is an aloe vera based lube/moisturizer. It contains 4% lidocaine that can be used to help soothe or numb burning tissue, like for those that have pain with initial penetration and suffer from Vestibulodynia, and can help in the short-term for improving that pain!
Moisturizers and other care products for “down there”
There are some other moisturizers that can be helpful for irritated tissue, especially if you don’t want to, or cannot use hormones for any reason. There are two that we often recommend for women that have pain with initial penetration from irritated or inflamed tissue at the entrance of the vagina and the vestibule. I often recommend them for my mama’s that are pregnant or postpartum and CANNOT use any hormones (even local ones) because it is contraindicated in pregnancy and postpartum. This is also true for those women who are concerned about, or would feel more comfortable not using hormones because they have had certain types of cancer.
Vital V V-Magic
These are both used to soothe the tissues, but have slightly different ingredients. Vital V has vitex, which is chaste berry extract while Vmagic has some ingredients that are more antimicrobial. We use them both and it may just be a personal preference of which may work for you!
Kindra
Kindra
The Daily Vaginal Lotion features a blend of ultra-hydrating extracts to support skin-moisture barrier healing for vulvar and vaginal dryness. Whereas the V Relief Serum features a biomimetic peptide clinically studied to reduce skin sensitivity and reactivity, including stinging, burning, and itching.
Education
If you have ever been a patient here at PHRC, visited our office, or seen our videos on social media, you know how valuable education is to us!
When Sex Hurts
Pelvic Pain Explained
PHRC’s First E-Book!
Our favorite books to recommend are “When Sex Hurts” which has been updated with SO much new information about the causes of painful sex and what you can do about it, authored by some of the top pelvic health specialists in the world. “Pelvic Pain Explained” which was co-authored by PHRC’s co-founders Stephanie Prendergast (Pasadena, CA) and Elizabeth Akincilar (Merrimack, NH) and PHRC’s very first e-book “Vulvodynia, Vaginismus, & Vestibulodynia: Your guide to diagnosis and treatment” by Stephanie Prendergast, Elizabeth Akincilar, and Jandra Mueller. You can find this book for $10 on our website. We’ve compiled so many of the resources we’ve collected over the years into a fun, digestible book for patients to get the help they need
Your toolbox does not need to just be manual therapy techniques! If you have feedback about these products we’d also love to hear so feel free to comment below and share some of your favorites! We love to hear back from patients and healthcare providers about the types of products they use as treatment options.
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Check out our recently published e-book titled “Vulvodynia, Vestibulodynia, and Vaginismus,” designed to empower and inform individuals on their journey towards healing and understanding.
Did you know we opened our 11th location in Columbus, OH? Now scheduling new patients- call (510) 922-9836 to book!
Are you unable to come see us in person in the Bay Area, Southern California or New England? We offer virtual physical and occupational therapy appointments too!
Virtual sessions are available with PHRC pelvic floor physical and occupational therapistss via our video platform, Zoom, or via phone. For more information and to schedule, please visit our digital healthcare page.
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