By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Clitoral phimosis, while not widely discussed, is a condition that affects many worldwide. It’s characterized by the formation of adhesions or scar tissue that covers the clitoris, causing discomfort, pain, and sexual dysfunction. Understanding and managing this condition can significantly improve the quality of life for those […]
By PHRC Admin Depression, a common and serious medical illness, affects how we feel, think, and handle daily activities. In recent years, there’s been growing concern over the potential link between hormonal birth control and depression. Join us for a review of an article linking Oral contraceptives (OCPs) to depression! We thank Fiona Riddle […]
By Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas Endometriosis is well known for its significant menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea), and often silent infertility. It has long been thought that this disease is a ‘women’s’ disease or menstrual disease allowing for a long history of hysterectomies and hormone suppression aimed at suppressing menstruation. Find Relief Fast – […]
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 […]
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles The diagnosis of Vulvodynia can be confusing, scary, and overwhelming. Studies show that vulvar pain affects as many as 1 in 3 women at some point during their lives and the medical community is finally getting better at diagnosing and treating it! ‘Vulvodynia’ simply means pain […]
By PHRC Admin In a world where we’re accustomed to physical discomfort being temporary, it’s hard to imagine what living with chronic pain feels like. It’s not just an ongoing ache or discomfort. It’s a complex, multifaceted experience that can seep into every aspect of life, making even the simplest tasks daunting. Explaining chronic pain […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles As people age, circulating hormones decline and pelvic floor dysfunction rises. The combination of these changes can cause unnecessary suffering and distress. The unfortunate news is that most people do not realize their symptoms may be related to hormonal deficiencies & musculoskeletal issues. However, the […]
By Emily Tran, PHRC Westlake Village September marks Sexual Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of sexual health and well-being. One often overlooked aspect of sexual health is the impact of chronic pain on intimacy. Millions of people worldwide suffer from chronic pain, and it can significantly affect their […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles What is dyspareunia? A high number of people with a vagina suffer from painful versus pleasurable sex, including before, during or after sexual encounters. Superficial dyspareunia refers to pain at the opening of the vagina, whereas deep dyspareunia refers to feelings like something is being […]
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack In a post-Roe world, conversations and questions about birth control options are on the rise. Currently, everyone still has a constitutional right to contraceptives. There are many ways to prevent pregnancy, including oral medications, implantable devices, injectable medications, barrier methods, surgical interventions, fertility awareness, and abstinence. There […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles When considering neuropathic pain in the pelvis most people think of the pudendal nerve, but there are several other pelvic nerves that can also contribute to pelvic pain! The genitofemoral nerve supplies a portion of the genitals as well as the front of the thigh. This […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles There are a number of treatable causes of clitoral pain, yet often patients are misdiagnosed and this distressing symptom can persist. Hormonal deficiencies associated with birth control pills, acne medications, and age can lead to thinning of hormonally sensitive structures, such as the clitoris and […]
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC West Los Angeles A frequent question from social media: “I have Vestibulodynia and painful bladder syndrome. I am almost symptom free except for near or during my period. My hormone levels are fine. My urologist prescribed testosterone cream because he found atrophy. At the same time I have […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT , Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Most people have not heard of term “Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause” (GSM). One key reason is that the term did not exist until 2014, when leadership societies recognized that menopausal women were suffering from many more symptoms than just ‘vaginal atrophy’ and vaginal dryness. […]
By Lauren Opatrny, PT, DPT, PHRC Berkeley & San Francisco *all names have been changed to maintain patient privacy Background Rachel* is a 32 year old experiencing urinary incontinence after giving birth to her baby in December 2020. When she was eight months postpartum and still experiencing incontinence, her doctor referred her to […]
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack Receiving a gynecological cancer diagnosis is wrought with emotions: fear, grief, confusion, anger, among others. Additionally, the number of medical providers that one will encounter throughout the treatment process is many. One of the important members of your interdisciplinary cancer care team is a pelvic floor physical and […]
By Jennifer Keesee, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village March is endometriosis awareness month, and here at PHRC we want to help spread the word about this complex disease that is often hidden in plain sight. Endometriosis is a condition that affects approximately 10% of women, which also includes trans-men, and those who do not identify as […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, DPT, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles On February 18th I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Irwin Goldstein on Instagram Live. Here is a little background on Dr. Goldstein: Dr. Irwin Goldstein is the director of San Diego Sexual Medicine, where he maintains his clinical practice, Director of Sexual Medicine […]
Author: Tracy MacNeal, Materna CEO This week we are posting about the Milli, the first-ever gradually expanding dilator. Please note PHRC cofounder Stephanie Prendergast is a member of the Materna Scientific Advisory Board and PHRC is posting this blog on their behalf. Vaginal dilators are often recommended in treatment plans for women suffering […]
By Morgan Conner, DPT, PHRC Los Gatos Sadly, the starting point of this success story is not novel to me as a pelvic floor physical and occupational therapists or for many who struggle with primary vaginismus. However, this story has a happy ending (pun very much intended!) as well as an interesting middle. When Vicki […]
By: Morgan Conner, DPT, PHRC Los Gatos In October I had the pleasure of attending the International Pelvic Pain Society’s Scientific Meeting with a number of my colleagues here at PHRC. On the second day of the main conference, Catherine Allaire MDCM, FRCSC gave the James E. Carter keynote lecture titled Endometriosis: Towards Prevention of […]
