By PHRC Admin Team As we find ourselves on the cusp of a new year, it’s time to take a nostalgic walk down memory lane and revisit the top blogs of 2023. This year has been a rollercoaster ride, filled with insightful discussions, enlightening discoveries, and inspiring stories from all across the globe. So, let’s wrap up the year …
Symptoms of Perimenopause
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Perimenopause and menopause are finally getting more attention & we’re grateful this is finally happening because people in these phases of life are struggling with TREATABLE symptoms. People think of perimenopause as a time marked by irregular periods but much more than that is happening. It can begin as early …
Demystifying Pelvic Floor Disorders
By PHRC Admin Pelvic floor disorders are a group of medical conditions that affect millions worldwide. Despite their prevalence, these disorders often remain undiagnosed and untreated due to lack of awareness and social stigma. In this blog post, we will summarize key information from an article by Today’s Woman that our cofounder, Stephanie Prendergast was interviewed for. We …
Success Story: Exploring the Clinical Presentation of CPPS
By Lauren Rogne, PT, DPT, PHRC San Francisco The case of the mysterious pelvic pain – Exploring the clinical presentation of Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS) Background Ben is a 35 year old with sudden onset of urinary tract-like infection symptoms, including urinary frequency, urgency, pain and burning. He visited his doctor, and his urinalysis came back negative …
Tarlov Cysts: Everything You Need to Know
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles What are Tarlov Cysts? Tarlov cysts (a.k.a. perineural cysts) are cerebrospinal fluid-filled sacs found near the nerve roots at the lower end of the spinal canal, most commonly in the sacral spine area (the lower back and tailbone). While it is not known exactly what causes these cysts, they have …
Triumph Through Telehealth: Jim’s Journey Overcoming Chronic Prostatitis
By Melissa Patrick, PT, DPT, RYT , PHRC Lexington For the estimated 15% of men worldwide who suffer from pelvic pain, finding the right providers to properly diagnose and treat their pain can be a daunting task, especially when seeking local options in their community. As a result, some patients end up traveling long distances to receive care. Fortunately, …
Updated 2023 Virtual Services
By PHRC Admin Team Did you know that the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center offers a variety of virtual health services? Often people do not understand their symptoms until they stumble upon our website, blog, or social media channels. Some people have a diagnosis but they do not have a pelvic floor physical therapist locally to help them. …
National Breast Cancer Month: Raising Awareness
By PHRC Admin Team October is National Breast Cancer Month, a time to raise awareness about this deadly disease that affects millions of people across the globe. Approximately one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, making it the most common form of cancer among women in the United States . This month …
Causes of Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome
By PHRC Admin Interstitial Cystitis/ Painful Bladder Syndrome is a treatable pelvic pain syndrome affecting roughly 12 million people in the United States alone. If it affects so many, what are the causes? We’re glad you asked! There’s many! Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Multiple studies conducted in the US and abroad show that up to 92% of people with …
Embracing Sexual Health Awareness: Chronic Pain & Intimacy
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 relationships and sex lives. In …
Symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis/ Painful Bladder Syndrome
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome (IC/PBS) is considered a chronic overlapping pain condition (COPC) and it is common, affecting up to 12 million people in the United States alone. The good news is – it’s treatable! Symptoms of IC/PBS can include, but are not limited too: Urinary urgency, frequency, and …
September Marks Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month
By Emily Tran, PHRC Westlake Village September marks Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, an important time to raise awareness about the importance of early detection and preventive measures for several types of gynecologic cancers. Gynecologic cancers refer to several different types of cancer that affect women’s reproductive organs, including cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal and vulvar cancer. While these cancers …
Success Story: From Birth Prep to Birth Success at PHRC
By Molly Bachmann, DPT, PHRC San Francisco Suzy came to Pelvic Floor PT during her second pregnancy in hopes of addressing some recent heaviness she had felt in her vagina. She also complained of urinating every hour and waking up two to three times a night to urinate. She hoped to prepare her body for birth and postpartum as …
Misconceptions About Pelvic Health And The Truth About Them
By Emily Tran, PHRC Westlake Village When it comes to overall health, there is one area that is often overlooked or under-discussed: pelvic health. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the importance of taking care of their pelvic floor muscles, and they pay little attention to the myriad of issues that can arise from poor pelvic health. To help …
Success Story: How Stacey Recovered from Leaking and UTIs at PHRC
By Emily Eckmann, DPT, PHRC West Los Angeles Stacy’s History Stacy is a woman in her 60s who came to PHRC seeking help for her urinary incontinence that had progressively gotten worse over the last five years. She was eight years into menopause and had seen several gynecologists who did not find ‘anything wrong with her bladder.’ She …
Trauma-Informed Care Approaches for a Pelvic Floor PT
By admin According to the Center for Health Care Strategies, “a trauma-informed approach to care acknowledges that health care organizations and care teams need to have a complete picture of a patient’s life situation — past and present — in order to provide effective health care services with a healing orientation.” In the image we have listed a few …
The Jaw and Foot: Connections to the Pelvic Floor
Did you know that your foot can affect your pelvic floor? Foot and ankle positioning has an effect on the pelvic floor by influencing changes in muscle activation up the legs ultimately resulting in changes with pelvic tilt positioning. There are biomechanical changes from the ground up. The connection in brain mapping of motor and sensation- the genitals and …
Fusobacterium and Endometriosis: New Insights or Media Frenzy?
By Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas The recent study titled “Fusobacterium infection facilitates the development of endometriosis through the phenotypic transition of endometrial fibroblasts” by Muraoka et al. has generated significant attention and frenzy in the media. The media coverage of this article has been intense, with headlines highlighting the potential breakthrough in understanding the pathogenesis of endometriosis, …
Dyspareunia: Symptoms and Associated Conditions
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 ‘hot’ or painful, deeper inside. …
Biomechanical Evaluation for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction & PF Functions
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles To start, there are various functions we can thank our pelvic floor, but let’s get into the MAIN functions: Part of core muscles The pelvic floor supports your core muscles: transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, and the external oblique muscles. The PFM tends to act reflexively when we’re using our core …
June is Men’s Health Awareness Month
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack June is Men’s Health Awareness Month and it’s an important reminder of the need to prioritize preventative care and wellness for all. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, men are more likely to experience serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, diabetes, suicide, substance abuse …