View Post

A Q&A About Clitoral Pain

In Female Pelvic Pain, Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles & Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack   What are the possible causes of clitoral pain? How can each of these things cause it?   There are several possible causes of clitoral pain. This list of causes is not exhaustive, but are the most common causes of clitoral pain. It could be …

View Post

How Pelvic Floor PT Can Help Gynecological Cancer Survivors?

In Female Pelvic Pain, Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain, Post-Surgical Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation by Elizabeth AkincilarLeave a Comment

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 therapist.    The five gynecological cancers …

View Post

Pelvic Hip Pain, A Patient Success Story

In Endometriosis, Female Pelvic Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Emily TranLeave a Comment

By Jillian Giannini, DPT, PHRC Pasadena, Jennifer Keesee, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village and Emily Schwerdtfeger, BA, PHRC Westlake Village “I’m the exception, right?” “It could never happen to me.” Emily is a 25 year old female that has had left hip pain for five years now. She describes her hip pain as:   Achy or sharp  In front of L …

View Post

Setting Up for Success after Endometriosis Excision Surgery

In Endometriosis, Pain, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by pelv_adminLeave a Comment

By Jennifer Keesee, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village & Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas   Congratulations on taking the next step in your healing journey! You’ve found a great doctor and decided to proceed with endometriosis excision surgery. If you’re like me, after many years of managing endo symptoms, you’re probably excited to address the root cause. If you have …

View Post

PT Across the Lifespan: Celebrating International Women’s Day

In Female Pelvic Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health by Elizabeth AkincilarLeave a Comment

By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack   As we recognize International Women’s Day in March, this is the perfect opportunity to educate our community about how pelvic floor physical therapy can benefit women and folks with uteruses throughout the different phases of their lives. The truth is, virtually all women and people with uteruses will benefit from the education, …

View Post

Endometriosis: A PT’s Journey to Diagnosis & Treatment

In Endometriosis by pelv_adminLeave a Comment

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 a woman, but were born …

View Post

Lichen Sclerosus: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Hope

In Female Pelvic Pain, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   What is Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus?   Like so many other pelvic pain diagnoses, Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus (VLS) is riddled with challenges in terms of diagnosis and treatment. Many people with VLS also have pelvic floor dysfunction, and as a result we have seen lots of patients with both. Slight adaptations to …

View Post

National Condom Week: History, Facts and Pointers

In Pelvic Health by Elizabeth AkincilarLeave a Comment

By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack   This week we’re celebrating National Condom Week; which gives us the perfect excuse to educate our community about the correct use of and important precautions to consider when using condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.   Condoms, aka male sheath, johnny, rubber, raincoat, cock sock, or the English riding …

View Post

Part I: Breathing Techniques for Pelvic Floor Health

In pelvic floor yoga and pilates, Pelvic Health by Melissa Patrick1 Comment

By Melissa Patrick, PT, DPT and Jennifer Keesee, DPT   The Basics   Breathing may seem like a very simple task, but many of us breathe incorrectly. Poor breathing mechanics can affect us physically, mentally, and emotionally. Research has shown that breathing exercises can positively impact our nervous, cardiac, and musculoskeletal systems.  When we pay attention to, and learn how …

View Post

Connective Tissue Restrictions: Causes, Consequences and Treatments

In Pelvic Health by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   Connective tissue (CT) restrictions are defined as a dense thickening of subcutaneous tissue that’s painful upon pinch-rolling examination. Connective tissue restrictions can contribute to urinary and bowel symptoms and pelvic pain. As this post will explain, CT restrictions can be a cause and consequence of multiple pelvic floor symptoms and syndromes. …

View Post

2022, Year of the Tiger; A Year in Review

In pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   Welcome 2022, goodbye 2021! 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 …

View Post

A Peripartum Product Guide for Pregnant Friends by a Pelvic Floor PT

In Pelvic Health, Pregnancy and Postpartum Pelvic Health by Molly BachmannLeave a Comment

What does a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist gift her pregnant friends at their baby showers?   By Molly Bachmann PT, DPT, PHRC San Francisco   Working in the medical field places one in a unique position when it comes to relationships with family and friends. Frequently I’ll receive questions about aches and pains, emails asking for advice, etc. Working in …

View Post

How pelvic floor physical therapy helps men with pelvic pain

In Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome, Male Pelvic Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy by Elizabeth AkincilarLeave a Comment

By Elizabeth Akincilar, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Lexington In the past, when most folks in the medical community thought about pelvic pain, the assumption often was that it was due to pregnancy or labor and delivery, or something related to a woman’s menstrual cycle or reproductive organs. Thankfully, the medical community has come a long way. Within the community of medical …

View Post

PHRC is accepting new patients in Pasadena, California!

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, pelvic floor yoga and pilates, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC West Los Angeles The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center is excited to announce that we are now accepting new patients in our newest location in Pasadena! Let’s be real, Los Angeles traffic is no joke. Since we opened in West LA in 2014 we have been honored to help patients from all over the greater …

View Post

Good News! Interstitial Cystitis is treatable! A Much Needed Q&A

In Female Interstitial Cystitis / Painful Bladder Syndrome, Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome, pelvic floor physical therapy by Stephanie Prendergast1 Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC West Los Angeles   What is Interstitial Cystitis? IC is a pelvic pain syndrome characterized by irritated bladder symptoms. This condition is associated with painful sex, pelvic floor dysfunction, vestibulodynia, endometriosis, and gut dysbiosis. What are the symptoms? Symptoms include bladder pain, urinary urgency, urinary frequency, pain worsened with bladder filling, nocturia, and dysuria. The …

View Post

Male Urinary Dysfunction; Kevin’s Bladder Success Story

In Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health by Tiffany YuenLeave a Comment

By Tiffany Yuen, DPT, PHRC Los Gatos The History of Kevin’s Symptoms and How He Found PHRC   “Tiffany did an excellent job helping to loosen the muscles in my pelvic area; I experienced minimal discomfort during our sessions but saw marked improvement in urgency and frequency as long as I showed up and did the basic exercises she prescribed …

View Post

Working on mind over bladder? Urine good company

In Female Interstitial Cystitis / Painful Bladder Syndrome, Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome, pelvic floor physical therapy by Molly BachmannLeave a Comment

By Molly Bachmann PT, DPT, PHRC San Francisco   Urination is one of the most reliable body functions a person can have. You go about your daily routine, you receive a little message to your brain that says “Hey there! It’s me, your bladder. We’re pretty fully down here. Do you think you could empty me?” You listen to your …

View Post

Dear Doctor, Your Patients are Human; An Open Letter

In pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Emily TranLeave a Comment

By Emily Schwerdtfeger, PHRC Westlake Village Admin Assistant A patient submitted this letter following their personal experience with patient care   An open letter to any doctor who’s ever seen a patient. To patients who have experienced something similar, I’m sorry and you didn’t deserve it.   “I understand that doctors have limited time with patients and that medicine is …

View Post

Perimenopause Facts: It Starts Earlier than You Think

In Menopause by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC West Los Angeles   Perimenopause begins earlier than you think!  Most people in their 20’s and 30’s may not think they need to know about perimenopause & that perimenopause information doesn’t apply to them. This is not true! Here are just a few of the many things you need to know.    Testosterone Decline: …

View Post

Meditation & Yoga for Pelvic Pain Relief [Videos Links Included]

In pelvic floor physical therapy, pelvic floor yoga and pilates, Pelvic Health by Emily TranLeave a Comment

By admin   Wondering what you can do besides pelvic floor physical therapy for your pelvic pain? This week we compiled the yoga sessions our PT, Melissa Patrick, has been hosting on our Instagram. Find the best yoga session for you based on the pelvic pain you are experiencing directly below its description.   Yoga for Pudendal Neuralgia Working with …