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teaching your daughters about endometriosis

Tips for Teaching Your Daughters About Endometriosis

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women and girls. The delay for diagnosis averages 7 years! How early should you start the discussion about this debilitating condition? As a pelvic health physical therapist, I believe this conversation should start not long after your daughter begins menstruating. As moms, we need to be aware about what is “normal” versus “abnormal”. We only know if we ask them questions. It can be a scary time for girls when they first get their periods, and it can be devastating if there is a lot of pain. We need to be a strong support system for our daughters, but also educate them on the norms.

Is it normal to have cramping? Yes. It’s the uterus contracting to shed the lining of the uterus. Mild to moderate cramping can often be helped with Motrin, heating pads, gentle exercise and adequate hydration. Be careful to not dismiss her if she comes to you complaining of severe cramping during her cycle. If her pain is so severe she is vomiting, please do not accuse her of being “too dramatic”. I’ve heard these stories in my office from my patients as they relay their history and how long they complained of severe pain, only to be accused of playing up their pain too much. It only delayed their treatments and added psychological factors as they were made to feel that their pain wasn’t that bad or worse…not real at all.

book teaching your daughters about endometriosis

If you are not a health care provider, you may find it difficult to start this conversation with your daughter. I’m a pelvic health therapist and I even wondered the best way to teach my 10 year-old daughter! First, you need a respected manual that will give you accurate and clear information in simple terms to start discussing what normal developmental changes are in girls. For the past year off and on, we’ve been reading a great book -- “Below Your Belt: How to Be Queen of Your Pelvic Region”.

This is a fantastic book and is the ultimate pelvic health handbook for girls. It covers pelvic anatomy (muscles and organs), bowel and bladder function, hygiene, puberty, menstruation and age-related changes that occur in the body…all necessary information for optimal pelvic health. It has tasteful illustrations and age-appropriate language to teach your girls accurate information about their bodies, the changes in their bodies and strategies to cope with these changes. While it makes no specific mention of endometriosis, it does mention UTI’s as a common occurrence in girlhood. You can read more about Endometriosis here.

Patient-oriented handouts are also available online at the International Pelvic Pain Society, and are helpful in defining and navigating this condition, in language designed to be understood at an 8th grade level. This organization additionally has helpful links to find providers in your area and around the globe.

I do not know if my daughter will be one of the 1 in 10 women and girls that has Endometriosis. But if she is, she will not have to listen to people telling her that her pain is “normal period pain”. She will not only have the support of her family, but also the knowledge to manage her pain. If she escapes the statistic, she will likely have many friends as she goes through middle school, high school and beyond that have Endometriosis. I hope the education I provide her sticks so she can offer support for these women. Let’s raise a smarter generation of girls that understand their bodies and get the care they need without delay.

For More Information

Read: Missy Lavender & Jeni Donatelli Ihm. “Below Your Belt: How to Be Queen of Your Pelvic Region”. Womens Health Foundation. 2015.

Visit: pelvicpain.org

Hopefully you now understand more about teaching your daughters about endometriosis. Be sure to check out more articles about endometriosis here.

What Our Patients Have to Say

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Testimonial by Julie T.

Femina PT (née Fusion Wellness & Physical Therapy) has honestly changed my life. Before receiving treatment at Femina, I was going doctor to doctor to try and find the answer to my pelvic pain. It has taken me YEARS to find someone that can help fix this. It wasn't until my gynecologist recommended your clinic that I finally felt relief. My pelvic pain is almost gone, and granted I still have a lot more to work on with Laureen (my PT), my original problem is nearly cured. I am so grateful to her.

What is even better is she gave me practical exercises to do at home that were not tedious and provided instant (and lasting) relief. Although I mainly work with Laureen, my interaction with the owner (Heather) has been great. She is very generous, kind, and committed to her business.

It hurts to know there are women out there suffering who will never know or have the opportunity to work with women like Laureen and Heather because this issue is hardly talked about and this field is so rare. I hope more doctors and physical therapists see the value in this work and can relieve more woman of their pain.

-- Julie T., 12/4/16 via Yelp!

Testimonial by Y.L. (mom of 2)

After having my second baby via C-section I searched for months to try to find help for my lower back pain and separated abdominal muscles. I finally came across Heather Jeffcoat via a mommy blog. I reached out to her via email and set my first appointment. My first appointment went amazing … she listened to what my symptoms, check my separation and explained to me in detail what the next steps would be. Not only did my abdominal separation go from 3 to about 1 -1/2 but my back has pain has significantly reduced. I’m personally recommending all my mommy friends to Heather!

Y.L. (mom of 2)

Testimonial by Fritzette H.

I went to Heather after the birth of my third child. It was lucky, really, that I was referred to her, because my doctor had referred me to a surgeon for a possible hysterectomy or pelvic wall rebuild. Thankfully, I went to Heather before undergoing either surgery, she was able to fix the problem. She has studied extensively in women's health--even written a book about it--and was able to diagnose my problem, suggest a course of treatment (6 weeks), and then follow through with said treatment. By the end, as she said, I was as good as gold. Boy, was it worth it! Though uncomfortable to talk about, much less write about, it is worth getting the word out there. If you have painful intercourse, especially after birth or other trauma, the treatment may be as simple as Physical Therapy (with Heather, of course). I highly recommend her.

-- Fritzette H., 3/24/16 via Yelp!

Testimonial by S.P., Age 26

I would like to start off by thanking Heather Jeffcoat for educating me and curing me of Vaginismus. I had been married for almost three years before I was referred to Heather. I never knew about Vaginismus until almost three years into my marriage. I knew something was wrong when I went on my honeymoon and came back a Virgin. I had always imagined how magical my first night would be but boy was I wrong.

Read more: Testimonial by S.P., Age 26

Testimonial by Amanda W.

Heather's unique physical therapy program literally changed my life! After years of struggling with vaginismus, a condition that made it impossible for me to have intercourse and very difficult to use tampons without pain, a gynecologist referred me to Heather. I was nervous for my first appointment, but Heather's professional and friendly demeanor put me at ease. She did a great job explaining each technique she was using to help my muscles relax. Heather uses a combination of internal and external stretches and exercises to relax the pelvic floor and build muscle strength. Her specially developed home program helped me quickly recover from an issue that seemed insurmountable before meeting Heather. She was optimistic about my progress and incredibly encouraging. Less than 6 months after my first session, I was able to have pain-free sex for the first time in my life! If you are suffering from vaginismus or any other pelvic floor issues, I highly recommend making an appointment with Heather and reading her book!

-- Amanda W., 2/15/16 via Yelp!

Testimonial by P.M.

I was hopeful but frankly skeptical when the doctor treating me for Interstitial Cystitis recommended that I go to Heather for physical therapy. Medication and diet helped control my IC symptoms, but I had never heard of physical therapy being used to treat IC. The education and treatment I received from Heather was a revelation. She explained that the pain I experienced with IC had helped create a cycle of muscle guarding which affected the entire pelvic area. I had no idea of the amount of tension being held there. No wonder my husband and I had not been able to have sexual intercourse for years!

Read more: Testimonial by P.M.

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