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whats up down there

Have You Ever Asked "Whats Up Down There, Doc?"

Pelvic floor physical therapy is one of the best kept secrets in medicine.

I was on a recent plane flight and sat next to two women that were very chatty with one another. They quickly swept me up into their conversation. Inevitably, in situations like this, everyone asks “So what do you do for a living?”. My answer used to be “I’m a physical therapist”. The past couple of years, my standard response is “I’m a physical therapist, but let me tell you about what kind of physical therapist I am”. Then I go into the diagnoses I treat related to bowel, bladder and sexual health and, in general, how I treat them. Across the board, their reaction is a mix of astonishment and genuine interest. The follow up dialogue is always eye-opening for them, and more often than not, they will report either knowing someone close to them as having one of these pelvic floor issues, or they have it themselves.

These two chatty women on the plane were asking many questions. As it turned out, the early-20’s aged women sitting directly next to me had cervical cancer followed by a fertility-sparing procedure called a trachelectomy. Ever since her surgery, she has experienced painful intercourse. She hadn’t even mentioned this to her doctors, as she thought it was just the way it going to be. I told her about pelvic floor physical therapy and encouraged her to follow up with her doctor and ask for a referral. Needless to say, she was excited about the prospect of getting help for this pain that has plagued her for over two years.

A young couple sat next to me on another plane flight. They kept to themselves mostly. During the flight, I pulled out my laptop to work on some marketing for my book. I had a flyer on my lap and was typing away at the computer. This caught the eye of the woman that was sitting next to me. “So…”, she starts. “I don’t mean to peek, but what you are working on caught my eye”. So we chat for a bit about pelvic floor physical therapy, and specifically related to sexual pain and my book. After several minutes of chatting, she tells me that she is currently seeing a physical therapist in San Diego for vaginismus. She just started two weeks prior, and was still very uneasy about the whole thing. I gave her a lot of education and encouragement to continue. She couldn't believe how long it took her to get pointed in the right direction, after years of struggling with her inability to overcome her pain.

On a recent eye exam (for myself), I saw a new optometrist in the office. As soon as I found out she had a 7 month old and a 3 year old, I told her about my profession. She quickly remarked “Oh yeah—half my friends say they pee their pants every time they sneeze”. Her comment was so off-handed, that it took her a moment to realize through our conversation that this IS NOT NORMAL. Yes, they had a baby (or two or three) and have had urinary leakage ever since. But does that mean you just live with it? I hope that women will begin to tell their doctors “Of course not!”. As our conversation progressed, I began telling her about women I treat that have sexual pain and unconsummated marriages. She piped up “One of my friends got a UTI (urinary tract infection) eight months ago and she said her and her husband haven’t had sex since”. I told her a UTI is one of the most common precursors for my patients that have sexual pain. After picking her jaw up off the floor, she asked for a stack of my business cards.

...

Why did I share these stories? These are just three stories in as many months. In each case, women were literally blown away at the treatment options that were available to them and their friends. One had only recently began treatment and still was uncertain of how it would help her achieve her goals. I know there is some bias here, but PELVIC FLOOR PHYSICAL THERAPY IS ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS in medicine. The knowledge that women’s health physical therapists possess that encompasses evaluation and treatment of orthopaedic dysfunctions and how these contribute to chronic pain, pelvic pain, sexual wellness or other joint, tissue, neurologic or muscle dysfunctions is an invaluable adjunct to traditional medical care that everyone needs to know about. If you look at the numbers, it is clear that 1 in 3 women experience problems that we as women's health physical therapists can treat.

It is paramount that women be empowered with the knowledge that not only is a multidisciplinary approach the key to reducing their dysfunction, but a critical part of that team is a women’s health physical therapist. Women need to be offered real solutions for their problems, not just medication that acts as a bandaid and only provides a temporary fix. Or offered solely surgery, in the case of urinary incontinence, when the benefits of physical therapy have been proven through research time and time again to be a viable alternative.

All doctors need to know what pelvic floor physical therapy can do. All women need to know about pelvic floor physical therapy. Not to exclude men, as there is pelvic floor physical therapy for them, too. Is it the root of all your ailments? It’s hard to know without an evaluation. But I bet if you’ve been told “there is nothing physically wrong with you” and you are experiencing ongoing pain or dysfunction, it should be the next place you look.

Looking for help with your own pelvic floor issues? Schedule an appointment with one of our therapists today!

What Our Patients Have to Say

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Testimonial by T.H.

I started seeing Heather in October 2014. For more than two years, I had been suffering from painful urinary tract infection type symptoms after my bartholins gland surgery which included constant burning and urinary frequency sensation that led to more and more painful intercourse. I had made multiple visits to internist, obgyn and urologist's offices, went through a range of treatment with UTI and bladder frequency medication that included antibiotics, vesicare, estrogen cream, but nothing worked.

Read more: Testimonial by T.H.

Testimonial by J.B.

My husband and I were having problems with painful intercourse. My therapist recommended that I go and get a pelvic floor evaluation from a physical therapist. Having never been treated by a physical therapist, I wondered how this really was going to help me. My husband who is a physician was very supportive and agreed that a PT evaluation would be a great idea. So i made the appointment and was blown away by what I learned. I had no idea that pelvic floor muscles could get tight and have trigger points just like any other muscle in the body. I'm a massage therapist and very familiar with tight muscles, and this new thought really amazed me. Heather's program to help relax and strengthen these muscles made such a difference. I can say that I am 100% pain free during intercourse now. Yippee! Going to the PT appointments and doing the at-home exercises was definitely a discipline, but it's 100% worth it! The rewards are amazing.

-- J.B.

Testimonial by R.H.

No one could tell me why I was having pain during sex--sharp pain, not just uncomfortable, pain. I was referred to Heather Jeffcoat after researching several different options. I had seen a specialist who told me physical therapy would not help and my only option was surgery. I really didn't want to go that route, so when we got a referral, I decided to try it--it can't hurt, I thought. I am so glad I did. She diagnosed the problem right away, which was a relief in itself.

To know why I was having pain eased my mind immensely. And to hear that she could fix it without surgery was another relief. She said she could fix the problem in 6 weeks. I think it was actually 4 for me. She was very methodical, and treated me as an intelligent human being capable of participating in my own recovery. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone. She did not try to prolong my session numbers, she worked hard to accommodate my schedule (and the fact that I had to bring a baby to sessions), and she was completely honest the entire time. It is so hard to find someone with these characteristics, much less a professional who is so good at what she does. She has my highest respect.

-- R.H.

Testimonial by J.B.

My husband and I were having problems with painful intercourse. My therapist recommended that I go and get a pelvic floor evaluation from a physical therapist. Having never been treated by a physical therapist, I wondered how this really was going to help me. My husband who is a physician was very supportive and agreed that a PT evaluation would be a great idea. So i made the appointment and was blown away by what I learned. I had no idea that pelvic floor muscles could get tight and have trigger points just like any other muscle in the body. I'm a massage therapist and very familiar with tight muscles, and this new thought really amazed me. Heather's program to help relax and strengthen these muscles made such a difference. I can say that I am 100% pain free during intercourse now. Yippee! Going to the PT appointments and doing the at-home exercises was definitely a discipline, but it's 100% worth it! The rewards are amazing.

-- J.B.

Testimonial by Ann V.

I wish i could give this place 10 stars!! 
I have been suffering from vaginismus for 5 years and never found the cure to it. I had seen an ob/gyn and he diagnosed me with vaginismus and told me i needed a surgery to cure my condition, which i refused to do. He also referred me to a PT that he works with, i had given them multiple calls and they never responded back to me, so i started searching yelp for another PT. I am SO HAPPY I found Heather's office! I was working with Laureen, and with her guidance and techniques i was able to be cured from vaginismus in only 2 1/2 short months!!! I couldn't believe how quickly their program worked for me! I am forever grateful and thankful from Heather, and Laureen! They are the absolute best at what they do!

Read more: Testimonial by Ann V.

Testimonial by R.D., age 38

"I had a severe tear during childbirth that was not stitched together correctly and therefore healed poorly. Even after having a surgery a year later to remove the scar tissue, I was still having pain, and no one could explain why -- there was no overt 'reason' to explain the pain. I had tried other 'specialists' and even saw another physical therapist who had me do hip / leg stretches -- what a joke! I was about to give up and just 'live with it' until thankfully I kept searching online and found Heather.

Read more: Testimonial by R.D., age 38

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