At Femina Physical Therapy, we specialize in treating these conditions that are all too often misunderstood or dismissed as “normal” by the medical community, including pain during sex, endometriosis, incontinence, bladder pain and other pelvic floor issues.
What sets us apart from other physical therapy offices is the model of care we’ve developed that allows our patients with chronic conditions to reach their goals. Our services are one-on-one with licensed physical therapists for 55-120 minutes. No unlicensed staff are used for treatments as we feel strongly that patients deserve physical therapy done by physical therapists, and that is the only way they’ll achieve their optimal outcomes.
We treat vaginismus, overactive pelvic floor, painful intercourse, vulvodynia, vulvar vestibulitis, vestibulodynia, dyspareunia, interstitial cystitis, and more
Far too often women have been told by doctors and even some sex therapists that the concerns and physical problems they have are normal. In fact, they are common. Peeing on yourself, having painful intercourse, having to go to the bathroom 10+ times per day and many other symptoms that women experience throughout their lives are far from normal. I want women to know that their problems are real and happen to many other women, but should not be normalized. Common ≠ Normal.
Since graduating from Duke University, I have always had a passion for treating my female patients throughout the lifespan. I want to reach as many women as possible and empower them with the tools and knowledge so that they can be their 100% best during pregnancy, postpartum, when trying to conceive, gaining and maintaining a healthy sex life and take care of the many symptoms they have that are TREATABLE!
Our fully licensed staff is experienced, compassionate, and highly trained in pelvic floor therapy. Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, issues with various pelvic organs, and primary vaginismus can all interfere with normally pleasurable sexual intercourse, and specialized pelvic sex therapy by a pelvic floor physical therapist can do wonders for not only your sexual wellbeing, but your overall health and enjoyment of life.
Thank you for stopping by, Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
AsFeatured In:
Get The Book
Haga clic aquí para la versión españolaSex Without Pain: A Self-Treatment Guide To The Sex Life You Deserve was written by Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, a physical therapist with countless successes in treating pain of this type. Women with vaginismus, overactive pelvic floor, painful intercourse, vulvodynia, vulvar vestibulitis, vestibulodynia, dyspareunia, interstitial cystitis have all benefited from her unique program. Heather uses her orthopedic background to approach treatment of these muscles like they are....muscles! She utilizes a self-treatment tool called a dilator to provide massage and other muscle relaxation and stretching techniques in a gentle fashion to return a women's muscles back to a resting, rather than guarded, state.
• To order "Sex Without Pain" in paperback from Amazon for $24.99, click here.
• To order an electronic read-only non-printable PDF copy of the book for instant download at $19.99, use the button below:
• To schedule an appointment at one of the Femina PT offices, click here.
• For a list of other trusted health care providers, click here.
What Our Patients Have to Say
Prev
Next
Testimonial by Mary L.
I started seeing Heather to treat my Interstitial Cystitis in November 2016. At this time, I was extremely miserable, in constant pain, and felt as though no one was listening or understood what was going on with my body. I have just finished my last appointment and I can honestly say that my life has completely changed for the better because of Heather and her team of PTs! I live almost completely pain free, and when I do have flare ups, I am able to treat them at home on my own. I am so grateful that this office was recommended to me a honestly cannot recommend them enough!
A personal journey and testimonial from one of my patients:
I was diagnosed with vaginismus 4 years ago. I never heard of such medical condition until after I got married. At first my husband and I didn't know what to do, we didn't know what the issues were or how to overcome it. Being born and raised in Armenia and being Christian I wasn't that open about talking to sex with others and so it wasn't easy to seek help. But eventually I went to an Ob-Gyn and luckily she knew about the medical condition (not many doctors know). She referred me to a physical therapist and I couldn't believe it and thought it's something I can handle myself. I ordered a kit from vaginismus.com and started practicing with dilators. There was some small progress but wasn't much helpful.
My husband and I were married for 5 years and unable to have intercourse, but I never knew why. After numerous awful experiences at doctor’s offices (where many doctors told me I “just needed to relax”), a surgery that didn’t fix the problem, and a year of owning dilators that didn’t get me anywhere, someone finally referred me to Heather for Physical Therapy. I finally had answers and information from someone who knew exactly what I was dealing with!
I wanted to thank you so much for helping me get through something I thought I may never be able to. We have achieved pain-free intercourse and this has really solidified our marriage. We are so grateful to you for all the work you do! Thank you!!
-- R.S.
Testimonial by Rosanna R., age 35
Heather has affected my life in the MOST POSITIVE way and I am forever grateful. My husband refers to her as the "sex doctor" so you can only imagine how happy he is with my therapy outcome.
After the birth of my son I suffered from "Vaginismus", however, at the time I just thought I was broken. My "broken vagina" affected me physically but it was an emotional struggle as well. Many women in my life also suffered with pain from sex after their babies were born so I knew I wasn't alone. They told me they "just got used to it" but I couldn't see myself living that way.
Sex wasn't just painful, it was literally impossible - IT DIDNT FIT!
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.
Our site uses cookies to implement some of its features. We encourage you to visit our Terms of Use page for more information.
Like what you are seeing so far? Register for our mailing list and receive periodic updates via email, a 15% discount code for the "Sex Without Pain" ebook, and instant access to our Downloads area!
Our site uses cookies to implement some of its features. We encourage you to visit our Terms of Use page for more information.
Like what you are seeing so far? Register for our mailing list and receive periodic updates via email, a 15% discount code for the "Sex Without Pain" ebook, and instant access to our Downloads area!
Mental Health and Sexual Pain: Sexual Dysfunction is Not “In Your Head”.
We have seen that experiencing sexual pain CAN affect your mental health, and pre-existing mental health conditions can amplify sexual dysfunction.
This article will review the research related to these, but in reading, know that we believe your pain is real and should be addressed from all relevant contributing factors.
A very large range, about 7-46% of Americans may experience painful sex. For some, it may be a one-time painful experience, and for others, it may be every single time. This can have a huge effect on mental health and overall quality of life.
At Fusion Wellness & Physical Therapy, we take pride in understanding and applying how your whole body affects your pelvic health. In this article, we explore the links between grip strength and urinary incontinence.
A study conducted at the Jeju National University measured grip strength in patients and found statistically significant differences in patients with incontinence, overactive bladder and nocturia4. They found these patients had a weaker grip strength (less than 18kg) using a hand dynamometer.
My last appointment with Heather was over 6 years ago but I still think of her every day. I don’t take for granted that I can easily get out of bed, care for my two active and busy young boys, run, play tennis, clean my house, or sit at a desk for several hours at a time. None of these tasks were easy for me before meeting Heather. Eight years ago my car was struck from behind by a tractor trailer that was estimated to have been speeding. I spent 3 years working with different PTs and Drs trying to heal and move on with my life. When I became pregnant and the hormone relaxin that “relaxes” all the joints of the body and the additional weight gain erased all my progress and I was suddenly in a lot of pain again. My OB sent me to Heather for one last try.
At Femina Physical Therapy, we specialize in treating these conditions that are all too often misunderstood or dismissed as “normal” by the medical community, including pain during sex, endometriosis, incontinence, bladder pain and other pelvic floor issues.
What sets us apart from other physical therapy offices is the model of care we’ve developed that allows our patients with chronic conditions to reach their goals. Our services are one-on-one with licensed physical therapists for 55-120 minutes. No unlicensed staff are used for treatments as we feel strongly that patients deserve physical therapy done by physical therapists, and that is the only way they’ll achieve their optimal outcomes.
We treat vaginismus, overactive pelvic floor, painful intercourse, vulvodynia, vulvar vestibulitis, vestibulodynia, dyspareunia, interstitial cystitis, and more
Far too often women have been told by doctors and even some sex therapists that the concerns and physical problems they have are normal. In fact, they are common. Peeing on yourself, having painful intercourse, having to go to the bathroom 10+ times per day and many other symptoms that women experience throughout their lives are far from normal. I want women to know that their problems are real and happen to many other women, but should not be normalized. Common ≠ Normal.
Since graduating from Duke University, I have always had a passion for treating my female patients throughout the lifespan. I want to reach as many women as possible and empower them with the tools and knowledge so that they can be their 100% best during pregnancy, postpartum, when trying to conceive, gaining and maintaining a healthy sex life and take care of the many symptoms they have that are TREATABLE!
Our fully licensed staff is experienced, compassionate, and highly trained in pelvic floor therapy. Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, issues with various pelvic organs, and primary vaginismus can all interfere with normally pleasurable sexual intercourse, and specialized pelvic sex therapy by a pelvic floor physical therapist can do wonders for not only your sexual wellbeing, but your overall health and enjoyment of life.
Thank you for stopping by, Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
AsFeatured In:
Get The Book
Haga clic aquí para la versión españolaSex Without Pain: A Self-Treatment Guide To The Sex Life You Deserve was written by Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, a physical therapist with countless successes in treating pain of this type. Women with vaginismus, overactive pelvic floor, painful intercourse, vulvodynia, vulvar vestibulitis, vestibulodynia, dyspareunia, interstitial cystitis have all benefited from her unique program. Heather uses her orthopedic background to approach treatment of these muscles like they are....muscles! She utilizes a self-treatment tool called a dilator to provide massage and other muscle relaxation and stretching techniques in a gentle fashion to return a women's muscles back to a resting, rather than guarded, state.
• To order "Sex Without Pain" in paperback from Amazon for $24.99, click here.
• To order an electronic read-only non-printable PDF copy of the book for instant download at $19.99, use the button below:
• To schedule an appointment at one of the Femina PT offices, click here.
• For a list of other trusted health care providers, click here.
What Our Patients Have to Say
Prev
Next
Testimonial by Mary L.
I started seeing Heather to treat my Interstitial Cystitis in November 2016. At this time, I was extremely miserable, in constant pain, and felt as though no one was listening or understood what was going on with my body. I have just finished my last appointment and I can honestly say that my life has completely changed for the better because of Heather and her team of PTs! I live almost completely pain free, and when I do have flare ups, I am able to treat them at home on my own. I am so grateful that this office was recommended to me a honestly cannot recommend them enough!
A personal journey and testimonial from one of my patients:
I was diagnosed with vaginismus 4 years ago. I never heard of such medical condition until after I got married. At first my husband and I didn't know what to do, we didn't know what the issues were or how to overcome it. Being born and raised in Armenia and being Christian I wasn't that open about talking to sex with others and so it wasn't easy to seek help. But eventually I went to an Ob-Gyn and luckily she knew about the medical condition (not many doctors know). She referred me to a physical therapist and I couldn't believe it and thought it's something I can handle myself. I ordered a kit from vaginismus.com and started practicing with dilators. There was some small progress but wasn't much helpful.
My husband and I were married for 5 years and unable to have intercourse, but I never knew why. After numerous awful experiences at doctor’s offices (where many doctors told me I “just needed to relax”), a surgery that didn’t fix the problem, and a year of owning dilators that didn’t get me anywhere, someone finally referred me to Heather for Physical Therapy. I finally had answers and information from someone who knew exactly what I was dealing with!
I wanted to thank you so much for helping me get through something I thought I may never be able to. We have achieved pain-free intercourse and this has really solidified our marriage. We are so grateful to you for all the work you do! Thank you!!
-- R.S.
Testimonial by Rosanna R., age 35
Heather has affected my life in the MOST POSITIVE way and I am forever grateful. My husband refers to her as the "sex doctor" so you can only imagine how happy he is with my therapy outcome.
After the birth of my son I suffered from "Vaginismus", however, at the time I just thought I was broken. My "broken vagina" affected me physically but it was an emotional struggle as well. Many women in my life also suffered with pain from sex after their babies were born so I knew I wasn't alone. They told me they "just got used to it" but I couldn't see myself living that way.
Sex wasn't just painful, it was literally impossible - IT DIDNT FIT!
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.
Our site uses cookies to implement some of its features. We encourage you to visit our Terms of Use page for more information.
Like what you are seeing so far? Register for our mailing list and receive periodic updates via email, a 15% discount code for the "Sex Without Pain" ebook, and instant access to our Downloads area!
Our site uses cookies to implement some of its features. We encourage you to visit our Terms of Use page for more information.
Like what you are seeing so far? Register for our mailing list and receive periodic updates via email, a 15% discount code for the "Sex Without Pain" ebook, and instant access to our Downloads area!
While pregnant with my twins, Heather took care with keeping me on my feet and pain free. She saved my back, my sanity and the holidays! I would recommend her to every “mom” looking to stay on her feet during pregnancy and post-partum.
-- T.C.
Testimonial by Mary L.
I started seeing Heather to treat my Interstitial Cystitis in November 2016. At this time, I was extremely miserable, in constant pain, and felt as though no one was listening or understood what was going on with my body. I have just finished my last appointment and I can honestly say that my life has completely changed for the better because of Heather and her team of PTs! I live almost completely pain free, and when I do have flare ups, I am able to treat them at home on my own. I am so grateful that this office was recommended to me a honestly cannot recommend them enough!
Heather is the best! I saw her today for terrible hip/groin pain. I was so impressed with the safety measures in place and felt completely safe . Thanks for the healing hands.
S.S., age 54
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.
"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.
Heather is the best! I saw her today for terrible hip/groin pain. I was so impressed with the safety measures in place and felt completely safe . Thanks for the healing hands.
Our site uses cookies to implement some of its features. We encourage you to visit our Terms of Use page for more information.
Like what you are seeing so far? Register for our mailing list and receive periodic updates via email, a 15% discount code for the "Sex Without Pain" ebook, and instant access to our Downloads area!