Does PT can really treat PN?

[Nicolas]

Hi

I got recomended by my internist doctor to go see a pelvic PT, but I doubt it can relly help. Does anyone has any good experiences to share with pelvic PT treating PN?

[Buttercup28]

Hi Nicolas,

I hope I can help you in some way by talking about pelvic floor PT. I have been in pelvic floor PT on and off for 9 years. I was really diligent with it at first; however, it didn't seem to help and always put me in more major flares so eventually after about a year I stopped. I chose to go down different treatment routes for a year or two, was not making any improvements, so then jumped back into to pelvic floor PT. I still noticed again that for those months, that it didn't seem to help, so I again stopped. Then I restarted a few years later and now have been consistently in pelvic floor PT for about 3 years (going once per week, sometimes twice) and am finally starting to find that it is helping and I can see definite improvements. I also have done a ton of other treatments along with the physical therapy, but I do think that PT is worth while if only to try and determine which muscles are the most problematic to try and help pin point where your treatment should be directed. And yes, I have spent loads of money on my treatments over the years, and pelvic floor PT is not cheap especially if you go once a week, but I think it is worth it for you to give a it a chance. I've also gone to a ton of different pelvic floor PTs because some are not great and others are much better. If you live in the NY area I can help recommend who is best for you to see (in my opinion).

~ Buttercup

[szuse]

dear Buttercup,

can you give me some hints as to what the person doing the PT with you is doing?
What are treatments one should ask for?

Thank you!

Szuse, Vienna, Austria

[Buttercup28]

Hi Szuse,

Sure the pelvic floor PT is doing mainly internal rectal release physical therapy on me because when I first started I couldn't tolerate internal vaginal physical therapy (even still now, the vaginal release is very hard to tolerate) so I mainly focus on the rectal release. Then what has been helping more is glute strengthening exercises which are exercises to strengthen the muscles of the butt. I could not do those at all in the past without causing major flares, but over time (by just doing a little each day) and even skipping some days in between, I have found that the glute strengthening exercises are very helpful. There are many types, so you can have your PT give you some to try and see which ones suit you best. I like the leg lifts where you lay flat on a mat and lift each leg straight out and back. That's the exercise that I can tolerate the best. I think strengthening your muscles is really the key b/c you can only get so far with pelvic floor muscle massage. So I would ask for a strengthening regimen that you could practice at home. Also getting a foam roller is very key so that you can roll your muscles and fascia out before and after doing the exercises, so that you don't tighten up and go into a spasm afterwards. Hope some of this is helpful.

~ Buttercup