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An Unsettling Reality Exposed by “The Retrievals” Podcast

In Female Pelvic Pain, Pain, Pelvic Pain by Emily TranLeave a Comment

By PHRC Admin & Co-Author Cecilia Plaza, J.D   Have you listened to The Retrievals podcast series?  In a world where pain is subjective, women often find themselves marginalized, dismissed, and even ignored when it comes to their own experiences of pain. This issue has recently been brought to light through a thought-provoking podcast called “The Retrievals,” hosted by Susan …

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Emphasizing Sexual Awareness: National Condom Week

In Pelvic Health, Uncategorized by Elizabeth AkincilarLeave a Comment

By PHRC Admin National Condom Week, celebrated every year from February 14th to 21st, serves as a pivotal reminder of the importance of sexual health and awareness. It provides an opportunity to educate about safe sex practices and their significance in maintaining overall wellbeing. As pelvic floor physical therapists, understanding the intricate relationship between sexual health and pelvic health is …

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Symptoms of Perimenopause

In Menopause, pelvic floor physical therapy by Emily TranLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   Perimenopause and menopause are finally getting more attention & we’re grateful this is finally happening because people in these phases of life are struggling with TREATABLE symptoms.   People think of perimenopause as a time marked by irregular periods but much more than that is happening. It can begin as early …

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Triumph Through Telehealth: Jim’s Journey Overcoming Chronic Prostatitis

In Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome, Male Pelvic Pain, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Telehealth by Emily Tran3 Comments

By Melissa Patrick, PT, DPT, RYT , PHRC Lexington   For the estimated 15% of men worldwide who suffer from pelvic pain, finding the right providers to properly diagnose and treat their pain can be a daunting task, especially when seeking local options in their community. As a result, some patients end up traveling long distances to receive care.  Fortunately, …

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Embracing Sexual Health Awareness: Chronic Pain & Intimacy

In Pain, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain, Vaginismus by Emily TranLeave a Comment

By Emily Tran, PHRC Westlake Village   September marks Sexual Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of sexual health and well-being. One often overlooked aspect of sexual health is the impact of chronic pain on intimacy. Millions of people worldwide suffer from chronic pain, and it can significantly affect their relationships and sex lives. In …

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Misconceptions About Pelvic Health And The Truth About Them

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

By Emily Tran, PHRC Westlake Village   When it comes to overall health, there is one area that is often overlooked or under-discussed: pelvic health. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the importance of taking care of their pelvic floor muscles, and they pay little attention to the myriad of issues that can arise from poor pelvic health. To help …

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Trauma-Informed Care Approaches for a Pelvic Floor PT

In pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health by pelv_admin5 Comments

By admin   According to the Center for Health Care Strategies, “a trauma-informed approach to care acknowledges that health care organizations and care teams need to have a complete picture of a patient’s life situation — past and present — in order to provide effective health care services with a healing orientation.” In the image we have listed a few …

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What to Expect at a Prepartum/Postpartum Evaluation

In Female Pelvic Pain, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain, Pregnancy and Postpartum Pelvic Health by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles During prepartum/postpartum evaluations, a physical therapist will take an extensive medical history. Following the history, the PT will perform a thorough external and internal musculoskeletal exam.   Your evaluation should include: Musculoskeletal: An assessment of structure, muscles, tissue, joints and manual evaluation of the pelvic floor muscles. We can identify problematic …

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It’s National Men’s Health Week!

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

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles National Men’s Health Week is held each year from June 8-14, and it is a time to raise awareness about the health of men and boys. This year’s theme focuses on the importance of preventive care, early detection, and treatment of medical conditions.   Men tend to avoid doctor visits, with …

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Common Prepartum Symptoms and Their Treatments

In Female Pelvic Pain, Pain, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Telehealth, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain, Pregnancy and Postpartum Pelvic Health by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   If you are expecting, plan to be in the future or know someone that is, here are some common Prepartum symptoms! Low back pain- Foot and back pain are due to hormonal and musculoskeletal changes. Studies have shown that 40% to 60% of women will experience back pain during pregnancy and …

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Navigating Mental Health: Strategies for Managing Your Mental Well-Being

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

By Emily Tran, PHRC Admin, Westlake Village   Pelvic pain can be a source of significant stress and anxiety for individuals. Living with chronic pelvic pain can often lead to feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and even depression. It’s important to recognize the impact pelvic pain can have on mental health. Here are a few ways mental health can affect pelvic …

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Tight Lipped: You’re Not Alone; Patient-Led Communities

In Female Pelvic Pain, Pain, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by pelv_adminLeave a Comment

By Tight Lipped, guest blogger.   “My doctor in college told me that my partner simply ‘didn’t know what he was doing’, and that’s why it felt like his penis was hitting a wall inside me.” “When I saw a doctor for my vaginal pain, he told me to use a cucumber to stretch out my vagina.”  “So many doctors …

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Scar Facts: All You Need to Know

In Uncategorized by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   Let’s talk scars and facts:   Scar tissue is of poorer quality than regular tissue; therefore it is more sensitive to UV light. Be sure to protect your scars with SPF! Don’t be surprised when hair doesn’t grow back in your scars. Hair follicles and sweat glands do not regenerate in …

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2023: Year of the Rabbit, A (2022) Year in Review

In Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic floor physical therapy continuing education, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Telehealth, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   Welcome 2023, goodbye 2022! 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….. PHRC Pasadena opened in January 2022, …

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Pain in your tailbone? You are not alone: Michelle’s Success Story

In Pain, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain, Pregnancy and Postpartum Pelvic Health by pelv_adminLeave a Comment

By Jennifer Keesee, PT, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village   Michelle is a 39 year old patient who was referred to PHRC by her pain management specialist for evaluation and treatment of tailbone pain, known as Coccydynia. Her symptoms started one year after giving birth to her second child, and had continued off and on for about three years. Michelle did …

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Myofascial Trigger Points: Facts & General Information

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

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   Let’s talk Myofascial Trigger Point (MTrPs) Facts: MTrPs are contracted fibers with a muscle. MTrPs are painful when compressed. Active MTrPs cause pain and/or dysfunction whereas latent MTrPs do not currently cause pain and/or dysfunction but have the potential to. MTrPs can cause pain locally (at the spot of the …

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Myofascial Trigger Points – Frequently Asked Questions & Their Answers

In Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   Over the last few week’s, we have received various inquiries about Myofascial Trigger Points. Why do they occur? What are they? How can we fix them? This week we do a deep dive and answer our most frequently asked questions!   Q: Never heard of this ! What is this …

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

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

By Emily Schwerdtfeger, PHRC Westlake Village   May is Mental Health Awareness Month; we wanted to talk about pelvic pain and mental health!   When it comes to pelvic pain, it can have a major effect on both your physical and mental health. Did you know about 20% or one in five people experience a mental health disorder at some …

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How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Helped Megan Eliminate Rectal Pain and Bowel Dysfunction

In Female Pelvic Pain, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Pelvic Pain by Kim BuonomoLeave a Comment

By Kim Buonomo, DPT, PHRC Lexington   Introduction Megan (mid-50 year old cisgender female) started seeing me in September 2021. She had a history of bowel dysfunction since giving birth to her daughter in the late 1990’s. She described her symptoms as a pattern of alternating constipation and diarrhea, associated with bloating, hemorrhoids and abdominal discomfort. She thought for a …