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ICYMI: IG Live with Sexual Medicine Expert Rachel Rubin

In pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Vulvodynia by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC Los Angeles   A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Rachel Rubin on Instagram Live. I wanted to interview Rachel because of her unique background as a board-certified female urologist who completed a sexual medicine fellowship with Dr. Irwin Goldstein. Dr. Rubin is a clinician, a researcher, and a vocal educator …

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Can TMS help people with Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome?

In Female Interstitial Cystitis / Painful Bladder Syndrome, Female Pelvic Pain, Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome, Male Pelvic Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Jason J. Kutch, PhD and Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC West Los Angeles Interstitial Cystitis/ Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS) is a pelvic pain syndrome that is characterized by urgency/frequency and pelvic pain, affecting up to 7.9 million vagina owners and roughly 10% of penis owners in the United States. It is a clinical diagnosis, meaning that there are no diagnostic …

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But is it really Interstitial Cystitis?  

In Female Interstitial Cystitis / Painful Bladder Syndrome, Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome by pelv_adminLeave a Comment

By Morgan Conner, DPT, PHRC Los Gatos Recently, I decided to look into the confusion surrounding Interstitial Cystitis. A couple searches down a Pubmed rabbithole, I realized there was much more to it than I initially realized. In order to really make sense of what might be going on, I decided to go back to the basics and to the …

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Integrative Health & Nutrition Services Now Offered Virtually Through PHRC!

In Integrative Health and Nutrition by Jandra Mueller5 Comments

By Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas I’m Jandra, and I am a pelvic floor physical therapist here at PHRC, and the Director of PHRC Encinitas. I am very excited to announce that I have just completed my Master of Science degree in Integrative Health and Nutrition from Maryland University of Integrative Health.  A little about me: a few years …

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NEW COURSE: Advanced Management of Complex Pelvic Pain Syndromes

In Pelvic floor physical therapy continuing education, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Stephanie Prendergast4 Comments

By: Stephanie Prendergast, MPT   After a five year break from traveling, lecturing, and teaching courses Liz and I are excited to announce that we are re-entering the classrooms! Many people who know us or follow us on social media know our work promoting pelvic floor physical therapy at medical conferences, my leadership role as the first physical therapist to …

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Book Review: Why Pelvic Pain Hurts

In Pelvic Pain by pelv_admin1 Comment

By: Rachel Daof, DPT “Imagine the following: You feel a sudden new, surprising and sharp pain in your thumb while you’re at the office. You look at it and inspect the thumb. You touch it and feel around to see if there is anything out of the ordinary. You move it around. You discuss it with your coworkers and even …

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Part 1 of 2: What is a good pelvic PT session like?

In pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Telehealth, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by pelv_admin2 Comments

Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center is proud to announce that we now have eight locations across the country. Our newest locations include Walnut Creek, CA, Bedford, NH and Westlake Village, CA. We pride ourselves on our constant commitment to give the best possible care for our patients. Patients suffering from long-standing pelvic conditions are often shuffled around from doctor to …

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The Connection Between SIBO and Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome (and How to Relieve Both)

In Female Interstitial Cystitis / Painful Bladder Syndrome, Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome by Stephanie Prendergast4 Comments

  By Guest Blogger Jessica Drummond MPT, CCN, CHC   One of the reasons that relieving pelvic pain is so challenging is that pain in different systems within the pelvis can overlap. For example, in rats where experimental colitis (colon irritation) was induced, many of the rats also experienced bladder and urethral pain (Yoshikawa et al., 2015). Thus, there is …

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The Most Proven IC Treatment: Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

In Female Interstitial Cystitis / Painful Bladder Syndrome, Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome by Stephanie Prendergast4 Comments

  By Guest Blogger Nicole Cozean, PT, DPT, WCS and author of The Interstitial Cystitis Solution   Pelvic floor physical therapy is the most proven treatment for interstitial cystitis. It’s the only therapy given an evidence grade of ‘A’ by the American Urological Association and recommended in the first line of medical treatment. But patients often wonder how does treating …

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The Peripheral Nervous System, Interstitial Cystitis, and Pelvic Pain

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain by pelv_admin6 Comments

  By Katie Hunter   I had the pleasure of attending Dr. Kenneth Peters’ lecture on the role of the Peripheral Nervous System(PNS) in the development and management of pelvic pain. Kenneth Peters, MD is a urologist practicing at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oaks, MI, who specializes in treating complex pelvic pain including interstitial cystitis. For more information on Dr. …

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Autonomic Features of Chronic Pelvic Pain

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain by Elizabeth Akincilar5 Comments

  By Elizabeth Akincilar   Understanding and effectively treating chronic pain continues to challenge the medical community. Now more than ever, there is a sense of urgency to treat this disease. With the astounding reports of opiate addiction and opiate related deaths in this country, we now know that throwing drugs at chronic pain is not the answer. So what …

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3rd World Congress on Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Pain Updates, Part I

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain by Stephanie Prendergast1 Comment

  By Stephanie Prendergast   Last month, pelvic pain enthusiasts traveled from all over the globe to attend the 3rd World Congress on Abdominal and Pelvic Pain in Washington, DC. The World Congress on Abdominal and Pelvic Pain is joint scientific meeting between the International Association for the Study of Pain Special Interest Group on Abdomino-Pelvic Pain, Convergences in pelvic-Perineal …

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How to Stop Worrying and Obsessing About Pelvic Pain Symptoms

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain by pelv_admin8 Comments

  By Lorraine Faehndrich   If you’re suffering with pelvic pain it’s very likely that you’ve spent a lot of time worrying and obsessing about your symptoms. Maybe you’ve spent hours online searching for answers, reading stories of others’ experiences with pelvic pain, or participating in “support” groups that leave you even more stressed, worried and fearful than you already …

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Tips for Coping With Persistent Pelvic Pain

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain by pelv_admin2 Comments

By Jessica Newman, LMHC   Living with persistent pelvic pain is, by definition, painful physically. What can be hard to talk about (especially for folks with pelvic pain) is just how emotionally distressing the pain is. And because the mind and body are a functional whole (think: a Mobius strip) emotional distress can trigger or amplify physical pain and vice …

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Posture and the Pelvis: Part Deux

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain by pelv_admin3 Comments

    “Share the load” – Samwise Gamgee “It’s all about the base ” – Meghan Trainor “Drop it like it’s hot” – Snoop Dogg   Some different quotes from last time, but after reading today’s post you’ll understand how Samwise, Ms. Trainor and Dr. Dogg are all talking about posture and the pelvis, and they didn’t even know it.   …

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Physical Therapy Treatment for Interstitial Cystitis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome

In Female Interstitial Cystitis / Painful Bladder Syndrome, Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome by Stephanie Prendergast2 Comments

  By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   Urinary tract infections hurt. It hurts as your bladder fills, you constantly feel the need to pee and when you do it feels like knives are coming out of your body. You do not experience post-void relief and immediately feel like you need to pee again. Your doctor asks you …

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The Brain Below: The Role Your Gut May Play in Pelvic Pain

In Female Interstitial Cystitis / Painful Bladder Syndrome, Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome by Elizabeth Akincilar5 Comments

  By Elizabeth Akincilar-Rummer, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   When is the last time you heard a little voice inside you that tried to give you advice or warn you of danger? Some describe it as ‘butterflies,’ others a ‘gut feeling.’ That feeling can be attributed to the extremely extensive network of over 100 million neurons that make up …

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Why Get PT 1st? Here are the facts

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain by Stephanie Prendergast7 Comments

By Stephanie Prendergast   Vaginal pain. Burning with urination. Post-ejaculatory pain. Constipation. Genital pain following bowel movements. Pelvic pain that prevents sitting, exercising, wearing pants and having pleasurable intercourse. When a person develops these symptoms, physical therapy is not the first avenue of treatment they turn to for help. In fact, physical therapists are not even considered at all. This …

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Gwyneth’s Goop and the Pelvic Floor: What They Missed

In Female Interstitial Cystitis / Painful Bladder Syndrome, Female Pelvic Pain, Stress Urinary Incontinence by Stephanie Prendergast4 Comments

By Stephanie Prendergast Last week, Gwyneth Paltrow’s popular newsletter featured an article on pelvic floor muscles, which prompted numerous emails and tweets in my direction. Apparently this is a topic that makes my friends and colleagues think of me. While pondering why everyone, except for me,  seems to be reading Goop,  I took a look. I am glad to see …

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Why Stephanie and Liz are Writing a Book

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain by Stephanie Prendergast22 Comments

For the past six months, Stephanie and Liz have been busily working on writing a book titled Pelvic Pain Explained: Everything you Need to know to Help you Navigate the Complex Terrain of Pelvic Pain. The book will be published by Rowman & Littlefield. (We don’t have the publication date yet, so stay tuned for that info!) As we’ve watched …