Painful Bladder Syndrome / Interstitial Cystitis: This pain or discomfort is perceived to be related to the bladder upon filling or often immediately after emptying. Symptoms include urinary urgency with pressure, burning and aching pain along with increased frequency, > 8 times per day, and > 3 months duration.

Vaginismus Recovery is Possible Is it painful to insert a tampon, get through a gynecological pelvic exam, or engage in intercourse? Have you always just thought maybe it’s just supposed to hurt and began to shy away from it all? You’re not alone. There are many women who have felt and thought the same things. What you are feeling is real and the culprit may be a condition called Vaginismus. What is Vaginismus? The definition of Vaginismus has been debated over the years and was first introduced into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Third Edition in 1980. It was defined as a “recurrent or persistent involuntary spasm of the musculature of the outer third of the vagina that interferes with sexual

Anorgasmia / Dysorgasmia – Orgasm Related Problems and Solutions Anorgasmia and Dysorgasmia are clinical terms whose symptoms include complete lack of orgasm, diminished orgasms, and even painful orgasms. Causes can include physical, mental, and emotional factors. Dysorgasmia / Painful Orgasms Dysorgasmia is defined as a painful orgasm, but without any prior pain during sexual intercourse. The pain often manifests as a cramping sensation in the pelvis, buttock(s) or abdomen. The duration of pain from dysorgasmia can last from seconds to minutes to several hours.

Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic Pain How Endometriosis can cause or contribute to chronic pelvic pain, and what pelvic floor therapy can do to help alleviate it What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis is a condition where endometrial-like tissue grows outside of the uterus (tissue that is similar to but not the same as endometrial tissue). The most common area for it to grow is in the abdominal cavity, where it can implant on the surface of other structures including the ovaries, bladder, rectum, and along the walls of the abdomen and pelvis, but it can be found anywhere in the body. The true prevalence of endometriosis is unknown since it takes a laparoscopic procedure to confirm the diagnosis, and many women either have no symptoms or seek

What Does Vulvodynia Treatment Include? Vulvodynia means “vulvar pain” or pain of the external female genital region. Symptoms include burning, stinging, and irritation of the tissues in this region. Light touch or pressure can cause severe pain with sitting, walking, riding a bicycle, and sexual intercourse. Vulvodynia is a general term, and there are many subtypes, including vulvar vestibulitis (inflammation of the vulvar vestibule), vestibulodynia (pain in the vulvar vestibule) and clitorodynia (painful clitoris). Physical Therapy Treatments for Pelvic Pain Syndromes: Most pelvic pain syndromes such as vulvodynia are related to overactivity of the pelvic floor muscles.

Physical Therapy Treatments for Vulvar Vestibulitis Symptoms What is Vulvar Vestibulitis/Vestibulodynia?: Vulvar Vestibulitis/Vestibulodynia is a form of vulvodynia with tenderness specific to the vulvar vestibule. This occurs with pressure to the site causing pain at the vaginal opening with touch or attempted penetration (provoked vestibulodynia) or can also present as constant or frequent pain, irritation, or itching of the vulvar vestibule (unprovoked vestibulodynia). Tissues may also be red or swollen at times.

Vaginismus: Involuntary muscle spasms involving the superficial and deep pelvic floor muscles that typically cause painful entry, limiting or preventing intercourse, tampon insertion or pelvic exams. Women with vaginismus do not always experience “pain” and often report the feeling of their partner or a tampon “hitting a wall”. Pain is also a common presentation when partial or complete penetration occurs. It may also present as minor discomfort with tampons, pelvic exams or intercourse. Our patients have often been told that “there is nothing physically wrong” with them or that they “are too high stress and just need a glass of wine”. We feel responses like this are unacceptable and dismissive of the real physical pain that these women have.