Year: 2021

Pain during sex is NOT normal

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I often get asked why I chose to become a pelvic PT. Many people postulate that I have my own pelvic health challenges (I do…but those came later after 2 c-sections). Others assume I’ve always been super into the pelvis. But neither is really the case. The answer is quite a long one… but, honestly, it all came down to the patients.

Sometimes you have a moment in time that ends up defining the trajectory of your life (if you know, you know). And for me, this moment happen during a rotation in Shreveport, LA, while I was working on my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree through Duke University. I had an amazing clinical instructor (Darla Cathcart, who I now teach with through Herman & Wallace), and we were working with a patient who had been experiencing painful sex for as long as she had ever tried to have sex. I remember her talking with us during her initial evaluation, telling us about the relationships that had ended because of this, and tearfully explaining how she wanted this to not be a factor for her current relationship.

Fast forward, several visits later, she came in for her session, sat down, and started crying. She looked up and said, “I had sex, and it didn’t hurt.” I still get goosebumps as I right this. I got goosebumps in that moment. And, it was then and there that I KNEW that I had to help more people like her. I felt such clarity in my path. And I have never looked back.

Painful sex is extremely common. In fact, some studies show that it impacts around 20% of women. Yes, my friend, that is 1 in 5. However, women aren’t the only ones dealing with pain during or after sex. All people can deal with it– regardless of gender or anatomy. And, it really tends to be one of those things that just isn’t talked about. Nearly every time I post about painful sex on social media, I end up with private messages from people who have been dealing with pain for years, and just thought it was normal. Common does not mean normal. A little louder (for the people in the back):

Just because pain during sex is common, does NOT mean it is normal. Not if you:

  • Have had a baby
  • Have never had sex before
  • Have had sex a lot
  • Have been told you are small
  • Think your partner may be large
  • Have had problems with bladder or other infections
  • Have sensitive skin
  • Anything else

While some of these factors may make someone more likely to have pain during sex (like if you had a baby and had a tear that took a while to heal), this still does not mean that pain is just something you have to deal with. Honestly, there are so many reasons why someone might have pain with sex. It could be related to:

  • Decreased lubrication
  • Hormones
  • Inflammation
  • Neural sensitivity
  • Dermatological conditions
  • Painful scar tissue
  • Orthopedic challenges (especially around the hip or low back)
  • Bowel dysfunction (hello constipation)
  • Conditions like endometriosis/adenomyosis, painful bladder syndrome/IC, or others.
  • Pelvic floor and abdominal muscle challenges

And many, many other things! And so so many different treatments to help! This can include finding the right moisturizers and lubricants for your body, additional medical interventions (medications, hormone creams, and more!) and working with a pelvic health specialist to help you optimize your pelvic floor muscles (through gentle manual therapy techniques, home exercises, lots of education, and a whole lot more!)

If you’ve been dealing with pain during sex, please know that you are not alone.

So so many other people deal with this too. And the great news is that enjoyable sex is possible for you. We can get there. There is treatment available. There are compassionate clinicians who care (if yours didn’t, pllleeeeasssseee go see a new one!). And we can work together to get you feeling better.

I have so much more to say about this!! But for now, I’m going to leave you with a few links for prior blogs with more information!

Vaginal Dilators for Painful Sex

How to Relax Your Pelvic Floor Muscles

Sex After Baby

Are you ready to get started?

We are offering 20% off through September 30th on our 90-min mini classes: Overcoming Painful Sex and Self-Treatment for Pelvic Floor Tension using the code, ENJOY20. These classes are full of awesome information, exercises, and resources for getting started!!

All my best,

Jessica

Fall Small Group Mentoring Program is OPEN!

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Y’all, I am so excited to be rolling out our Fall Small Group Mentoring Program! If you follow my blog for my clinical info– I’m sorry to interrupt your content with this post for other clinicians– but I promise I’ll be back to clinical stuff next week :).

I started mentoring other clinicians many years ago, but as time moved on, and I moved into other teaching positions, I became aware of just how much need there was for support as clinicians are moving into pelvic floor rehab. Each time I teach coursework, people often approach me asking how they can keep learning and growing, especially with complex patient cases, when they return to the clinic. And that my friends, is why the Small Group Mentoring Program started!

This is our second round of the program, and we have several excited things to roll out!

The program includes:

  • Biweekly small group mentoring (via zoom) over 12 weeks with a group of 6-9 practitioners, and an expert mentor
  • Learning modules each month to explore how to optimize your examination approach, get started with treatment more effectively, and progress through treatment, discharge and beyond.
  • Growing library of sample videos discussing patient cases, demonstrating examination and treatment techniques, exercise progressions and more!
  • Private Facebook community to discuss patient cases, practice patterns and more!
  • Bonus mentoring sessions with Jessica!

If you are a pelvic PT or OT, and looking to grow in your expertise to better serve your patients, we hope you’ll join us in this program!! Click here to register today!! Slots are limited, so don’t delay!

How to relax your pelvic floor muscles

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Whenever I teach coursework to pelvic PTs, a common theme tends to come up. While teaching someone to contract their pelvic floor muscles can be challenging, teaching someone to relax and lengthen? So much harder! And teaching someone to actually bear down (the way you need to move your muscles to have a bowel movement)? Way way harder! So, I wanted to take some time today to talk about how to relax and lengthen your pelvic floor muscles. This is super helpful for anyone experiencing pelvic floor overactivity– which often includes people with pelvic pain conditions, constipation, painful sex, and urinary urgency/frequency. And if you’re a rehab professional, this post will also give you tips to help train your patients to lengthen.

As an aside, if you’re a rehab professional and new to pelvic floor therapy, check out my facebook group, built just for you: Pelvic PT Newbies! This group was born after teaching so many new clinicians who just lack the support they need to grow into the incredible practitioners they can be! So, come join us! And, if you’re a more seasoned clinician who loves supporting newbies, you are welcome as well!

Back to the topic at hand, how do you learn to relax and lengthen your pelvic floor muscles? Let’s get started!

1. Locate and find your pelvic floor muscles

It’s tough to let go of tension in a part of your body you don’t really know. So, step one is locating these awesome muscles. The pelvic floor muscles are inside your pelvis like a hammock and run from your tailbone to your pubic bone. They support your organs, stabilize your pelvis and spine, control your sphincters, allow for sexual appreciation, and act as a sump pump to pump blood and lymphatic fluid in and out of your pelvis (Yep, those are the 5 S’s we teach at H&W). They are also super important for breathing–coordinating with your respiratory diaphragm, and play a big role in postural stability and movement. So, locate those muscles in your mind, and see what you know. Can you use those muscles and contract as if you were holding back gas or cutting off a urine stream? If you aren’t sure you’re doing it, grab a mirror, and take a look at your perineum. Do you see the anus pull in (like it’s winking) away from you and the perineal body (between the vulva/penis/scrotum and the anus) lift in? Or do you see the anus bulge out? If you have a vulva, you will also see a small amount of lift there and you will see the clitoris do a really tiny little nod of approval (that’s because the pelvic floor muscles superficially attach to the hood over the clitoris). If you have a penis, you’ll see the penis move as you contract.

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Once you connect with your pelvic floor muscles, the opening and lengthening can begin.

2. Pelvic Floor “Drops” with Diaphragmatic Breathing

This is my standby, go-to, exercise for encouraging lengthening and opening of the pelvic floor muscles. To perform this exercise, bring your mind back to your pelvic floor muscles. Then, aim to let go of the muscles and lengthen, as if you are starting a urine stream. Note– this does NOT mean bear down and push out. Urination actually should not require ANY pushing. This is simply opening, letting go, and lengthening. Another tip to help visualize this is to think about a straw in one of your orifices, then imagine that straw is in a cup of water, and you’re trying to gently blow bubbles in the water (believe me, I’m full of weird visual analogies!) After you drop and lengthen your muscles, let’s do slow, diaphragmatic breathing. Breathing well means allowing your chest, ribcage, and belly to expand as you inhale– Yes, this is NOT just belly breathing! Belly breathing really does not harness the diaphragm the same way! So, perform slow breathing inhaling, allowing your ribs to open, chest to lift, belly to expand AND pelvic floor muscles to open, then exhale gently. Repeat this slow breathing for 2-3 breaths. Then, check in with your pelvic floor muscles, drop them again, and repeat! If it is challenging to know if your muscles are opening or not, you can perform a very small (like 10-20%) activation of the pelvic floor muscles before letting them lengthen and open. That being said, if you have significant overactivity, even a small contraction can irritate the muscles– so pay attention to what you feel!

3. The Elevator Let-Go 

This is another visualization that can sometimes help you leg go all of the way of your pelvic floor muscles. To do this, visualize an elevator sitting in your pelvis. This is your main floor, and your building has 10 floors, and a basement. Now, use your muscles to gently lift that elevator to the first floor. Then, drop the elevator to the main floor. Take a deep breath while you visualize the elevator dropping all the way to the basement. Keep the elevator there while you gently take 2-3 breaths. NOTE: This also should not require much effort– we’re aiming to gently relax and lengthen. 

4. Happy Baby Breathing 

This is one of my favorite positions to encourage lengthening of the pelvic floor muscles. For this exercise, you’ll lie on your back and bring your knees up toward your chest, then open your knees and reach through to grab your ankles or your toes (whatever is comfortable and allows you to relax). In this position, take deep long breaths, focusing your breath into your abdomen and pelvis.

Hopefully this helps you get started! Believe me, lengthening the pelvic floor muscles can be challenging, so try not to get too frustrated if you find this difficult at first! If you’re struggling, reach out to a pelvic PT. We’re happy to help you figure this out, and have more tools available if these ones don’t resonate with you!

~ Jessica

Pelvic Floor PT: Soooo IN right now!

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I don’t know if you’ve realized it– but the pelvic floor has become crazy popular! This article by The Guardian was published 2 months ago. 3 different patients and a few friends forwarded it to me, as it highlights just how popular pelvic floor rehabilitation has become. And I’m not surprised. When I first started treating pelvic floor disorders, nearly every patient who came in the door had never heard of the pelvic floor, let alone, a physical therapist who treated the pelvic floor. They would look at me with a perplexed and nervous gaze as I would do my best to explain the anatomy and why there really was a GREAT reason that their doctor had recommended them to come see me. This situation repeated itself again, and again, and again.

But now, it’s actually a much more foreign experience. For the most part, my patients have some level of knowledge about the pelvic floor muscles. The internet and social media has allowed people more access to knowledge– including experts who make informative Tik-tok videos, infographics and blog posts 🙂 on their diagnoses and treatment options. This has created more informed consumers who are learning more about their health, care about their wellness, and are seeking to find the best answers for their care.

In fact, it now very rare for for someone to come in and tell me they’ve never heard of pelvic floor rehabilitation. And that is AMAZING my friend.

When I first moved to Atlanta in 2014, I could count the number of pelvic PTs in the area on one hand. Now?? The last time I counted, there were more than 30 of us. I’m sure that number is closer 50 or even more (I know this because nearly every level 1 pelvic floor course I teach has at least a few Atlanta based people in it!!). And while, again, this is amazing– it’s only barely scratching the surface of what is actually needed!

The reality is that pelvic floor problems are super common, and people dealing with pelvic floor problems are often struggling to find care! Look at some of these numbers:

Chronic pelvic pain effects at least 5-23% of women and 2-16% of men

Approximately 36% of female athletes leak urine

33% of individuals postpartum experience bladder leakage

Approximately 22% of older men experience bladder leakage

35% of people postpartum experience pain during sex

Vaginismus (painful vaginal insertion due to muscle spasm) occurs in 5-17%

20% of people experience constipation

Approximately 10% of people experience fecal incontinence

So… while we are serving so so many more people than we used to, we are just scratching the surface! If you are new to this blog, and want to read a little bit more to start learning about the pelvic floor, check out some of these posts:

Meet the Obturator Internus

FAQ: Isn’t Everyone’s Pelvic Floor A Little Bit Tender?

Head, Shoulders, Knees…And Pelvic Floor?

Yes, Men Can Have Pelvic Pain Too.

Also, if this is resonating with you, and you’re feeling like you may need some help, reach out and let us know!! You don’t need to be one of those statistics– you can get relief, you can feel better! And if you’re not ready to see someone in person, check out some of our mini-courses online on pelvic floor topics!

6 Tricky Problems Caused By Constipation

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Every time I meet a new patient, I ask them about their pooping. Sometimes this throws people off, and they’ll say “…but…I’m here for my shoulder” LOL jk, jk– I don’t treat people who have primary shoulder problems. Remember, pelvic floor problems are my jam! BUT, even when people have a “pelvic” problem (and I put it in quotes, because while I saw I specialize in the pelvis, the reality is that the pelvis is in the body so the whole body can impact the pelvis), they can struggle to see the connection between their bowel movements and their bladder leaks, painful sex, low back pain, prolapse– and more! The reality, however, is that what is happening with your bowel movements is ABSOLUTELY important for any pelvic problem we see. And, this is especially the case if someone struggles with constipation.

Why does constipation matter for pelvic health?

The reality is that the pelvis is not as big as you’d think. A full rectum that isn’t emptying well can press on the other structures around it (including the bladder and vagina, pelvic floor muscles and nerves around the pelvis) and can also stretch to an uncomfortable level and refer to the low back. Hard, dehydrated stool is also more difficult to empty, and can require more effort, placing increased pressure on the organs in the pelvis and the pelvic floor muscles themselves.

(c) Southern Pelvic Health, Do not use without permission

6 Tricky Things that Can Actually Be Caused or Worsened By Constipation

This is where things get interesting. Because of how close everything is, and how intricately the muscles are connected to defecation, people are often shocked at the things their bowel movements can be involved with. Let’s look at a few:

#1 Pelvic or Tailbone Pain

That’s right! Constipation can lead to worsening pelvic pain, or even be a primary cause to begin with. There are several reasons for this. First, when stool is in the rectum, it will put pressure on the puborectalis muscle, whose job it is to maintain the angle between the rectum and the anal canal, preventing leakage, and opening to allow for defecation. Typically, if the rectum fills, this will trigger a sampling response where literally your rectum allows a small amount of contents into the anal canal to determine– solid, liquid or gas? Then, it will trigger a reflex to facilitate defecation. If someone has harder stool with less forming together, they may not empty their bowels well, leading to stretching of the rectum. This will put pressure on the puborectalis muscle, which then can lead to increased muscle activation (hey, there’s more stool to hold back!), and ultimately, muscle irritation and overactivity. Pelvic floor muscle overactivity can lead to pain around the pelvis and into the tailbone and sacrum. And it’s a tricky cycle, because overactive muscles don’t stretch as well, making it harder to have a bowel movement, and the harder it is, the more the muscles become irritated.

#2 Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Prolapse occurs when there is a loss of support around the walls of the vagina and an organ (the bladder, rectum, small intestines or uterus) protrudes into the vagina. It can be very annoying and uncomfortable, and can lead to a feeling of a bulge in the vagina, heaviness in the pelvis, or pressure into the perineum or pelvis. Pregnancy and childbirth can be a big factor with prolapse due to a loss of connective tissue or fascial support, however, increased pressures on the pelvic floor over time can also play a role. I’ve seen this happen for people who worked in jobs that required extensive heavy lifting, when people are doing exercises that their bodies cannot really do well, and, yep– in cases of long-term constipation. Constipation leads to increased pressure on the pelvic floor and more effort required for emptying. So, when a person is constipated and has to strain more to empty, this can weaken the support around the vagina, and can ultimately be a big factor for people with prolapse. And the great thing– when we help this to improve, usually we’ll see the prolapse symptoms get better too!

#3 Painful Sex

Similarly to pelvic pain, overactivity in the pelvic floor muscles can be very involved when a person is dealing with pain during sex. Additionally, if their rectum is staying full with stool, this will put pressure on the vagina and decrease the space allowed for the vagina to stretch with insertion. So, you guessed it, optimizing constipation can make a difference for people having pain with sex.

#4 Low Back Pain

This one is very interesting! We already talked about how the pelvic floor muscles can become overactive if someone is dealing with constipation, and of course, this can be a factor with low back pain. However, the colon itself can also become very stretched when stool is backed up, and this will refer into the low back. This is surprisingly more common than you would think! I’ve seen many people dealing with long-term back pain that noticed a significant change (if not a cure!) by optimizing their bowel health. And this makes sense when we think about how organs can often refer to somatic structures around the body (Remember how a heart attack can present as shoulder pain? Kidney stones as low back pain?).

#5 Pudendal Neuralgia

I had to include PN in this group! The pudendal nerve runs through the pelvis so sits in very close proximity to the rectum. When a person strains and has difficulty emptying the bowels, this nerve can be stretched and irritated. Long term constipation can cause a person to develop pudendal nerve irritation, and if a person has pudendal nerve problems already (from an injury during surgery, cycling irritation, childbirth, or other), constipation will absolutely worsen their pain levels.

Häggström, Mikael (2014). “Medical gallery of Mikael Häggström 2014“. WikiJournal of Medicine 1 (2). DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.008. ISSN 2002-4436.
 Public Domain.

#6 Bladder Leakage

This one is always harder for people to grasp. Yes, constipation could be the reason you are leaking or it could be making your leakage much worse! This can happen for a few reasons. First, the pelvis is not that big. So, a full rectum could be pressing on the bladder putting it into a position where it is more likely to leak. Additionally, remember how the muscles get involved with constipation? Well, they’re important for the bladder as well! Overactive and irritated muscles do not work as well for the bladder so can often struggle with holding back urine.

So, what can you do if you’re struggling with constipation?

First, realize that you’re not alone. Constipation is the #1 GI complaint in the US for a reason, and there is SO much that can be done to improve this! So, don’t just deal with it. Don’t write it off as something “you’ve always dealt with” or something “that runs in my family” or anything else. Take steps today to help your body poop better, and I promise you– your world will be a happier place.

If you’re able, I would STRONGLY recommend my mini-course on overcoming constipation. In this class, Dr. Sara Reardon and I give you all of our big tips to help you poop better, and for $39 you can’t beat the value you’ll get in this class!

Check out these other articles I’ve written on pooping (yep, I write about poop a lot!) and hopefully this helps you get started!

Building a Stellar Bowel Routine

5 Ways to Help IBS

How to Poop

Dyssynergic Defecation (or When the Poop Won’t Come Out)

Happy Pooping!

~ Dr. Jessica

Expert Interview with Dr. Yeni Abraham on Pelvic PT to Optimize Fertility

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This past year, I was so fortunate to meet Dr. Yeni Abraham, an amazing pelvic health physical therapist and educator. Dr. Yeni is incredibly knowledgeable and owns a private practice, Triggered PT, in Arlington, TX. A few months ago, I saw Yeni post about traveling to pursue a specific training utilizing manual therapy to optimize fertility health, and I knew, I just had to talk with her!

I’ve been working with people struggling with conception for many years. I initially started helping this population around 10 years ago when I lived in Greenville, SC. I had connected with a few fertility specialists in the area, and they started referring patients to me who were trying to conceive, but had struggles related to pelvic pain and pain with sex. It was incredibly rewarding to work with these people, helping them feel better and have pain-free sex. And, that follow-up e-mail of, “Guess what? I’m PREGNANT!” was literally the absolute best!! So, I’ve known for a while that there is power in touch, helping a person connect with and optimize their bodies. And, through witnessing many of my friends, patients, and colleagues struggle with fertility challenges, I’ve learned that fertility challenges are complicated, multifactorial, and often require a team-based approach.

So, enter Dr. Yeni. This amazing, passionate person, who truly cares so much about helping people! Her journey toward helping this population was inspiring, and I’m amazed at what can be done to make a difference for people. I hope you’ll enjoy listening to her interview as much as I loved recording it!! Please know that Yeni sees patients in her office in Arlington, TX, and some patients additionally travel to see her. So, contact her if you want to learn more!! Thanks again Yeni!! <3

Building Community & Advocacy for People with Vulvovaginal Pain Conditions: An Interview with Noa Fleischacker of Tight Lipped

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A few weeks ago, I connected with Noa Fleischaker, the founder of Tight Lipped. This organization started as a podcast in 2019, and has grown to reach over 3000 people from 58 countries around the world. Tight Lipped is all about supporting people who have been struggling with vulvovaginal pain conditions– problems like vulvodynia, vestibulodynia, pelvic pain, painful sex, and more. They share stories to build community, normalize often very private problems, and advocate for better care. They recently published their first Zine, “Opening Up,” and it is a beautiful compilation of art and stories from people who have dealt with vulvovaginal pain conditions. I received my copy last week, and it is in our waiting room as I type this!

I hope you enjoy this interview and connect with Noa’s message! If you would like to support the work of Tight Lipped, please visit their website! They also have events, meet-ups (with one coming up this week!!), workshops, and book clubs! So check it out and connect with this amazing group!