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Serving Dallas, Richardson, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Frisco, Wylie Princeton, Prosper, Celina, Sherman, Anna, Melissa, Denison
You Can Overcome Pelvic Pain
You Can Find Relief
Through a variety of treatments you can get the relief from pain you need to live your life again.​ Treatment at The Fit Pelvis is always focused on your needs and goals. During the first visit, we'll sit down and discuss your story and the treatment options available to you. One of our physical therapists will do a complete evaluation including posture, strength, muscle, neural and fascial mobility. We'll discuss your health as a whole including mental and emotional health, and nutrition. We will give you our findings and recommendations. Then together we'll make a plan to resolve your pain.
Pelvic Pain has many names:
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Dyspareunia - pain with sex
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Endometriosis
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PCOS
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Heavy Periods/Menstruation
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Interstitial Cystitis
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Vulvodynia
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Fibromyalgia
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Vestibulodynia
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Chronic Pelvic Pain (CPP)
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Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
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Fibroids
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Prostatitis
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Cysts
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Scar Tissue/Surgeries
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Adenomyosis
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Frequent UTIs
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Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Levator Ani Syndrome
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Pelvis Support Problems
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Cancer
But all of these different labels have pelvic pain and the pelvic muscles in common. Our bodies are designed to protect themselves so when something goes wrong, the body adapts. The muscles tense to protect the area of the body in pain. This limits your motion and makes you more aware of activity around your pelvis that could produce more pain. This is a great tool when you stub your toe and are sore for a day or two. You'll be more careful about where you walk for the next few days so that you don't stub your toe again. It's not so helpful for the body to be extra protective after those first few days. This can lead to the muscles remaining tense throughout the day, using that part of your body less, having greater difficulty moving that part of our body and having more pain. This often happens with any of the body changes that occur with the diagnoses above. To counteract this protective mechanism, and resolve pain, we need to understand how this process happens and can be reversed, teach the muscles and body to let go of the tension, and increase the motion in that area of the body.
What makes The Fit Pelvis unique?
We use a whole body approach to understand the pain you are experiencing. The pain we experience can be influenced negatively or positively by the experiences of our lives. You may have noticed that if you have a particularly stressful day at work, your pain levels are higher. Or maybe, you feel especially good after getting a good night of sleep. The pelvis does not work on it's own but is connected to the muscles, joints, fascia, organs, blood vessels and nervous system above and below. The pelvis does not hurt in a vacuum, it is part of a living breathing person with complex emotions and experiences, and by treating it independently of the person, providers are doing you a disservice. At The Fit Pelvis, we will look at every factor that could possibly be related your pain. We'll address those factors one at a time as your pain decreases.
Why Treat the Pelvic Floor to Resolve Pelvic Pain?
Tension in the pelvic floor, sometimes known as Levator Ani Syndrome or Non-Relaxing Pelvic Floor, can cause pain in the pelvic floor and in the structures next to the pelvic floor. This could include the bladder, bowel, uterus, vagina, penis or vulva. Due to the closeness of the pelvic floor to these structures and the nerve connections between all of them, the pelvic floor can mimic symptoms that occur with other diagnoses. For example, classic symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis are bladder pain and frequent urination. These symptoms can also be caused by excessive tension in the pelvic floor and adductors muscles of the inner thigh. Tension in the pelvic floor can also make it harder to empty your bladder and bowels, creating pain during those activities. Just like a cramp in your calf hurts and will be sore for a day, so will a "cramp" in the pelvic floor (although these muscles don't get to rest so it's more like having a constant cramp).
The pelvis is a relatively small area containing several organs, muscles and fascia all connected with a massive network of nerves. Each of these structures can and often does impact the other. Having a bowel full of stool due to constipation puts more pressure on the bladder and can cause incontinence or pain as your bladder fills. An injury to a tissue can increase sensitivity of the nervous system and your brain pays more attention to everything happening in that area. With so many messages coming from the pelvis, the brain begins to interpret non-threatening stimuli as painful. You begin having pain with activities that previously were not painful.
The pelvic floor is a major group of muscles that works to stabilize the pelvis during activity and support urinary, bowel and sexual function. You may have developed symptoms that include one or many of these areas in addition the pain you are experiencing. Dr. Katy Girlinghouse is trained in treating all of these concerns and will discuss each of these with you on your first visit to better meet your goals for recovery.
Dr. Katy Girlinghouse, PT, DPT
Pelvic Health Physical Therapist
What does treatment look like?
Treatment for pelvic pain is highly individualized based on you, your symptoms and goals. In general, we address all factors that influence pain including muscle tension or weakness, fascial and joint mobility, nervous system function and sensitivity, mental health, nutrition, sleep, and beliefs about pain and your diagnosis. Research supports this comprehensive approach for best results and pain resolution.
Each session may include reviewing symptoms and changes, hands-on treatment to improve tissue (muscle, nerve, fascia and joint) impairments, education, and exercises to improve how your body moves and create lasting changes. Each session may or may not include internal pelvic floor treatment completed vaginally or rectally. This will always be discussed with you ahead of time and is performed only with your permission.
What are Your Goals?
Your goals are important to us! Whether it's making it to every class, making it to work every month during your period, having enjoyable sex, playing with your kids, working out, or any other personal goals. You can achieve your goals and The Fit Pelvis is here to help you find the solution. Ready to get started on the road to recovery? Schedule your first visit by calling 214-600-8168.
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