I had to write about this. I am the creator of VuVa Magnetic Vaginal Dilators. I am an Endometriosis and Vulvodynia sufferer.
After dealing with pelvic pain for years, I had never heard of Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy until after creating my product. It was only after I created Magnetic Dilators (because they helped me so much) that I found out about Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy. They used vaginal dilators on a daily basis.
What is the “Pelvic Floor?” The pelvic floor refers to the numerous muscles that attach around the pelvic and thigh bones. These muscles serve to provide support for our pelvic organs, maintain control of our bladder and bowel function and are responsible for healthy sexual activity. These muscles form the lower part of “the core” and are important for stability and balance.
While I am spreading Vulvodynia and Dyspareunia awareness daily I am shocked, not many, if any women I speak to is aware of Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy. Pelvic PT’s are amazing, dedicated women who help women everyday with pelvic pain disorders, weak pelvic muscles, lower back issues, incontinence and more.
So why don’t most women know they exist? We need to spread the word! I am writing this article to help spread Pelvic PT awareness.
Here are just a few of the conditions Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists can help with:
Vulvodynia
Women with Vulvodynia have chronic vulvar pain with no known cause. Until recently, doctors didn’t recognize this as a real pain syndrome. Even today, many women do not receive a diagnosis. Women may go years being incorrectly diagnosed. They may also remain isolated by a condition that is not easy to discuss. Researchers are working hard to uncover the causes of Vulvodynia and to find better ways to treat it.
Types of Vulvodynia
Vulvodynia affects the vulva, the external female genital organs. This includes the labia, clitoris, and vaginal opening. There are two main subtypes of vulvodynia:
- Generalized vulvodynia is pain in different areas of the vulva at different times. Vulvar pain may be constant or occur every once in a while. Touch or pressure may or may not prompt it. But this may make the pain worse.
- Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome is pain in the vestibule. This is the entrance to the vagina. Often a burning sensation, this type of vulvar pain comes on only after touch or pressure, such as during intercourse.
Vaginismus
When a woman has vaginismus, the muscle walls of her vagina contract or spasm in response to attempted insertion, for example, with a tampon or Penis. This involuntary muscle contraction can be mildly uncomfortable or it may cause searing or tearing pain.
Vaginismus can interfere with normal activities like sex or having a pelvic exam at the doctor’s office.
Painful sex is often the first sign that a woman has vaginismus. The pain occurs only with penetration. It usually, but not always, goes away after withdrawal. Women have described the pain as feeling too small for a man’s penis. The pain has also been described as a tearing sensation or a feeling like the penis is “hitting a wall.”
Many women who have vaginismus also experience discomfort:
- when inserting tampons
- during a doctor’s internal exam
Dyspareunia
Dyspareunia is painful sexual intercourse due to medical or psychological causes. The pain can primarily be on the external surface of the genitalia or deeper in the pelvis upon deep pressure against the cervix. It can affect a small portion of the vulva or vagina or be felt all over the surface.
Vulvar Vestibulitis
Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (also know as vestibulodynia or vestibular adenitis) is a subset of vulvodynia that is characterized by severe pain during attempted vaginal entry (intercourse or tampons insertion), tenderness to pressure localized to the vulvar vestibule and redness of the vulvar vestibule.
Menopause
During or after menopause, vaginal dryness and the thinning and weakening of vaginal walls can cause pain or stinging during penetration, especially if you’re not having regular sex or using vaginal moisturizers. The vagina narrows and shortens and the tissues become more fragile, vaginal dilators are part of the solution for many women who’ve reached this point.
Pudendal Neuralgia
Pudendal neuralgia is pain related to the pudendal nerve, which is the main nerve running between your pubic bone and your tailbone. You might feel this type of pain as perineal (between your ‘sit bones’), or as deep pelvic pain.
Vaginal Stenosis
Vaginal stenosis is often a side effect of radiotherapy and/or genital surgery. It is the narrowing and/or loss of flexibility of the vagina, often accompanied by other changes such as the dryness and loss of resilience of scar tissue.
Vaginal Atrophy
Vaginal atrophy, also called atrophic vaginitis, is thinning, drying and inflammation of the vaginal walls due to your body having less estrogen. Vaginal atrophy occurs most often after menopause, but it can also develop during breast-feeding or at any other time your body’s estrogen production declines. For many women, vaginal atrophy makes intercourse painful — and if intercourse hurts, your interest in sex will naturally decrease.
One of the PT practices VuVa Recommends is EMH Physical Therapy in NYC. Here is a link to their site: http://www.emhphysicaltherapy.com/pelvic-floor-dysfunction-therapy/
We have a Pelvic Floor PT Locator for the USA and Canada on our site. Here is the link: https://www.vuvatech.com/pages/pelvic-pt-locator
Have a great week!
Reblogged this on EndoGab and commented:
This is a topic that really fires me up! It is extremely sad that more women aren’t aware of these very common and painful conditions as well as the treatment! #BodyAwareness #WomensHealth