Introduction
It seems that 2012 is a big year of change for everyone. Many times we get stuck in false beliefs and negative self-talk preventing us from making necessary changes.The following is the top 10 myths we hear from our patients at Renew PT and will help shed some light on just how many false beliefs are out there surrounding pelvic and sexual health issues.
1- Our thoughts do not influence our pain.
• A recent study demonstrated that thoughts alone can cause inflammation!
• In the study linked below, participants experienced increased pain and swelling after they simply visualized movement of a painful limb.
• Without any actual movement, the brain created an inflammatory response!
• Full article from Wiley online library
Renew PT 2012 Living Well Tip #1: Keep your thoughts as positive as possible. Catch yourself when you are thinking negative thoughts and turn it around for yourself.
2- It’s too late to strengthen my abdominal and/or pelvic floor muscles. My baby is already several years old!
• It’s never too late to improve diastasis recti, strengthen the deep core muscles of the abdomen and improve pelvic floor muscle strength.
• In 6 visits a Renew physical therapist can take you through an intense core and pelvic floor strengthening program that will leave you wondering “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”
Renew PT 2012 Living Well Tip #2: Why not start with the simple leg press core exercise. It’s so easy it can be done at your desk.
How to do it:
While sitting tall gently bring your navel to your spine and hold for 5 seconds as you gently press your outstretched hands onto your upper thighs creating resistance. Keep your arms straight, and your trunk rigid. Repeat 5 to10 times, 1-3 times daily.
3- It’s normal to leak urine when I laugh, cough, sneeze and exercise. It happens to my mom and all of my friends too!
• Urinary incontinence is never a normal part of aging! In France, all women receive pelvic floor physical therapy after childbirth to prevent incontinence and pelvic prolapse!
• Whether you have experienced childbirth or not, a pelvic floor physical therapist can help eliminate incontinence with a strengthening program and bladder retraining.
Renew PT 2012 Living Well Tip #3: Perform a pelvic brace exercise before you cough, sneeze or laugh. A pelvic brace is a kegels and an abdominal contraction.
4- I am the only one who experiences pain with intercourse. Everyone else is having great sex.
• Chronic pelvic pain affects 1 out of every 4 women worldwide (see article below.)
• Full article from NIH online library
• You are definitely not alone. A pelvic physical therapist can help identify the source of your pain and assist you on the road to healing.
Renew PT 2012 Living Well Tip #4: Relax and massage your pelvic floor muscles before sexual intercourse. We at Renew PT can show you how to do this.
5- I must take care of my children, my job, and my spouse before I can focus on me.
• When the oxygen mask drops on the airplane, the mask goes on you before anyone else.
Renew PT 2012 Living Well Tip #5: Only you can save yourself. Stop putting yourself last on your own list and get the help you.
6- If I am at pain at the 20th week mark of my pregnancy, my back/pubic/sciatic pain will only get worse as my pregnancy continues.
• Bigger does not always equal more pain.
Renew PT 2012 Living Well Tip #6: Let our prenatal physical therapist teach you how to move correctly, perform pelvic corrections, wear an appropriate support and perform exercises that will make you stronger for a pain-free pregnancy.
7- I’m not sure that I like my OB/midwife, but it’s probably not that important as long as the baby is safe.
• There are many things that one cannot control in labor. You can choose your provider and hospital. Choose wisely!
Renew PT 2012 Living Well Tip #7: Seek to create a partnership with your healthcare provider and listen to your inner voice and intuition. Chances are that if it doesn’t feel right, then it’s not right.
8- I have a pelvic organ prolapse and my only option is surgical repair.
• Research demonstrates that pelvic physical therapy can improve grade I and II prolapse.
Renew PT 2012 Living Well Tip #8: All women with pelvic prolapse could benefit from pelvic floor, core, and postural strengthening to prevent pelvic surgery or to improve surgical outcomes if surgery is necessary. See the following article.
9- It is normal to feel the urge to urinate during sex or before orgasm.
• The urge to urinate is a result of muscular trigger points in the pelvic floor muscles that reproduce the feeling of urinary urgency.
Renew PT 2012 Living Well Tip #9: A pelvic floor physical therapist can teach you how to release these trigger points in the vagina so that you can achieve the best orgasms of your life! The stronger your pelvic floor muscles the more fantastic your orgasms will be.
10- My doctors are responsible for healing my condition. If they cannot figure this out, I will feel completely helpless.
Renew PT 2012 Living Well Tip #10: Be your own healer. Listen to your body and trust what it is telling you! You probably know the answers to many of your own questions. Our job at Renew Physical therapy is to help you awaken the doctor within you making your healing journey an empowering one.
Resources
Renew Physical Therapy New York, NY – Call 877-Renew-PT for Your Free 10 Minute Phone Consultation
Ending Female Pain, A Woman’s Manual – by Isa Herrera – Great chapter on diastasis correction and how it relates to pelvic pain.
Medical Disclaimer: The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only. Check with your Doctor before attempting any of the recommendations on this website. NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE. Renew Physical Therapy IS NOT RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY ADVICE, COURSE OF TREATMENT, DIAGNOSIS OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION, SERVICES OR PRODUCTS THAT YOU OBTAIN THROUGH THIS WEB SITE. If you are in acute pain and would like to have a physical therapy program developed for you for your condition please give us a call at 212-213-4660.
