Tag Archives: endometriosis

Dyspareunia

Dyspareunia and Physiotherapy
Dyspareunia
Dyspareunia is genital pain experienced by women just before, during or after sexual intercourse. Some women have always experienced pain with intercourse from their very first attempt. Other women begin to feel pain with intercourse or cyclically with menstruation. They can also have pain after an injury or infection . Sometimes the pain increases over time. When pain occurs, the woman may be distracted from feeling pleasure and excitement.

Causes

• vaginal dryness from menopause, childbirth, breastfeeding, medications
• skin disorders that cause ulcers, cracks, itching, or burning
• infections, such as yeast or urinary tract infections
• spontaneous tightening of the muscles of the vaginal wall
• endometriosis
• pelvic inflammatory disease
• uterine fibroids
• irritable bowel syndrome
• radiation and chemotherapy

Other factors that affect a woman’s ability to become aroused can also cause dyspareunia.
These factors include:
• stress, which can result in tightened muscles of the pelvic floor
• fear, guilt, or shame related to sex
• self-image or body issues
• medications such as birth control pills
• relationship problems
• cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and thyroid disease
• history of sexual abuse

Symptoms of Dyspareunia

• Pain while inserting a tampon or during penis penetration
• Pain with certain sexual partners
• Deep pain during thrusting
• Burning pain or aching pain
• Throbbing pain, lasting hours after intercourse

Check out this link for more information.

Physiotherapy Treatment for Dyspareunia

Education:

To help describe how the pelvic floor muscles can cause pain. Education can also provide techniques that can be used at home.

Manual Physiotherapy: to mobilise muscle and soft tissue, normalize overactive muscles, improve circulation and desensitize painful areas.

Desensitization therapy: learning vaginal relaxation techniques, such as Kegel exercises, that can decrease pain.

Sex therapy: learning how to re-establish intimacy and improve communication with your partner.

Water-based lubricants rather than petroleum jelly or other oil-based lubricants are preferable. Oil-based lubricants tend to dry the vagina.

Psychologic therapies: Cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy can be helpful.

Pelvic muscle relaxation exercises: used with biofeedback, this can help women with tight pelvic muscles learn to consciously relax tight muscles.

If you or someone you know suffers from dyspareunia, please call today to get started on Physiotherapy treatment! We can help at PhysioNow. Often only a few visits with our specially trained Phyiotherapist can help to get you on the road to recovery.

Endometriosis Physiotherapy

Endometriosis Physiotherapy

Endometriosis is the abnormal growth of cells (endometrial cells) similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus. Endometriosis Physiotherapy: fortunately there is something that you can do about this!
Endometriosis Physiotherapy

Cause of Endometriosis

The cause of endometriosis is unknown. One theory is that the endometrial tissue is deposited in unusual locations by the retrograde flow of menstrual debris through the Fallopian tubes into the pelvic and abdominal cavities. The cause of this retrograde menstruation is not clearly understood. These lesions are most commonly found on the ovaries, the Fallopian tubes, the surface of the uterus, the bowel, and on the membrane lining of the pelvic cavity (i.e. the peritoneum).
It is also likely the direct transfer of endometrial tissues at the time of surgery may be responsible for the endometriosis implants occasionally found in surgical scars (for example, episiotomy or Cesarean section scars).
Finally, there is evidence that some women with endometriosis have an altered immune response. They are less commonly found to involve the vagina, cervix, and bladder.

Signs and symptoms of Endometriosis Physiotherapy

Some women experience mild symptoms, but others can have moderate to severe symptoms. Pelvic pain is the most common symptom of endometriosis. You may also have the following symptoms:
• painful periods
• pain in the lower abdomen before and during menstruation
• cramps one or two weeks around menstruation
• heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding between periods
• infertility
• pain following sexual intercourse
• discomfort with bowel movements
• lower back pain that may occur at any time during your menstrual cycle
• bloating and distention

Endometriosis Physiotherapy Treatments

A Pelvic health Physiotherapist will evaluate the alignment, musculature, fascial systems, and movement patterns in the pelvis and body for issues that activate your pain and decrease your quality of life.
They develop a treatment programme according to your specific needs. Registered Physiotherapists can help to manage the symptoms of endometriosis such as painful menstrual cramping, abdominal discomfort, pelvic floor pain, and painful intercourse by:
• treating connective tissue dysfunction
• treating myofascial trigger points
• “Visceral manipulation therapy” mobilizing viscera (gentle manual therapy techniques aimed at releasing adhesions and restoring the proper mobility of the internal organs, such as the uterus, bladder, colon and small intestine)
• correcting postural and movement dysfunction (often when we are in pain not only does it change our muscle tone but it causes us to move and posture ourselves differently than we typically would.
• providing patients, the correct postural techniques.
Registered Massage Therapy may also be beneficial in the treatment of Endometriosis, especially if you are suffering from Low Back Pain. If you are interested in booking a massage, give us a call today!
Check out this link to the Mayo Clinic for a bit more information .

At PhysioNow, we have specially trained Pelvic Health Physiotherapists standing by to help Now! Call today to get started on your recovery from Endometriosis!