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Why did I launch the Pelvic Wellness Program?

Why did I launch the Pelvic Wellness Program?

Written by:  YUCHIN CHANG, PT, DPT, OCS, CMTPT

 

Ever since becoming a manual therapist in 2006, I have been aware of the underserved population of patients with chronic pelvic pain.  Each one of my patients’ stories is unique, yet they all share the same frustration and despair.   The women all seemed to have similar stories of tumbling through a complex medical system, seeing multiple physicians, and going through several horrific tests.   Often, during the process of finding out what was wrong, they were mistreated and humiliated by medical professionals who were not adequately trained to treat chronic pelvic pain.

Some of my patients’ stories just simply dropped my jaw.  The treatments they received from medical professionals were just rude and unbelievable:

Have a glass of wine.’  A physician’s response to a patient’s pain during sexual intercourse

‘I am not a sex therapist. Maybe you should see one.’ A physician’s response to a woman’s clitoral pain.

You just need to relax!’ A physician’s reaction to patient’s having pain during internal exam.

By the time the woman received a proper diagnosis and were referred to me for pelvic floor therapy, several years had gone by and their pain or dysfunction has become more complex than ever.  They were often depressed, and some blamed themselves for their pain.

With the notion of educating the community on how pelvic floor physical therapy can help, I launched the Pelvic Wellness Program in 2011.  The program provides a special emphasis on treating sexual and pelvic pain, bowel and bladder pathology, and prenatal and postpartum issues.   I hope to foster a safe and respectful environment for women suffering from pelvic pain and dysfunction, so they can open up and seek treatment for their pain.

Often, through the process of educating patients on how the body works, the healing process can start to take place.  Little by little, they heal – both physically and emotionally – gradually, they take charge of their lives again.

 

Image courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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