surprising results with urethral pain

[elamar]

I just wanted to post about my experience. My supposed IC started about 3 years ago. I just woke up one day with what felt like a uti and it feels like it has never gone away. After about three months of it starting, the urethral pain became my worst symptom, along with constant urgency and frequency. 4 Doctors later and tons of different drugs and treatments - lots done by supposed IC experts, I was still having urethral pain. About a month ago I was referred to Erica Fletcher, a pelvic physical therapist in the Philadelphia region. At my first appt. she did an overall assessment. In just a few minutes, she was able to look at my back and hips and tell me where the pain would be before she even touched me! She pointed out a place in my back (the t-12) and said that it was out of place and that causes urethral pain. Also my hips are lopsided, and one leg is shorter than the other. She started pressing on areas that I didn't even know hurt! She then did some massaging and stretching maneuvers. The whole time she was telling me about different muscles and proving that she knew what was going to hurt. She also does almost chiropractic type stuff. She'll roll my on my side on the table, put a triangle wedge between my shoulder blades, roll me on my back and push and boy does my spine crack! She also works on my hip joints and I crack and pop like crazy! After my first appt. I had relief from urethral pain for a few days. Apparantly I have very loose joints in my back and hips and they are responsible for the pain. I wouldn't have believed it, but every week I go back, I stay pain free a little longer. She has also given me excersises and stretches to do at home to strengthen the muscles so we can try to get the joints to stay in place. I have to wear a lift in one shoe so my legs will be the same length - she says the difference in the legs also is causing the urethral pain. I would have never believed her if I didn't experience it myself! I always thought that burning pain was some sort of infection that was unidentified! It so feels like an infection, yet is just a result of nerves being pressed by loose joints. She also has me wearing a thick elastic belt around my hips to help pull them back into alignment and pull my tailbone down. She keeps telling me my tailbone is swollen and to ice it every day. I do get some relief from the excersises she gave me to do. In addition to the back cracking and massaging, she does do some internal work and can really feel which muscles are tight and can explain why I'm having certain symptoms. She is absoultely amazing. I'm just so ****** that my IC doctor waited so long to send me to her. I got botoxed in April, and this therapist says she usually evaluates people for the doctor to see if they are good canidates for it. I was not, and should have never gotten it done. It was horrible and a real set back for me. I just feel like I was put through hell over the last year and my bank account drained. Anyhow, sorry for the long ramble, but if you are having urethral pain, and have every test done (my doctor says my urethra was clean as a whistle!), consider checking with a pelvic physical therapist. I was a real skeptic, but Erica is proving me wrong! She has a website, ericafletcher.com if anyone is interested. Be prepared for a long wait - I made my appt. in Feb, and it took until May for her first opening for a new patient! She is outstanding and I haven't read about other therapists doing what she does. I went to one several years ago who kept putting a small probe in my vagina and would try to do biofeedback. It was a total waste of time. She kept trying to insist that I could learn to relax those muscles to get relief - ain't gonna happen!! She meant well, but when I switched doctors, I stopped seeing her. I just wanted to give a little hope out there. I'm not completely better yet, but Erica has proven to me that there is a real physical problem with me and thinks she can fix me. It's going to take time and alot of work on my part, but I am glad she restored my hope in the medical community.

[Bella Spirit]

Thanks for sharing your story. It was really facinating to read that your pain was due to alignments and problems in the joints! You'd never believe it would you?
I'm happy that you are finding relief. I am going to talk to my doc about this next week and see what he says. It may trigger something in his head that he hasn't thought of.

(my doctor says my urethra was clean as a whistle!)
...and I couldn't help but get a visual when I read this! :lmao::lmao:

[SharonA]

Thank you for your story. I hope you continue to feel better. :):):)

[icbop]

this sounds like my pain exactly!

I do see a PT, who I really like but who has not yet gotten to the bottom of the matter. I too have one leg shorter than another, from tightness in the hip I'm told.

I do doubt my joints are movable like yours, but there are probably lots of reasons for the nerves pressing.

Thanks so much for your post. One question, did you ever have any other inflammation? I think that nerves pressing on things can cause that too, but I'm not sure. I sure have it, externally now, but only after years of the urethral burn.

I wish you continues good luck!

[pixiechick]

Oh my goodness - I have the exact same chiropractal symptoms (back out of alignment, legs slightly different lenghts) which happened from overuse doing karate - I go to a chiropractor now and then but never really cared as it doesn't cause me much pain.

However, I ALSO have recently developed urethral symptoms - the only symptom i have is burning/ twinging after I urinate but it's frustrating. I never connected the two and thought that maybe I had IC or Urethral Syndrome or some other vaguely identifiably disease. I'm going straight to the chiropractor to see if it helps.


Thanks for posting! :D