Physical Therapy

[Trinka]

Hi all. I went to physical therapy today and my physical therapist asked me to post a message on this board asking if anyone else does physical therapy for their IC and what they actually do.

I have been going to PT for the past 6 months now. I use TENS, Biofeedback, Yoga, and my physical therapist does this pressure point thing that has to deal with all the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that go to the pelvic floor muscle.

It helped for about 5 months but now I am having problems again and she thought there might be something that someone else is doing that we haven't tried yet.

If anyone has any input I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,
Trinka
:butterfly

[JAMIEL]

Sorry...I have not started PT yet but I plan to. I am going to a support group meeting next week and the guest speaker is an expert in Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. If I hear anything worth mentioning I will post it. Are you taking any meds for the PFD? I am on valium three times a day. Also, I am supposed to take two warms baths a day as well.

Jamie:kiss:

[ad8123]

I have been told to take PT formy Ic/PFD but my insurance doesnot cover it very much and I can not afford it now. Keep us posted on what does work for you that way we will learn from your experiences. Do you have a pain managment MD too? They are great for easing pain with meds, might help if the therapy is not always working???

May God Bless and Kepp You
feel better
Angela
Florida

[ICNDonna]

Just a little hint about physical therapy and insurance coverage. When my husband needed extensive physical therapy, we found out that coverage was better and covered more visits if the therapy center was hospital based. I'm not sure why, but his physical therapy visits had all been used, yet he was covered with the hospital connected place.

Donna

[Trinka]

I am taking Baclofen to keep my bladder relaxed. I have been on it for a couple years. It seems to help.

My insurance does cover physical therapy. So I guess I lucked out there. They are always giving me a rough time about one thing or the other. I guess that is their job.

Thanks for all the post. I will keep you informed on how the PT is going.

Thanks,
Trinka

[yorkyloverx3]

I started physical therapy 1 month ago. I have my up and down days. Most of the time it helps. This is the second time I have tried pt, before I tried more of the biofeedback, which did not help me. This time it is a different person, which specializes in physical therapy for IC patients. She is wonderful. I go twice a week. Sometimes we do inside massages finding the pressure points and some days it is all outside messages.
She uses heat with electrodes sometimes. I had went to her one time when I was having a really bad low pelvic spasm and she worked for over an hour, using heat, ice, message (which I could not stand for her to even come close to the spot) and that day we could not get the spasm to release.
She is showing me pilates exercises, we are starting very slow and easy. I hate to exercise so this has been hard for me to continue on my own. (but I try)
I only have 2 more visits before I take a break for a month or so but overall I think physical therapy has helped me 80%, I still have pain if I walk or am on my feet for very long.
But this is a HUGE improvement considering before I started pt I could not stand or walk without pain.
So I don't know what is down the road for me after I stop going but I guess I will find out.
My pt is SO GOOD with IC patients. She knows exactly what to say and do to make it better.

[JAMIEL]

I am glad to hear that you have had a positive experience. I have been apprehensive about it but I might be the next step for me. My doc has been treating my PFD with valium but he feels the PT may be the next step....

Thanks for the post....

Jamie:kiss:

[Melanie]

I've been going to PT for years. It's the only thing I can say that truly helps my IC related complaints (especially pelvic floor and vaginal pain).

My therapists are fantastic. One of them does myofascial release, pelvic floor internal work, and she also works on my back, belly, legs, etc. My other therapist concentrates on pilates. I find pilates much better than yoga. I get too dizzy w/ yoga. But pilates is strength building and wonderful! Highly recommend!

[Trinka]

Melanie,

I am glad to hear the PT is working for you. This is about my last hope right now. I have tried all the other treatments out there except for RTX and bladder removal.

I am even going to start going to an accupunturist to see if it will help. If it does I will definitely post and let everyone know.

Thanks for the reply.

Trinka

[Melanie]

I'm right there w/ you. I've been thru it all except RTX, removal (and I didn't do BCG). But I've done just about everything else including Interstim trials (6 of them actually).

Accupuncture didn't help me. But I've heard that it has helped others. PT is definetly worth trying. I wish you the best with it and keep us posted. No matter what treatment you try, finding the right person to work with is key. Don't worry there is always hope! Hopefully new and improved treatments will become available.