Tag: male pelvic pain

Hope with Pelvic Pain: A Patient’s Story

On By bbpt1In Pelvic Pain, physical therapy, prostatitis, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The writer of this blog and patient and wishes to remain anonymous.

flower
I am a 65-year-old married professional male who resides in NYC. About a year ago, I woke up with pelvic pain and I assumed it was a urinary infection. Immediately I went to my urologist, who gave me a urine test which showed a slightly elevated white blood cell count and was given antibiotics for two weeks. Despite this treatment, the pain continued and I went for another test, which was negative.  I was told I had an inflamed prostate and to avoid spices and caffeine. This pain was so severe and constant that it affected all my daily life activities. Even painkillers, which I took for a short duration, could not relieve the pain.
Having performed my own internet research, for the better or worse, I came across several blogs on how pain sufferers had these similar symptoms that remained unresolved for years. The majority of these blogs focused on the perineal nerve, which I thought could be my issue. Therefore, I then went to a neurologist who claimed this was not the problem and then had other nerve blocks without any relief. Neither the urologist, neurologist, or general practitioners could offer any explanation.
Then, going back to the internet I found the keyword “pelvic pain”, which unlocked this pain mystery with services offered by only a handful of providers. The explanation was that rather than having headaches or backaches from stress, I was tightening my pelvic floor muscles thus creating pain.
After reviewing the few physical therapy sites I decided to try Beyond Basics for a discussion, evaluation, and treatment. I was able to schedule an appointment right away without needing a prescription from a physician. At my first session, I explained that I lacked the hope that this problem would ever be resolved, but that I would be committed to their program.
Now after almost two months of weekly sessions, my Physical Therapist has led me on a road to holistic recovery guided by exercises, massage, education, and emotional support.  I understand that the scale of pain relief will be a roller coaster, but now for the first time, I can relax when there are dips in pain.
I want to conclude my first blog by saying that my Beyond Basics PT has given me “hope” by defining the problem and offering a solution with life lessons on how to deal with this issue that is unknown to so many people.
It has been a few weeks in which I have no pain, feel fully recovered and I am back to appreciating life.

Anonymous

 

If you have questions about orthopedic, pelvic, or sports physical therapy, BBPT is offering free phone consults to those living in the greater NYC area for a limited amount of time!

Beyond Basics Physical Therapy

212-354-2622 (42nd Street Location)

212-267-0240 (William Street Location)

 

 

Prostatitis What it is and What to do About it

On By bbpt1In Health, health awareness, male pelvic pain, Men's Health, Modalities, nutrition, Painful Sex, Pelvic Pain, physical therapy, prostatitis, sexual health, Uncategorized, urinary dysfunctionLeave a comment

natural-treatments-848x300

Fiona McMahon DPT

Introduction

Prostatitis is a common diagnosis we see at Beyond Basics Physical Therapy. If I have a new evaluation on my schedule, who is male and between the ages of 18-40, we can place a pretty good bet that they are coming to see me for issues pertaining to non-bacterial prostatitis. It is estimated that 35-50% of men are reported to have prostatitis symptoms  in their lifetime (Rees). Prostatitis can be classified into different types based on their causes and response to treatment. Prostatitis is a vexing condition for many patients. In cases of non-bacterial prostatitis, which makes up 95% of all prostatitis, it’s often very difficult to determine what brought it on, and often times our patients have been bouncing from practitioner to practitioner trying to find answers and effective treatment. Let’s dive into the causes, symptoms, and treatment in order to help shed light on this condition.

 

Prostatitis Symptoms,

Although there are different types of prostatitis, the symptoms of prostatitis are mostly the same between types. That isn’t to suggest that every man with prostatitis experiences the same symptoms, quite on the contrary. Men with prostatitis may experience almost all of the symptoms listed below or they may only notice one or two. This melange of symptom possibilities can add to the confusion of having prostatitis and getting down to an effective cure.

 

Symptoms:

  • The sensation of having a golf ball stuck in the rectum
  • Hesitant urinary stream (having trouble getting the urine to start flowing)
  • Post void dribble (spotting of urine on underwear following voiding)
  • Pain that radiates into the abdomen (this is one of the differences from symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia)
  • Erectile dysfunction and decreased libido
  • Painful ejaculation
  • Painful or burning urination
  • Genital pain: penile, testicular, groin and perineal pain

 

Types of prostatitis:

Here’s where it gets a little more complicated. There isn’t one type of prostatitis. There are four. Each type of prostatitis is a little different in terms of etiology (how it developed) and how it’s treated.

Type 1: Acute bacterial prostatitis

This type of prostatitis is caused by an infection by a microbe. It is relatively rare. In addition to the symptoms above, a person with this type of prostatitis will feel the symptoms of an ongoing infection, including pain in the body, fever, and chills. This type of prostatitis generally response well to antibiotic treatment.

Type 2: Chronic bacterial prostatitis

Chronic bacterial prostatitis can occur after multiple infection or when there is an ongoing low grade infection. The symptoms, particularly those of infection are dampened in this form of prostatitis than those of type 1. Type 2 is often more tricky to treat and may require multiple courses of antibiotics

Type 3: Chronic Prostatitis/ Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (the most common making up 90-95% of all prostatitis and WHAT WE TREAT!)

This type of prostatitis occurs with no evident infectious cause and makes up the majority of cases. This is the classification that is one of the more frustrating for patients to deal with because the causal agent is much harder to ascertain; however the majority have musculoskeletal dysfunction, which we now know can be treated effectively through expert pelvic floor physical therapy.  Type III prostatitis can be further categorized based on the presence or absence of white blood cells in the urine or prostatic fluid, inflammatory and noninflammatory respectively.

Type 4: Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis

As the name implies, this type of prostatitis is usually not noticed unless semen or urine analysis is being performed to diagnose another condition. Typically this type is left untreated.

 

Causes

Here’s one of the universal questions that patients with prostatitis have: “why do I have this?”  Sometimes patients may find themselves blaming their prostatitis on something they have done in the past, like masturbating or poor hygiene habits as children. The fact is, prostatitis can occur for a multitude of reasons, and it’s usually something one has no control over like a fall on the bottom or an infection. It’s unfortunately something that happens, and as noted in the introduction of this blog, it is quite common. Here are some possible causes:

 

  • In chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/ chronic pelvic pain syndrome 90-95% of cases- no definitive cause ( or very difficult to ascertain); however pelvic floor dysfunction is a prevalent contributor.  
  • Bacterial infection, which can have good results with antibiotics
  • Chronic bacterial prostatitis, recurrent infection
  • Inflammation to the pelvic area
  • Central and peripheral sensitization- meaning a past injury in the area caused your pelvic nerves to perceive non painful stimuli as painful
  • Trigger points (irritable points of muscle) in the pelvic floor and abdomen

 

Treatment

Treatment is evolving in prostatitis. Increasing evidence supports a multimodal approach to treating prostatitis and its symptoms, meaning that not only is medical intervention used, but psychological, nutritional, and physical therapy.

From a medical perspective the first line of treatment for prostatitis is the “3 A’s”, antibiotics (especially the quinolone class), anti-inflammatories, and alpha blockers. Antibiotics obviously clear up any infection that might be causing your symptoms, anti-inflammatories to bring down the pain and discomfort, and alpha blockers to improve urine flow. Sometimes this is just what the doctor ordered (literally), especially in individuals with type 1 prostatitis and they are on their way with no further treatment needed. Since the vast majority of people with chronic prostatitis fall outside of the type one category and into more difficult to treat types, their recovery may require a more involved intervention to effectively treat their symptoms and the 3 A’s may not be the answer, or the complete answer for these patients.

 

Physical Therapy: Anderson and his colleagues described the relationship between the presence of myofascial trigger points and symptomatic prostatitis. They also showed that physical therapy intervention, including manual release of these trigger points was effective in reducing symptoms of prostatitis. The benefit of physical therapy was shown again to be more effective than placebo in a 2011 paper by Nickel. In addition to treating the trigger points themselves, PT’s work to determine what lead up to the formation of the trigger points in the first place, whether that be poor habitual posture, poor strength, or tight muscles in other parts of the body. They also teach patients how to avoid clenching their pelvic floor to prevent exacerbating symptoms.  This type of therapeutic approach was found to be effective in reducing pain in 72% of participants in a study conducted by Anderson and colleagues in 2005. The therapists at Beyond Basics Physical Therapy work to go beyond simple treatment of the trigger points themselves.  We develop plans and treatments to prevent their recurrence in the future.   Some other effective physical therapy techniques that we use include but are not limited to, joint mobilization to assist proper structural alignment, therapeutic exercise, postural and neuromuscular re-education and a detailed and individualized home exercise program.

 

Dietary Modifications:

Avoiding irritants to the bladder and gastrointestinal system is another simple and effective place to start. In some men, avoiding spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine can work wonders in making symptoms more manageable.   

 

Phytotherapy:

Preliminary data shows that there is evidence to support the use of saw palmetto, quercetin and bee pollen extract in reducing the pain of prostatitis. If supplementation interests you, consult with your general practitioner or urologist.

 

Stress Reduction

As clinicians who have seen a lot of cases of prostatitis, high stress is a contributor that we see with the vast majority of our patients. Studies have shown that high levels of stress are correlated with higher pain and disability scores in individuals with prostatitis. Stress can also perpetuate unhealthy holding or clenching in the pelvic floor, which causes or contributes to trigger points discussed earlier in this section. Stress reduction is a key component to expediting your recovery and is something we recommend to nearly all of our patients.

 

Final Thoughts

  • Prostatitis is a common and aggravating condition to be living with, and the fact is, every case of prostatitis is different. You may fall into the category were a course of antibiotics does the trick or you may fall into the category where you require physical therapy alongside medical intervention which can be much more slow going. Regardless of where you fall, be patient, there usually is a lot that can be done to help the more complex cases of prostatitis clear up. If you are suffering with this condition, make an appointment with an expert pelvic floor physical therapist today. There is so much we can do.

 

Sources

Anderson R, Sawyer T, Wise D. Painful myofascial trigger points and pain site in men with chronic prostatitis/ Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. J Urol. 2009;182(6): 2753-8

Anderson R, Wise D, Sawyer T. Integration of myofascial trigger point release and paradoxical relaxation training treatment of chronic pelvic pain in men. J Urol. 2005;174(1):155-60

Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (chronic pelvic pain syndrome). Harvard Health Publications. Harvard Medical School. 2007. http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/chronic-nonbacterial-prostatitis-chronic-pelvic-pain-syndrome. Accessed December 11, 2016

Duclos A, Lee C, Shoskes D. Current treatment options in the management of chronic prostatitis. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2007; 3(4):507-12

 

Rees J, Abrahams M, Doble A et al. Diagnosis and treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a consensus guideline. BJU Int. 2015; 116(4):509-25

 

Nickel J. Prostatitis. Can Urol Assoc J. 2011; 5(5): 306-15

Ph101 Men’s Only Seminar

On By bbpt1In bladder, bowel, cancer, constipation, education, free seminar, health awareness, Incontinence, male pelvic pain, orthopedics, Painful Bladder Syndrome/IC, Painful Sex, Pelvic Pain, physical therapy, prostate cancer, prostatitis, sexual health, Uncategorized, urinary dysfunctionLeave a comment

Fiona McMahon PT, DPT

On October 23rd at 7pm we will be hosting our  “Men’s Only Seminar”. Join us as we discuss how pelvic floor dysfunction affects the male pelvic floor. Learn how your sex life can be improved by pelvic floor treatment, how to regain function after prostatectomy, and how to rid yourself of the pain of prostatitis, and avoid antibiotics for the most common type of prostatitis. This seminar is not to be missed!

For more reading on male pelvic health topics, check out:

All About Testicles

Navigating Life with Chronic Pain: Part 1

Navigating Life with Chronic Pain: Part II

Prostatitis What it is and What to do About it

Register here: pelvichealth101.eventbrite.com

Location:

110 East 42nd Street

Suite 1504

NY NY

10017

Pelvic Health 101 Flyer-jpeg

 

Do You Speak Pelvic Floor? Guide to Antatomy Part 2: Male Genital Anatomy

On By bbpt1In BBPT Health Tip, bladder, Health, health awareness, male pelvic pain, Men's Health, Painful Bladder Syndrome/IC, sexual health, UncategorizedLeave a comment
woman wearing white high top shoes
Photo by Du01b0u01a1ng Nhu00e2n on Pexels.com

Fiona McMahon PT, DPT (Pronouns: She, Her, Hers)

Hello again and welcome to part two of the “Do you Speak Pelvic Floor Series”. In the first part, we described the most common clinical language we use to describe the genitalia of those with female anatomy. In part two we will look a little more closely at the male anatomy. The male anatomy goes beyond the ‘ol twig and berries and there are specific names for the specific parts. Many folks, when they think of about pelvic floor physical therapy, think of it only as a women’s specialty. Beyond Basics Physical Therapy has been treating male pelvic disorders since 2003! In this blog, we will discuss the structures of the male external genitalia as well as some of the conditions that can affect this anatomy. Let’s read on!

Penis– The penis is one of the male sex organs and it has some pretty cool capabilities. The penis has individual compartments in it called the corpus cavernosus which fills with blood to keep the penis hard during erection. The corpus spongiousus helps to keep the urethra from collapsing upon itself during erection. We can see many issues concerning the pelvic floor muscles, surrounding tissues, and nerves that can affect the penis. Peyronies disease occurs when the penis bends, which can be uncomfortable and painful. We have a whole blog which takes a deep dive into the causes of Peyronie’s as well as treatments. You can read more about it here.

Glans- The glans is also known as the head of the penis. The glans is highly sensitive and provides a good deal of sexual sensation during sexual activities. The glans resembles an acorn. The word glans actually means acorn in Latin. The glans is often a place that will be painful with pelvic floor dysfunction. Tight and restricted muscles of the pelvic floor often refer to this area.

Foreskin- Foreskin is a really interesting structure, (stay with me, folks). Foreskin has cultural and religious importance. Many Abrahamic religions, (Jews, Muslims, and some but not all Christians) may practice circumcision as part of their faith tradition. Whether or not someone has had a circumcision is also linked to where someone lives. In the USA circumcision is extremely common, however in many countries across the pond in Europe, circumcision is much less commonly practiced. Whether or not to circumcise is a deeply personal choice that can be affected by your religion and your nationality. There are trade-offs to being circumcised and being uncircumcised and many doctors recommend that the decision is made by the family of the child.

Urethra- The urethra transports semen and urine to the outside world. Did you know that when the penis is fully erect, only semen can travel through the urethra? This prevents urination during intercourse. Men with poor pelvic floor function may experience leakage secondary to poor closure of the urinary tract into the urethra.

Testes- I have a blog all about testicles. In fact, that’s what it is called, All About Testicles. You can read about it here. Testicles create sperm. Did you know problems with muscles and nerve irritation can cause pain in the testicles, as well other serious and non-serious conditions? Read more about testicular conditions in the blog I linked above..

Scrotum- The scrotum is the sack that contains the testicles. The skin on the scrotum can get tight and restricted and sometimes cause pain in the scrotum and penis. Skilled physical therapists can teach you how to gently mobilize this tissue to treat your pain.

 

If you are having pain in any one of these areas, physical therapy may help.

Give us a call at 212-354-2622 to schedule a free consult for those living in the Tri-State Area to find out if PT is right for you.

Fiona McMahon PT, DPT practices at our Midtown Location

fiona2018

 

 

May is Pelvic Pain Awareness Month

On By bbpt1In bowel, cancer, constipation, diastasis recti, education, Endometriosis, Health, health awareness, Incontinence, injury prevention, Kids Health, lymphedema, Men's Health, orthopedics, Painful Bladder Syndrome/IC, Painful Sex, pediatrics, Pelvic Pain, persistent genital arousal disorder, physical therapy, Pregnancy and postpartum, prostate cancer, prostatitis, sexual health, Uncategorized, urinary dysfunction, vaginismus, Women's HealthLeave a comment

Mayis PelvicPainAwarenessmonth

Fiona McMahon PT, DPT

May is Pelvic Pain Awareness Month: #PelvicPainAware. This is a big deal to us at Beyond Basics Physical Therapy, where we see it as our mission to spread awareness of pelvic pain and dysfunction to clinicians and patients alike. This month is spearheaded by the International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS), of which, the founder of Beyond Basics, Amy Stein is the president. Amy took time to sit down with me to describe all of the fantastic things that are planned for this month so I can share them with you.

Before we get started, I want to share a little about IPPS, the organizer of Pelvic Pain Awareness Month. IPPS was founded in 1996. It is a society of healthcare clinicians who treat abdomino-pelvic pain conditions in men, women, and children. Their mission is twofold: “To educate healthcare professionals how to diagnose and manage chronic pelvic pain, thereby changing the lives of patients worldwide.” and “To bring hope to men and women who suffer from chronic pelvic pain by significantly raising public awareness and impacting individual lives.” Pelvic Pain Awareness month, is our opportunity to spread awareness among professionals and public alike in hopes of improving outcomes and demystifying pelvic pain.

Now let’s get started with Amy’s interview!

Fiona: Why did IPPS feel the need to start a pelvic pain awareness month?

  • Amy: I felt like it was needed. As president of IPPS, I wanted to make some changes to awareness, and I felt this was a great opportunity to get the word out and stop patients from having to suffer in silence. I wanted it to be abdomino-pelvic pain awareness month, but the phrase was too long.

 

Fiona: What activities does IPPS have planned this month to spread awareness of pelvic pain?

  • Amy: We created a pelvic pain awareness page on facebook and continue to tweet about it @intpelvicpain. We are also doing a blog talk radio interview with Lorimer Moseley, PhD, PT from Adelaide, Australia, on blogtalk radio/pelvic messenger on Thursday, May 18th at 7.30pm EST. Lorimer Moseley has written 270 articles and 6 books on pain. If you want to interview someone who is experienced in the study of pain and the brain, he is a good person to be interviewing. May 17th in New York City, we are doing a local fundraising/ networking event in the Green Room on 23rd street from 6:30-8:30pm to create more awareness locally. On may 25th, 9pm EST, 6pm PST we are doing a twitter journal club. An article on sexual health in women affected by cancer  will be featured, as well as one on vulvodynia, and prostatitis . [Click here to access the articles we will be discussing!] Each year we plan to add on more events for May is #PelvicPainAware both locally and internationally. 

 

 

Fiona: Why is it so important to build awareness of abdomino-pelvic pain conditions? What was the big driver for IPPS in doing this work?

  • Amy: Bringing awareness of abdomino-pelvic pain conditions is one of the main missions for IPPS, as well as Beyond Basics Physical Therapy and I believe it is a mission of many of other clinics, hospitals, etc, that treat pelvic pain. Again, it is such a common experience of many, many patients who visit us, to have gone to various well-known institutions throughout the country for pelvic pain, to be told it is all in there head and that they just need mental health therapy or a glass of wine. This infuriates me STILL (20 years later!), as well as the patients. Often times it will take just one session with an experienced pelvic health physical therapist or healthcare provider to have hope again. Many of our patients have been to 5 up to 10 physicians/healthcare providers and ended up being misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or told to go home and relax; or even worse, have more sex or switch partners. Yes, pain is processed in your brain, but there is a physical component with most of these patients.

Fiona: Where would you suggest someone who is starting their journey? What resources would you recommend?

  • Amy: I would suggest to look at International Pelvic Pain Society, International Cystitis Association, IC-network, Endometriosis Association, National Vulvodynia Association, American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) or Herman and Wallace “ Find a provider”, for you to find physical therapists and physicians. Even taking that a step further, when you find a provider, do some research: ask how often your provider sees pelvic pain patients,, how long have they been treating in this area, because that can make a difference. If you go to someone who is not as experienced or is not trained, you might hit a roadblock or plateau in your progress.
  •  I would caution against looking up too much on patient-centered forums; however, here are a lot of great blogs out there that can help give you helpful information. There are some great books out there, like Heal Pelvic Pain, and Pelvic Pain Explained, Sex without Pain, and Pelvic Pain Management.  For providers, I want to add that IPPS is hosting the World Congress on Pelvic and Abdominal Pain in Washington D.C. at the Renaissance Hotel in October 11-15th. We have Lorimer Moseley and Paul Hodges flying in from Australia. They both have done extensive research in pain. This year we are doing 9 clusters on different topics with poster and abstract presentations, as well as a post conference on The Pain Revolution, with Paul Hodges, PhD and Lorimer Moseley, PhD, PT

Fiona: If you had to distill your message for May is Pelvic Pain Awareness month, what would you like the public, people with and without pelvic pain to get from this month?

  • Amy: I would like them to know there are resources and providers out there for abdomino-pelvic pain conditions. But remember to do your homework when deciding who and what is best for you. For providers, there are great resources too, including the International Pelvic Pain Society to help better your practice.

We also want everyone to know we are having a give away in honor of Pelvic Pain Awareness Month! Learn more info below!

For Everyone!

IPPS Facebook Page

Twitter: @IntPelvicPain #pelvicpainaware

IPPS

Blog Talk Radio/Pelvic Messenger

 

For Patients!

International Pelvic Pain Society: Find a provider

National Vulvodynia Association: Health Care Provider List

APTA Find a clinician

Herman and Wallace Find a Clinician

 

Give Away Information

Giveaway open internationally ). Must provide a mailing address within 48 hours of notification of winning, otherwise another winner will be selected at random. Click here for full details,
We have several generous donors lined up for the hour and will be randomly giving away the following items during the event:
1 Copy of Amy Stein’s Book “Heal Pelvic Pain” & DVD Healing Pelvic and Abdominal Pain”  (follow @beyondbasicspt @HealPelvicPain2)  (Open to International)
1 Copy of Heather Jeffcoat’s book “Sex Without Pain: A Self Treatment Guid to the Sex Life You Deserve” (follow @SexWithoutPain @TheLadyPartsPT) (Open to International)
1 Copy of Stephanie Prendergast and Elizabeth Rummer’s book “Pelvic Pain Explained”   (follow @PelvicPainExp @PelvicHealth) (Open to International)
1 Gift Card to Soul Source Dilators (link to soulsource.com)  (follow @SoulSourceTD) (Open to US only)
2 EndoFemm heating/cooling pads by Pelvic Pain Solutions (Open to US only)
2 CAPPS Travel Cushions by Pelvic Pain Solutions by Pelvic Pain Solutions  (follow @EndoFEMM) (Open to US only)
2 Multi-Comfort Therapy Pads by Pelvic Pain Solutions (Open to US only)
Official Rules: This giveaway is open to US only (except where specifically indicated as international above). The following guidelines must be followed to be eligible: Use the #PelvicPainAware hashtag during the twitter party from 6PM PST to 7PM PST to be entered into the random drawing. Must follow @IntPelvicPain @TheLadyPartsPT so we may contact you after the event regarding your winnings. Winners will have 48 hours from the time of notification to provide us with their eligible mailing address, or else a new winner will be randomly selected.
 
Twitter Party/Journal Club Disclaimer: Tweets during the 1 hour event are not to be taken as medical advice. We recommend following up with your team of providers to gain your most optimal care.

 

Prostatitis What it is and What to do About it

On By bbpt1In Health, health awareness, male pelvic pain, Men's Health, Modalities, nutrition, Painful Sex, Pelvic Pain, physical therapy, prostatitis, sexual health, Uncategorized, urinary dysfunction2 Comments

natural-treatments-848x300

Fiona McMahon DPT

Introduction

Prostatitis is a common diagnosis we see at Beyond Basics Physical Therapy. If I have a new evaluation on my schedule, who is male and between the ages of 18-40, we can place a pretty good bet that they are coming to see me for issues pertaining to non-bacterial prostatitis. It is estimated that 35-50% of men are reported to have prostatitis symptoms  in their lifetime (Rees). Prostatitis can be classified into different types based on their causes and response to treatment. Prostatitis is a vexing condition for many patients. In cases of non-bacterial prostatitis, which makes up 95% of all prostatitis, it’s often very difficult to determine what brought it on, and often times our patients have been bouncing from practitioner to practitioner trying to find answers and effective treatment. Let’s dive into the causes, symptoms, and treatment in order to help shed light on this condition.

 

Prostatitis Symptoms,

Although there are different types of prostatitis, the symptoms of prostatitis are mostly the same between types. That isn’t to suggest that every man with prostatitis experiences the same symptoms, quite on the contrary. Men with prostatitis may experience almost all of the symptoms listed below or they may only notice one or two. This melange of symptom possibilities can add to the confusion of having prostatitis and getting down to an effective cure.

 

Symptoms:

  • The sensation of having a golf ball stuck in the rectum
  • Hesitant urinary stream (having trouble getting the urine to start flowing)
  • Post void dribble (spotting of urine on underwear following voiding)
  • Pain that radiates into the abdomen (this is one of the differences from symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia)
  • Erectile dysfunction and decreased libido
  • Painful ejaculation
  • Painful or burning urination
  • Genital pain: penile, testicular, groin and perineal pain

 

Types of prostatitis:

Here’s where it gets a little more complicated. There isn’t one type of prostatitis. There are four. Each type of prostatitis is a little different in terms of etiology (how it developed) and how it’s treated.

Type 1: Acute bacterial prostatitis

This type of prostatitis is caused by an infection by a microbe. It is relatively rare. In addition to the symptoms above, a person with this type of prostatitis will feel the symptoms of an ongoing infection, including pain in the body, fever, and chills. This type of prostatitis generally response well to antibiotic treatment.

Type 2: Chronic bacterial prostatitis

Chronic bacterial prostatitis can occur after multiple infection or when there is an ongoing low grade infection. The symptoms, particularly those of infection are dampened in this form of prostatitis than those of type 1. Type 2 is often more tricky to treat and may require multiple courses of antibiotics

Type 3: Chronic Prostatitis/ Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (the most common making up 90-95% of all prostatitis and WHAT WE TREAT!)

This type of prostatitis occurs with no evident infectious cause and makes up the majority of cases. This is the classification that is one of the more frustrating for patients to deal with because the causal agent is much harder to ascertain; however the majority have musculoskeletal dysfunction, which we now know can be treated effectively through expert pelvic floor physical therapy.  Type III prostatitis can be further categorized based on the presence or absence of white blood cells in the urine or prostatic fluid, inflammatory and noninflammatory respectively.

Type 4: Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis

As the name implies, this type of prostatitis is usually not noticed unless semen or urine analysis is being performed to diagnose another condition. Typically this type is left untreated.

 

Causes

Here’s one of the universal questions that patients with prostatitis have: “why do I have this?”  Sometimes patients may find themselves blaming their prostatitis on something they have done in the past, like masturbating or poor hygiene habits as children. The fact is, prostatitis can occur for a multitude of reasons, and it’s usually something one has no control over like a fall on the bottom or an infection. It’s unfortunately something that happens, and as noted in the introduction of this blog, it is quite common. Here are some possible causes:

 

  • In chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/ chronic pelvic pain syndrome 90-95% of cases- no definitive cause ( or very difficult to ascertain); however pelvic floor dysfunction is a prevalent contributor.  
  • Bacterial infection, which can have good results with antibiotics
  • Chronic bacterial prostatitis, recurrent infection
  • Inflammation to the pelvic area
  • Central and peripheral sensitization- meaning a past injury in the area caused your pelvic nerves to perceive non painful stimuli as painful
  • Trigger points (irritable points of muscle) in the pelvic floor and abdomen

 

Treatment

Treatment is evolving in prostatitis. Increasing evidence supports a multimodal approach to treating prostatitis and its symptoms, meaning that not only is medical intervention used, but psychological, nutritional, and physical therapy.

From a medical perspective the first line of treatment for prostatitis is the “3 A’s”, antibiotics (especially the quinolone class), anti-inflammatories, and alpha blockers. Antibiotics obviously clear up any infection that might be causing your symptoms, anti-inflammatories to bring down the pain and discomfort, and alpha blockers to improve urine flow. Sometimes this is just what the doctor ordered (literally), especially in individuals with type 1 prostatitis and they are on their way with no further treatment needed. Since the vast majority of people with chronic prostatitis fall outside of the type one category and into more difficult to treat types, their recovery may require a more involved intervention to effectively treat their symptoms and the 3 A’s may not be the answer, or the complete answer for these patients.

 

Physical Therapy: Anderson and his colleagues described the relationship between the presence of myofascial trigger points and symptomatic prostatitis. They also showed that physical therapy intervention, including manual release of these trigger points was effective in reducing symptoms of prostatitis. The benefit of physical therapy was shown again to be more effective than placebo in a 2011 paper by Nickel. In addition to treating the trigger points themselves, PT’s work to determine what lead up to the formation of the trigger points in the first place, whether that be poor habitual posture, poor strength, or tight muscles in other parts of the body. They also teach patients how to avoid clenching their pelvic floor to prevent exacerbating symptoms.  This type of therapeutic approach was found to be effective in reducing pain in 72% of participants in a study conducted by Anderson and colleagues in 2005. The therapists at Beyond Basics Physical Therapy work to go beyond simple treatment of the trigger points themselves.  We develop plans and treatments to prevent their recurrence in the future.   Some other effective physical therapy techniques that we use include but are not limited to, joint mobilization to assist proper structural alignment, therapeutic exercise, postural and neuromuscular re-education and a detailed and individualized home exercise program.

 

Dietary Modifications:

Avoiding irritants to the bladder and gastrointestinal system is another simple and effective place to start. In some men, avoiding spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine can work wonders in making symptoms more manageable.   

 

Phytotherapy:

Preliminary data shows that there is evidence to support the use of saw palmetto, quercetin and bee pollen extract in reducing the pain of prostatitis. If supplementation interests you, consult with your general practitioner or urologist.

 

Stress Reduction

As clinicians who have seen a lot of cases of prostatitis, high stress is a contributor that we see with the vast majority of our patients. Studies have shown that high levels of stress are correlated with higher pain and disability scores in individuals with prostatitis. Stress can also perpetuate unhealthy holding or clenching in the pelvic floor, which causes or contributes to trigger points discussed earlier in this section. Stress reduction is a key component to expediting your recovery and is something we recommend to nearly all of our patients.

 

Final Thoughts

  • Prostatitis is a common and aggravating condition to be living with, and the fact is, every case of prostatitis is different. You may fall into the category were a course of antibiotics does the trick or you may fall into the category where you require physical therapy alongside medical intervention which can be much more slow going. Regardless of where you fall, be patient, there usually is a lot that can be done to help the more complex cases of prostatitis clear up. If you are suffering with this condition, make an appointment with an expert pelvic floor physical therapist today. There is so much we can do.

 

Sources

Anderson R, Sawyer T, Wise D. Painful myofascial trigger points and pain site in men with chronic prostatitis/ Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. J Urol. 2009;182(6): 2753-8

Anderson R, Wise D, Sawyer T. Integration of myofascial trigger point release and paradoxical relaxation training treatment of chronic pelvic pain in men. J Urol. 2005;174(1):155-60

Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (chronic pelvic pain syndrome). Harvard Health Publications. Harvard Medical School. 2007. http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/chronic-nonbacterial-prostatitis-chronic-pelvic-pain-syndrome. Accessed December 11, 2016

Duclos A, Lee C, Shoskes D. Current treatment options in the management of chronic prostatitis. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2007; 3(4):507-12

 

Rees J, Abrahams M, Doble A et al. Diagnosis and treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a consensus guideline. BJU Int. 2015; 116(4):509-25

 

Nickel J. Prostatitis. Can Urol Assoc J. 2011; 5(5): 306-15

Amy on SirusXM’s Doctor Radio!

On By bbpt1In Men's Health, Pelvic Pain, Women's HealthLeave a comment
By Amy Stein

Wednesday night I was live on SiriusXM’s Doctor Radio at NYU Langone with Dr. Benjamin Brucker and Dr. Joseph Alukal primarily to discuss male pelvic pain. However we did also speak about female pelvic pain and dysfunction. It was in a radio studio right in the hospital.

We spoke about what pelvic floor PTs do during an initial evaluation, what are signs and symptoms that there is a musculoskeletal problem, how to palpate the pelvic floor muscles, what are possible causes and more.  We also discussed prostatectomy and how pelvic floor PT can enhance the outcomes.

We had callers call in from Arkansas, California, Tennessee and New Jersey, and ask about hip pain’s causes and what to do about it; one a man called in asking about his wife’s progress on her pelvic fractures; another asked some post-prostatectomy questions, and much more.

It was quite exciting and a great experience! Check out some images below.

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Kegels for Men?!

On By bbpt1In Men's Health, Painful Sex, Pelvic PainLeave a comment

While Kegel exercises have typically been prescribed for women’s health, men richly benefit from them as well. Just as with women, the muscles in a man’s pelvic floor are the foundations of urinary and sexual health. As author Roni Carin Rabin writes in an article in this week’s New York Times, “Like all muscles, these weaken with age, doctors say. In order to strengthen them, men are told to tighten the muscles they might normally use to cut off the flow of urine midstream or prevent passing gas in a closed space. The contractions are held for a few seconds, then released, with the motion repeated 10 to 15 times for each workout.”

Amy discusses this phenomenon in her book, Heal Pelvic Pain. As she writes:

Men typically suffer the same two basic categories of [pelvic] disorder that women suffer—namely, those that result from muscles that are too tight and/or nerves that are irritated, and those resulting from muscles that are too weak. Not surprisingly, the disorders derive from the same basic causes as well:

Maybe it was too many Saturday afternoons at the stadium sitting too long on a hard surface. Or too many long, fast bike rides on that narrow, high-tech, Italian bicycle saddle. Maybe it was the heavy lifting you did when you helped out on your neighbor’s house renovation, or decided you’d like to split the firewood logs yourself, or hauled the summer deck furniture back into the garage in the autumn, or took up weight training at the gym and did it to excess.  The irritation and discomfort that ensue from acute prostatitis can lead to a habitual holding and tightening of the pelvic floor muscles resulting in pelvic floor dysfunction. A simple fall, especially if you landed on the tailbone, or that old sports injury from when you slid into third base last summer and hammered your sacroiliac: any and all of these can result, sooner or later, in a pelvic floor disorder.

One other cause that happens to men only is a prostatectomy—that is, the removal of the prostate—or radiation treatment for prostate cancer or any reproductive cancers. As any prostate cancer patient knows, these therapies for the disease can result in problems of incontinence and erectile dysfunction. In such cases, your oncologist may only be able to promise you that function will come back “within a year or so,” not a terribly cheerful prognosis. What your doctor may not tell you is that a specialist in pelvic floor dysfunction may be able to help.

She prescribes a variety of exercises to perform if you or someone you know is suffering from male pelvic pain, so pick up a copy of Heal Pelvic Pain today to learn more!

 

The Magic in the Wand

On By bbpt1In Men's Health, Pelvic PainLeave a comment

By Riva Preil

Stress can be a little devil.  Not only can it result in tension headaches and jaw pain, but it can also result in tightness in the pelvic floor muscles.  In men, this pain has been described as “a golf ball in the rectum” or “stabbing pain in the groin.” It can interfere with one’s ability to urinate, pass bowel movements, participate in intercourse, tolerate prolonged sitting, or even wear underwear.  Oftentimes, these symptoms are often misdiagnosed as chronic prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) when in truth, there is NOTHING wrong with the prostate… however plenty wrong with the pelvic floor muscles. Therefore, drugs, including antibiotics, prostate reducing medications, anti-inflammatories, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications, and steroids, do NOT help alleviate the pain.

An extremely effective approach to combat the pelvic floor muscle tightness is TRIGGER POINT THERAPY.  This approach involves applying pressure to the tight muscles to help them relax and release.  Fortunately, the FDA has recently approved a therapeutic wand, a two-foot long plastic device with a finger-tip like rubber end, to allow individuals to treat their own pelvic pain.  The device has a pressure gauge to ensure that patients don’t apply too much pressure while performing the internal self-treatment.  Dr. David Wise (a psychologist) and Dr. Rodney U. Anderson (emeritus professor of urology at Stanford’s medical school) worked with physical therapist Tim Sawyer to develop a thorough treatment plan for patients to perform their own internal trigger point releases through a program that  become known as the Stanford pelvic pain protocol.  This approach has been accepted by the American Urological Association.

Fortunately, we here at Beyond Basics Physical Therapy have been aware of the benefits of the wand long before the FDA.  It is a tool that is often employed during treatment and as part of home programs, for both male and female patients (depending on the judgment of the skilled physical therapist).  Perhaps this approach can help YOU treat your pelvic pain!  Please contact us at Beyond Basics Physical Therapy with any questions you may have, including whether the wand is appropriate for you!