Ali Ece, DPT

MALE PELVIC HEALTH: Excretion and sexual function are all part of pelvic health. When these processes are disrupted, we become very distressed. Men rarely discuss these matters (even with professionals) out of shame and embarrassment. There is no shame in wanting good pelvic health! Pelvic Pain can include tailbone pain (coccydynia), testicle pain (orchialgia), penis pain, rectal/anal pain (proctalgia fugax), and saddle numbness (pudendal neuralgia). Pre/Post-Prostate Surgery issues, Urine/Fecal Leakage, Early Ejaculation, Erectile Dysfunction, Constipation, and Hard Flaccid are also complaints that can be helped with Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy (PFPT). Simply gaining awareness of this region has helped many improve its functioning. PFPT includes education and retraining of muscle function/strength/control. It may involve some manual work to the abdomen/pelvic floor muscles/thighs as needed, but only to the extent that an individual feels comfortable with. CHRONIC PAIN: Pain is very complex, and is created when our brain perceives a threat to our well-being. Exercise is just one factor in treating pain. One also needs to consider how behaviors/beliefs/thoughts/emotions/experiences all play a part. I personally have decreased my own decades-long back pain by reexamining my pain beliefs and behaviors, and engaging in movements/activities I had been avoiding out of fear of further injury. TRAUMATIC STRESS/ANXIETY MANAGEMENT: Physical Therapy is uniquely positioned to help with stress. Body-oriented interventions along with mental strategies can help you better regulate your body's response to stress, including breathing, touch, movement, mindfulness/mental-imagery/visualization (exercising 'the mind's eye"). Stress is our body's response to something important. When we have a deadline to meet, our stress response mobilizes us to get the job done. This would be considered Good Stress (eustress). Most of us have an issue with Bad Stress (distress). When under life's pressures, the body activates the fight-or-flight system (Sympathetic Nervous System). But if there's no immediate threat to life, this activation causes physical changes in our body that can be very uncomfortable. And, often, overwhelming life experiences from the past leave their mark in the present by means of somatic (body) complaints. HEALTH/WELLNESS PROMOTION: INTEGRATION is a concept where different aspects of our nervous system and body are encouraged to connect to create a system that is flexible, adaptive, coherent, energetic, and stable (as opposed to chaotic and/or rigid). A wellness visit can be a chance to go over aspects of your life that can be better integrated.