No "all or nothing" cures, causes, or suggesting that only one thing will help
DON'T suggest kegels as treatment for a hypertonic pelvic floor (it's bad advice)
NO FETISHIZING or sexualizing someones health condition. DON'T BE CREEPY.
No NSFW Photos
No SPAM (includes link farming, affiliate marketing, personal promotion)
No "Low Effort" posts - we can't help if there's no detail
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r/vulvodynia (women and AFAB experiencing Vaginismus & Vestibulodynia too)
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION: PELVIC FLOOR
The pelvic floor muscles are a bowl of muscles in the pelvis that cradle our sexual organs, bladder, and rectum, and help stabilize the core while assisting with essential bodily functions, like pooping, peeing and having sex.¹
They can weaken (become hyp-O-tonic) over time due to injury (or child birth), and even the normal aging process, leading to conditions like incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse.¹
And, the pelvic floor can tense up (guard) when we:
Feel pain/discomfort
Get a UTI/STD
Injure ourselves (gym, cycling, slip on ice)
Have poor bowel/urinary habits (straining on the toilet often - constipation) or holding in pee/poo for extended periods (like avoiding using a public toilet)
Have poor sexual habits (edging several hours a day, typically this is more of guy's issue)
Get stressed or anxious (fight or flight response), due to their connection with the vagus nerve (and our central nervous system). READ MORE HERE
Have a connective tissue disorder
Over time, prolonged guarding/tensing can cause them to become hyp-E-rtonic (tight and weak). Sometimes trigger points in the muscle tissue develop that refer pain several inches away. The tensing can also sometimes irritate nerves, including the pudendal nerve. Helping the pelvic floor relax, and treating these myofascial trigger points with pelvic floor physical therapy can lead to significant relief for many, along with interventions like breathwork - notably diaphragmatic belly breathing - and gentle reverse kegels.
Sometimes, feedback loops also develop that can become self-perpetuating as a result of CNS (Central Nervous System) modulation. ᴮ ⁷
Basic feedback loop:
Pain/injury/infection > pelvic tensing > more pain > stress/anxiety > more pelvic tensing > (and on and on)
Examples of common feedback loops that include the pelvic floor:
Source: NHS/Unity Sexual Health/University Hospitals Bristol and Weston. A pelvic floor feedback loop seen in men after STI.
An example of this pelvic floor feedback loop (guarding response) as seen in a woman with a prolonged (awful) UTI:
A trigger point is an area of hyper-irritability in a muscle, usually caused by a muscle that is being overloaded and worked excessively. How does this affect an IC patient? Unfortunately, we do not always know what comes first; the chicken or the egg. Let’s assume in this case we do. A patient who has never had any symptoms before develops an awful bladder infection, culture positive. She is treated with antibiotics, as she should be. Symptoms are, as we all know, frequency, urgency and pain on urination. Maybe the first round of antibiotics does not help, so she goes on a second round. They work. But she has now walked around for 2, maybe 3 weeks with horrible symptoms. Her pelvic floor would be working very hard to turn off the constant sense of urge. This could create overload in the pelvic floor. A trigger point develops, that can now cause a referral of symptoms back to her bladder, making her think she still has a bladder infection. Her cultures are negative.
Above we find a scenario where the UTI was cleared, but the pelvic floor is now in a tensing feedback loop, and complex processes of neural wind up and central sensitization - ie CNS modulation - are likely occurring
Diagrams of the male and female pelvic floor:
Bottom view. The levator ani is the main "hammock" of the pelvic floor, and includes both the PC (pubococcygeus) and PR (puborectalis) musclesSide view showing the pelvic floor cradling the bladder, sexual organs, and rectum. And its attachments at the coccyx (tailbone) and pubic bone.
SYMPTOMS OF PELVIC FLOOR DYSFUNCTION
The majority of the users here have a hypertonic pelvic floor which typically presents with symptoms of pelvic pain or discomfort ² (inc nerve sensations like tingling, itching, stinging, burning, cooling, etc):
Penile pain
Vaginal pain
Testicular/epididymal/scrotal pain
Vulvar pain
Clitoral pain
Rectal pain
Bladder pain
Pain with sex/orgasm
Pain with bowel movements or urination
Pain in the hips, groin, perineum, and suprapubic region
This tension also commonly leads to dysfunction ² (urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunction):
Dyssynergic defecation (Anismus)
Incomplete bowel movements
Urinary frequency and hesitancy
Erectile dysfunction/premature ejaculation
This pinned post will mainly focus on hypertonia - tight and weak muscles, and the corresponding symptoms and treatment, as they represent the most neglected side of pelvic floor dysfunction. Especially in men, who historically have less pelvic care over their lifetimes as compared to women.
But, we also commonly see women with weak (Hyp-O-tonic) pelvic floors after child birth who experience urinary leakage. This often happens when coughing, sneezing, or lifting something heavy. Luckily, pelvic floor physical therapists are historically well equipped for weak pelvic floor symptoms, as seen commonly in women.
But, this historical emphasis sometimes bleeds into inappropriate care for men and women who have hypErtonic pelvic floors, and do not benefit from kegel exercises
CLOSELY RELATED CONDITIONS & DIAGNOSIS
These typically involve the pelvic floor as one (of many) mechanisms of action, and thus, pelvic floor physical therapy is an evidence-based intervention for any of these, along with behavioral interventions/mind-body medicine, medications, and more.
For people who experience symptoms outside the pelvic region, these are signs of centralization (somatization/nociplastic mechanisms) - and indicate a central nervous system contribution to symptoms, and must be treated with more than just pelvic floor physical therapy:READ MORE
Many people with a pelvic floor diagnosis - and at least 49% who experience chronic pelvic pain/dysfunction - also experience centralized/nociplastic pain ¹³ localized to the pelvic region. Centralized/nociplastic pelvic pain can mimic the symptoms of pelvic floor hypertonia. To assess if you have centralization as a cause of your pelvic symptoms, read through this post.
NOTE: This is especially relevant for people who have a pelvic floor exam, and are told that their pelvic floor is basically "normal" or lacks the usual signs of dysfunction, trigger points, or hypertonia (high tone), yet they still experiencing pain and/or dysfunction. This also equally applies to cases that have done extensive amounts of pelvic floor PT 6-12mo) with no improvement.
Centralized/Nociplastic pain mechanisms are recognized by both the European and American Urological Association guidelines for pelvic pain in men and women, as well as the MAPP (Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain) Research Network.
TREATMENT: High tone (HypErtonic) Pelvic Floor (tight & weak)
Pelvic floor physical therapy focused on relaxing muscles:
Diaphragmatic belly breathing
Reverse kegels
Pelvic Stretching
Trigger point release (myofascial release)
Dry needling (Not the same as acupuncture)
Dilators (vaginal and rectal)
Biofeedback
Heat (including baths, sauna, hot yoga, heated blankets, jacuzzi, etc)
Behavioral change:
* Lay off frequent or chronic masturbation habits (including edging)
* Take a break from intense compound exercises, like CrossFit or HIIT
* Sit less and stand more. This may also include using a standing desk
* If you're an avid cyclist, take a break from cycling
Medications to discuss with a doctor:
low dose amitriptyline (off label for neuropathic pain)
low dose tadalafil (sexual dysfunction and urinary symptoms)
Alpha blockers for urinary hesitancy symptoms (typically prescribed to men)
Mind-body medicine/Behavioral Therapy/Centralized Pain MechanismsThese interventions are highly recommended for people who are experiencing elevated distress or anxiety, or, noticed that their symptoms began without an injury, but with a stressful event, big life change, or, that symptoms increase with stress or difficult emotions (or symptoms change when distracted, focused , or on vacation) - full list of criteria to rule in centralized/nociplastic mechanisms.
Equal Improvement in Men and Women in the Treatment of Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome Using a Multi-modal Protocol with an Internal Myofascial Trigger Point Wand - PubMed https://share.google/T3DM4OYZYUyfJ9klx
The Effects of a Life Stress Emotional Awareness and Expression Interview for Women with Chronic Urogenital Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30252113/
UCPPS is a umbrella term for chronic pelvic pain and dysfunction in men and women, and it includes pelvic floor dysfunction underneath it, as well as symptoms like bladder dysfunction, pain, IC/BPS, and more. This study discusses the pain mechanisms found. They are not only typical injuries (ie "nociceptive") - They also include pain/symptoms generated by nerves (neuropathic) and by the central nervous system (nociplastic). You'll also notice that the combination of neuropathic + nociplastic mechanisms create the most pain! Which is likely to be counterintuitive to what most people would assume.
At baseline, 43% of UCPPS patients were classified as nociceptive-only, 8% as neuropathic only, 27% as nociceptive+nociplastic, and 22% as neuropathic+nociplastic. Across outcomes, nociceptive-only patients had the least severe symptoms and neuropathic+nociplastic patients the most severe. Neuropathic pain was associated with genital pain and/or sensitivity on pelvic exam, while nociplastic pain was associated with comorbid pain conditions, psychosocial difficulties, and increased pressure pain sensitivity outside the pelvis.
Targeting neuropathic (nerve irritation) and nociplastic/centralized (nervous system/brain) components of pain & symptoms in recovery is highly recommended when dealing with CPPS/PFD (especially hypertonia).
All of those involved in the management of chronic pelvic pain should have knowledge of peripheral and central pain mechanisms. - European Urological Association CPPS Pocket Guide
We now know that the pain can also derive from a neurologic origin from either peripheral nerve roots (neuropathic pain) or even a lack of central pain inhibition (nociplastic), with the classic disease example being fibromyalgia
This means successful treatment for pelvic pain and dysfunction goes beyond just pelvic floor physical therapy (alone), and into new modalities for pain that target these neuroplastic (nociplastic/centralized) mechanisms like Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), EAET, and more. Learn more about our new understanding of chronic pain here: https://www.reddit.com/r/ChronicPain/s/3E6k1Gr2BZ
This is especially true for anyone who has symptoms that get worse with stress or difficult emotions. And, those of us who are predisposed to chronic pain in the first place, typically from childhood adversity and trauma, certain personality traits (perfectionism, people pleasing, conscientiousness, neuroticism) and anxiety and mood disorders. There is especially overwhelming evidence regarding ACE (adverse childhood experiences) that increase our chances of developing a physical or mental health disorder later in life. So much so, that even traditional medical doctors are now being trained to screen their patients for childhood trauma/adversity:
Adverse childhood experience is associated with an increased risk of reporting chronic pain in adulthood: a stystematic review and meta-analysis
Previous meta-analyses highlighted the negative impact of adverse childhood experiences on physical, psychological, and behavioural health across the lifespan.We found exposure to any direct adverse childhood experience, i.e. childhood sexual, physical, emotional abuse, or neglect alone or combined, increased the risk of reporting chronic pain and pain-related disability in adulthood.The risk of reporting chronic painful disorders increased with increasing numbers of adverse childhood experiences.
Further precedence in the EUA (European Urological Association) guidelines for male and female pain:
Studies about integrating the psychological factors of CPPPSs are few but the quality is high. Psychological factors are consistently found to be relevant in the maintenance of persistent pelvic and urogenital pain [36]. Beliefs about pain contribute to the experience of pain [37] and symptom-related anxiety and central pain amplification may be measurably linked, and worrying about pain and perceived stress predict worsening of urological chronic pain over a year [36,38] - https://uroweb.org/guidelines/chronic-pelvic-pain/chapter/epidemiology-aetiology-and-pathophysiology
So, how do you figure out if this could be happening in your case?
12 FIT criteria to RULE IN centralized, (ie neuroplastic/nociplastic) pain and symptoms,
FIT = functional, inconsistent, triggered. Based on research from Dr. Howard Schubiner and other chronic pain doctors and neuroscientists over the last 10+ years
Pain/symptoms originated during a stressful, challenging, or high pressure time in life. This includes even "happy" life events, like getting married, having a baby, starting a new career, or moving
Pain/symptoms originated without an injury. Note, a perceived injury and a structural injury are different things. And even when symptoms begin with a structural injury, has it been years and the body would normally recover by now?
Pain/symptoms are inconsistent. Do they fluctuate by the hour, by the day, or by the week? Sometimes less, sometimes more, sometimes even not noticeable (this happens sometimes, but it's not necessary for this criteria). Or, do they move around the body? ie genital pain that changes sides or pain that moves from the top to the bottom.
Multiple other symptoms (often in other parts of the body) ie IBS, chronic migraines/headaches, CPPS, TMJD, fibromyalgia, CFS (fatigue), vertigo/dizziness, chronic neck or back pain, etc. 2025 AUA guidelines mention these as signs of centralized sx.
Pain/Symptoms spread (over time) or move around. Think about symptoms on day one. Have they moved or evolved over time?
Pain/symptoms are made worse or triggered by stress, or, go down when engaged in an activity you enjoy or in a flow state (think fun distractions or productivity, noticing symptoms less)
Symptom triggers that have nothing to do with the body - but instead things outside of it (weather, barometric pressure, seasons, sounds, smells, places, times of day, weekdays/weekends, days of the week, etc) - this also includes thoughts or other people triggering/flaring symptoms
Symmetrical symptoms (pain developing on the same part of the body but in OPPOSITE sides) - ie both hips, both hips, both wrists, both knees, etc
Pain/symptoms with delayed Onset (THIS CAN'T HAPPEN WITH STRUCTURAL PAIN)
-- ie, ejaculation pain that comes a minute later, an hour later, or even the next day. Any pain that is delayed is very suspicious. We wouldn't put weight on a sprained ankle and expect it to hurt 15 seconds later, it hurts immediately.
Childhood stress, challenges, adversity, or trauma
-- varying levels of what this means for each person, not just trauma. Examples of stressors: childhood bullying, pressure to perform from parents/coaches, body image issues (dysmorphia), eating disorders, parents fighting a lot or getting angry (inc divorce), having an emotionally unpredictable parent, or having a parent with a health condition or addiction. This also includes neglect and abuse (physical and emotional) and financial instability in childhood. Also includes cultural norms, like the pressure to be highly successful to be of value to parents (must be a doctor or a lawyer, etc)
Common personality traits linked to stress: perfectionism, conscientiousness, people pleasing, anxiousness/ neuroticism - do you have personality traits that include being highly driven, hard on yourself, ultra responsible, perfectionistic, needing control, and/or placing others’ needs above your own?
Lack of physical diagnosis (ie doctors are unable to find any clear structural cause of symptoms) - this includes DIAGNOSIS OF EXCLUSION, like being diagnosed with CPPS or PFD. Structural finding examples: broken bones, tumors, infections, etc. It does not include muscle dysfunction.
[NEW] 13. Any family history of chronic pain or other chronic conditions. Includes: IBS, chronic migraines/headaches, CPPS, TMJD, fibromyalgia, CFS (fatigue), vertigo/dizziness, chronic neck or back pain, etc
Hello:
I have been suffering with pelvic floor dysfunction for at least a year (if not much longer, but was masking it with nicotine overuse as a laxative, which stopped 1 year ago). Likely a result of past eating disorders and chronic stress. Symptoms include daily incomplete emptying (necessitating manual removal 1-2x/week), straining, painful intimacy, bloating/gas if particularly “backed up,” and frequent rectal pain and tenderness. After months of slowly moving in the right direction, I was referred to a colorectal surgeon who wanted to do a defecography. I had it completed today, and the findings finally validated what was beginning to feel like I was just crazy. My puborectalis muscle would NOT relax, and I have both an anterior and posterior rectocele. I restarted PFPT earlier this month and am seeing a wonderful provider, but I’m wondering if anyone has a similar situation and what your path looked like. My colorectal surgeon suggested Botox during our first appointment, and after these results, I am more inclined to try a set of injections in the hopes of making PT that much more effective. I am very active, only in my mid-20’s, and have not yet had children, so I am hopeful in my body’s ability to retrain and restore function as conservatively as possible. Any personal anecdotes, advice, or suggestions appreciated!
I wanted to share my personal experience because I know how frustrating chronic testicular pain can be. Hopefully, this might help someone experiencing similar symptoms.
I’ve been dealing with chronic pain in my left testicle since 2020.
The pain is usually a dull, aching or pulling sensation. It can get worse after prolonged sitting, driving, heavy lifting or sexual activity.
Walking, standing up or lying down usually helps relieve the discomfort.
Over the years, I’ve tried different things to reduce the pain.
Quercetin
I previously tried quercetin, a natural flavonoid supplement, and noticed that it helped reduce my symptoms.
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)
Almost three weeks ago, I started taking Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), a naturally occurring fatty acid amide that has been studied for its potential effects on inflammation and chronic pain.
I’m using a PEA supplement from Italy.
My daily dosage:
• 600 mg per capsule
• 2 capsules daily
• Total: 1,200 mg per day
My results
I started noticing improvements within a few days to one week.
Now, in my third week, I would estimate that my testicular pain has decreased by approximately 90%.
After dealing with this discomfort for around six years, this is a huge improvement for me.
Sometimes I still experience mild aching after sitting for too long, but it usually disappears when I stand up and walk around.
I’m extremely happy with the results so far and hope the improvement continues.
Of course, I can’t say for certain that PEA alone is responsible for the improvement. This is just my personal experience, not medical advice.
Research on PEA is still limited, especially regarding long-term use.
I wanted to share my experience in case it helps someone else who has been struggling with chronic testicular pain.
Has anyone else tried Palmitoylethanolamide or quercetin for chronic testicular pain? Did it help you, and were the results long-lasting?
3 urologists , 1 dopler USG, 1 prescription,3 different AI consultations and chatgpt and disha AI (only in India)
About :ED i had since childhood , i thought it is because of prone which make desentisized my base of penis cause weak base and downward curve. Venous leak found in dopler, only getting rigid not a proper Erection when I felt as fem boy only.
Mental condition: I thought everything is functional issue i can't change it, cursed god too after breakup and I got sucid# thoughts after dopler test ( venous leak and partial Erection with 0 degree)
Duration since I started the recovery process: 24 days ( confidence 0% to 80%)
My findings: it's all in your mind even it felt like functional but it's not some part of it
My suggestion: stop Prone, give some rest to your penis, change your thoughts
I wanted to share alot nit don't know who will care about this post ... Cmnt i will answer...
Please share inED group im.banned for rules breaking (I did lot of dms to members 1 month ago so)
Probably some of you here have dealt with hemorrhoids, so I wanted to ask about something that’s been concerning me. The first time that I got hemorrhoids was in August of 2024 and they appeared to be thrombosed external hemorrhoids. I had a "lumb" of a blueish-greyish-purplish color. The thing is that it has never really disappeared. The lumb was gone, my anus looked normal at first glance, but whenever I relaxed it, that greyish color started to appear again. It was completely visible during gaping. There wasn’t lumb anymore, just as if the veins were peeking out from underneath. I didn’t have it before. Now after 2 years, I got hemorrhoids again. Again external, again thrombosed. It took way less time for the lumb to disappear though, and I only felt pain for like 2 first days. My anus looks normal most of the time, but still, only during relaxing, the blueish color appears. Did any of you have the same thing? What could it be, and is it possible to get rid of it?
So basically there is something wrong with my pelvis. I feel completely disconnected from the waist down. And my lower abdomen also feels numb. I have one tiny bowel movement in the morning and then its shutdown for the rest of the day. It really concerns me becuase i never feel like I empty enough compared to what ive eaten. Anyway I took a viagra the other day without sexual activity. A few hours later my bum woke up but a seriously tiny amount came out but I had not felt my bum feel so alive in a long time. Also i didnt feel swollen or bloated. I ate a significantly large meal that night and then the next day my bowels were working normally released a disgusting amount of gas upon waking that never happens I must of gone toilet several times and this continued for the next 2 days. I felt pretty good not 100% but much better. Now its back to square one. Is this a blow flow issue or a nerve issue or both. Whats weird is this problem used to come and go but its like permanent now . I never get a break.
I was wondering if anyone with Pudendal Nerve issues has tried using Hyperice Normatec? I can get the Leg 3 or Hyperboot, or Elite Hips with gift cards.. I just wasn’t sure if it was going to help with it?
My nerve issue is not chronic; I get flair ups maybe once a month. I fortunately can take a muscle relaxer to relieve the pain.
I have noticed that my nerve flair ups happen if my shoes get worn down and from what I’ve read there is some correlation with shoes.
23M(going to turn 24). Looking for perspective from people who’ve dealt with something similar.
Background:
I have had long history of frequent masturbation with tight grip and long sessions(edging for hours together), plus normal porn use for years (from 2023- but it was alright back then).
Porn usage got very heavy in 2026, until September.
Recently visited an urologist nearby. He examined me, said it’s desensitization from prolonged use. Gave a painkiller for discomfort at the base of the shaft (somehwere in the pelvic floor).
He told me to continue counselling therapy, and said further heavy porn use could affect future relationships. No structural damage was told at that visit.
Current symptoms:
\- Pain at the base of the shaft (feels like the start of the PC / pelvic floor area) when sessions go long (\~1 hour). Pain settles after a few hours.
\- Erections only reach about 70–80%, don’t stay firm, and bends slightly downward, more than usual.
\- Almost no morning wood for a while now. Occasional morning woods are semi. And no random erections through the day for months.
\- Blood work results:
Here are the blood work values (before 2 months)
\- Total Testosterone: 784
\- Vitamin D: 37.6
\- Vitamin B12: 285
\- Ferritin: 35.1
\- SHBG: 42.7
\- DHT: 411.6
\- Eosinophils: 10%
\- Calcium: 10.42
\- Iron: 133
\- TIBC: 329
\- % Transferrin saturation: 40.43
\- UIBC: 196
\- Serum zinc: 93.7
\- Phosphorus: 3.56
\- Magnesium: 2.26
\- CRP: 0.38
\- Cortisol: 12.87
\- ANA: 0.29
\- T3 / T4 / TSH: 115 / 5.4 / 1.737
\- MCV: 82.7
\- RDW-SD: 38.8
\- Sensitive, and feeling like cumming early these days, but not getting rock-hard.
\- Strict nofap isn't working. So I'm taking it step by step. Have reduced masturbation and porn by \~50% since last month.
What I've started doing:
Gym, better diet, working on sleep. Stopped edging and ultimately reduced porn usage.
Planning a proper long stretch with no masturbation or porn at all.
Questions:
1) Is this the typical “flatline / desensitization” phase a lot of guys report?
2) How long did morning wood and full firmness take to return for you after stopping heavy use?
3) Anyone had base-of-shaft / PC-area pain that resolved with rest alone?
4)When did you decide rest wasn’t enough and go back to a urologist or pelvic floor PT?
I've been single all my life. And now I'm scared and anxious if I have caused permanent damage to myself :(
This keeps running on my mind all day.
I just hope my penis becomes normal again as it used to be.
Does anyone else experience bizarre electrical sensations deep in the vagina/anal area, almost like a hot ball of lightning?
I have neuropathy and dystonia, but for the past year, I’ve also been experiencing these awful sensations around what I assume is the pudendal nerve area. They don’t happen every day, but they’re incredibly distressing.
It feels like there’s a tiny ball, like a marble, of hot electricity stuck deep in my very low abdomen, inside my vagina, or sometimes around my anus or even more towards lower back. It’s as if lightning is trapped in one spot and keeps bursting outward every few seconds. It’s not sharp pain, and it’s not exactly vibration either. It’s more like an intensely overstimulating, hot and almost tickly or itchy electrical sensation that feels impossible to ignore.
I also sometimes get a sensation of intense heat deep inside my vagina, almost like there’s a curling iron in there. Also more bearable tingling more in the skin, not as deep. These episodes seem to coincide with my dystonic-type sensations, when my abdomen and pelvic muscles feel extremely tight.
I know neuropathy can cause unusual sensory symptoms, but this feels so bizarre and difficult to describe and I haven’t found anyone with this when researching. I’m wondering whether anyone else experiences anything remotely similar, especially people with pudendal neuralgia, neuropathy, or dystonia.
Does anyone recognize this specific sensation — the localized ball of electricity that keeps spreading outward, without necessarily being painful? I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced something similar.
I obviously mentioned this to my neuro but he shrugged it off as just another weird crap my body is doing.
I understand it's not a replacement for seeing a professional and that if you have serious concerns that you should go get evaluated -- I am just curious if the exercises/content are at all valuable.
So after a minor-medium trauma 3 weeks ago, i still have pain on my groin area that increases with erections. Expecially when contracting the muscle and my penis aternates between hard flaccid and long flaccid. Current ymore on the hard flaccid side.
My urologist prescribed me cialis 5mg forr better blood circulation and apparently it helps against peyronie which is my biggest concern!!. I started with 2.5mg just to be sure. It works. My pain went away. I got a bit of a headache, leg pain, back pain and arm pain lmao. But all went away in less than half an ahour. But after 4-6 hours later my tinnitus worsened. I read that increased tinnitus is a reason to stop taking it as it can damaged the inner ear. The reason is not established.
So I wonder what i should do. I like the pain free moment, but can live without it as long as it heals after a few weeks on its own. Pain medications are there for the severe days. My issue is that it helsp against peyronies. Should I just take it and hope for the best or stop taking it? Maybe increased tinnitus was just a coincidence but i will stop taking it for about 3-4 days to see if my ear improves. And maybe start with a lower dose like 1mg.
This started happening 2 nights ago, I am almost 22 years old and it seems to happen only while am laying down, first day it was more noticeable now it is still noticeable but less
Hey . I'm fed up with using my finger while pooping. These days I'm getting blood and bleeding in my mucus 😭. I'm hurt guys, please help me find the doctor. I tried allopathic, homeopathic, meditation, every gym makes me happy and strong but doesn't help in my stool removal. It gives a lot of pain, I want help. I need help. I'm afraid why i'm getting blood. It's scary.
My girlfriend doesn’t own reddit and needs helps so i posted her story here
For context, I am a 20y/o female I am 4’9 and my weight is in the 80s. Some days I could be a solid 80 and the next I’ll be a 85 or 87. I have low blood pressure. I have four OBGYN and see two urologist and PT. I have Kaiser. This all started about last year, I was prone to getting UTIS. Well I ended up getting a bad uti last Halloween and the e visit send me antibiotics without getting my urine first. Later in November, I still had the uti. Every day I was left with burning during and after urinating that could last hours. At this time, I only had one OB who is an NP. She did all kinds of tests on me and even did a couple of pelvic ultrasounds, with nothing coming up. In April, I had a really bad uti. I also had a respiratory infection during this time and did not get antibiotics for it. I have asthma. Ever since that uti, I was left with pelvic pain. I describe it to be more where my bladder is, but that’s what my care team classified it as. During April, I had my 2nd OB. She’s kinda a bitch. She always is talking down about my other OB and gives me weird vibes. She took me on as a patient saying that “she could do more” and other stuff but my NP still handles my care as my primary OB. This uti in April latest about 3 weeks. I have soemthing in my chart allowing me to walk into any Kaiser lab to leave a urine sample whenever after this.
In May, I get referred to my third OB, who is a specialist in pelvic floor. In between these times, I was also seeing a urologist for my frequent utis, but ended up telling me “we can’t help you”. This OB is a guy if that matters. He was like “yep your muscles are tense you need PT. I do PT. Also an important thing to note. At my job I cannot use the bathroom freely, sometimes we are told no when we asked to use the bathroom. My job also makes my pelvic pain worse. After every shift especially after closing, my pain gets worse. By this time, I’ve been on a handful of ointments and steroids for my pain. One thing to note. Linocane makes me worse. Tell me why the specialist refers me to a liquid version of it. Want to guess what happened? It not only did not help with my pain but somehow numb my feelings during intercourse? Aren’t you SUPPOSE to numb the pain???😭 during this time, I also get another bad UTI that brings back my pelvic pain worse than ever. I am peeing straight blood with small clots of blood. I cannot bend down or anything. I go to the ER. The ER doctor agreed with my NP for this procedure. During this time, my NP was trying to get me a hysteroscopy because we came to an agreement. I am terrified to take birth control. However, if we found nothing for this procedure, I would try it. My 2nd OB did not like this. When my NP went to pass this procedure through her she threw a fit. She said absolutely not and that they would find nothing and I had to do the brith control. I had a follow up with the 2nd OB about her denial. She once again, talks down on my NP, how she’s younger just an np and less experienced, and saying for my age there is no way they would find anything and it would be meaningless and I just need to do the birth control.
And here we are currently. I ask my 3rd OB who’s the specialist. His reasoning. “She’s has good reason but I see no point for you”. He says this procedure is only for people who had abnormal bleeding and not painful bleeding. I’ve had abnormal bleeding in the past and told him about it. I would spot for a month, stop for a couple days, then go back to it. Or just miss my menstrual for months. He said no that’s not the same. My NPs reasoning. After starting a strong steroid that can mess with your hormonal balance, I started experiencing painful periods that would bedridden me and make me bleed through super pads often. I would always have to call out of work the first day, which with my normal periods, I would never get even get cramps. During my bad uti in August, I also lost feeling of myself urinating, with almost or even urinating on myself. I am 20. I should not be having these issues. This issue mostly resolved itself within a few days but it was still scary.
My 3rd ob says how I’m smaller so the procedure could do more harm than good and he backs up my 2nd ob with the birth control. I have STRESSED this so many times. I do not want to gain a single pound. You will always gain with BC. I feel like other than my NP, no one listens to me. I have tried everything they told me to take and do, and the one time I have a problem with something, it’s my issue? But my third OB makes it seem like I am left with no option.
I give the birth control a go
I take a daily pain medication that are also antidepressants (I do NOT have depression)
They use Botox in PT
As you can see, suddenly the BC doesn’t look too bad. I get sent home with it. The plan was to take it within a couple of weeks after I take a blood pregnancy test since I was missing my period since August. But Monday, I got my period. This time it was weird. I would not bleed on my pad but when I would use the restroom, I would have a lot of blood, even clots of blood. It’s almost like my body was having difficulty passing my menstrual through. It was painful. Neither menstrual medication like midol or basic medicine like Advil would help. It only helped my body aches I’ve been having for the past few weeks. The third OB said right now is a perfect time to start the BC. Even my new general doctor who also is a certified OB agreed with him however, since I am getting over a short viral illness (hence the body aches) she advised me to take zofran. This is because I get nauseous easily. I also had horrible nausea and abdominal pain during this illness where I could not eat for days. Even water would make me nauseous. It’s FUCKING WATER.😭🙏 only thing I could handle was coconut water from a specific brand.
I am also due to have a cystoscopy on the 20th of this month. I was suppose to have it done by now, but the urologist who I was scheduled with got pulled into an operation so we had to reschedule. My primary urologist I see is a PA so she does not have authority to do this procedure on me.
**I am not comfortable taking birth control. The one I was sent was Feirza 1/20, a generic for Junel**. Along with nausea, I am prone to emotional mood swings. I am worried birth control will make it worse. My father has a history of anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder, with even being on medication for schizophrenia at one point. My mother was also prone to UTIs when she was little, so I believe this is where my problem may is started from.
Now the real question is, do I just suck it up and take the brith control? Or do I fight for something else? Or should I wait? I am honestly at the wits end.
I find it hard to believe that birth control will fix the burning and pain I have while urinating and fix my “**somatic dysfunction of the pelvic region**”, but then again I am no doctor. I am just a person who wants to feel better and is horrified to take birth control. I hear nothing good about the pill.
Thank you to everyone who read this. I left out so much because I was just trying to summarize this as little as I can. Honestly I am an open book so please ask if I need to clarify anything. My pain tends to flare up. One day I can be fine then the next I can be horrible. I’m not sure if anyone else has gone through soemthing like this, I would love to hear your story if you have one you would like to share!
I’ve been dealing with CPPS for over a year, and I’m looking for input from people who’ve experienced something similar.
My symptoms initially centered around penile-tip irritation, perineal aching, and pelvic discomfort. Those symptoms gradually improved, but over the past few months, the problem has shifted toward my bladder and lower abdomen. I now deal primarily with bladder pain/irritation, urgency, frequent urination, and some hesitancy and intermittent flow. Urinating relieves the discomfort, but often only for a few minutes before it returns.
I’ve had negative STI tests, antibiotics didn’t help, and my cystoscopy and urinary flow testing were reportedly normal. I’ve been doing pelvic floor PT for a while, with some improvement, but I’m still struggling.
One interesting thing is that exercise consistently provides the most reliable relief, usually for a few hours. Hot tubs help somewhat, too.
I’m wondering what else I should explore. My doctors haven’t been particularly helpful with medication options, and I’m considering asking again about Flomax or Cialis. I’m also interested in supplements like quercetin, pollen extract, or anything else that has helped people with bladder pain and urgency.
For those who’ve dealt with similar symptoms:
What medications made the biggest difference for you?
Have any supplements meaningfully helped your bladder pain, urgency, or frequency?
Has anyone found relief from treatments beyond pelvic floor PT?
I’d especially appreciate hearing from people whose CPPS became more bladder-focused over time. I’m open to ideas and personal experiences, even if something didn’t work for you. Thanks!
So sutured rectopexy’s without mesh have a 20% fail rate within 10 years. I know this because….. I have all the symptoms of a failed rectopexy. Sadly my previous surgeon has retired and closed his business and Im left out in the cold. I am looking for a colorectal surgeon who deals with this because every surgeon I have seen in the Seattle area has blown me off and has told me that they dont deal with this as it takes ‘investigatory surgery” to actually see the failure. Has anyone been treated for a failed rectopexy and is so, who did you see. Extra points if it’s anywhere near the PNW USA.
I am a male in my late 20s and looking for advice for improving my pelvic floor. I recently saw a pelvic floor therapist and she did an external exam and determined I have a very tight pelvic floor, primarily with my abdominal muscles staying in a constant clenched state. She did do some dry needling and there was mild relief and it hurt quite a bit getting that done.
Anyway, she recommended a series of yoga exercises and I recognize improving the pelvic floor is a gradual process but I've been in yoga doing similar exercises for almost a half year now with no improvement.
My discomfort has turned into pain where I will get horrid gas retention, sharp stinging pains occasionally, sweats, and my mental state is messed up due to it which in return causes stress/ anxiety...which worsens things further. So, I am now stuck in the negative loop and I've tried everything from dietary changes, movement, supplements, etc. and there is no change.
Any additional advice is appreciated. I remember how I use to feel and there is a night and day difference. Like how I felt before was like I was some kind of god or something compared to now. I know that sounds extreme but I literally felt like a weightless pillow, and now my whole pelvic floor feels like a giant bowling ball constantly. Even after I have a bowel movement, it still feels like rocks down there.
I have been dealing with CPPS for over a year with the most severe symptoms being last March. Since then I’ve had 2 rounds of Botox rectally and one round in the pelvic floor muscles, all while seeing a pelvic floor PT and colorectal surgeon as my inconsistent bowel movements are what have gotten me here. I’m schedule for a second/third round of Botox in aforementioned areas next week. After the last round I had significant reduction in pain and urinary issues. Lately I’ve started to feel sore again and have a lot of muscle tightening in my thighs and calves when I stand after sitting for any extended amount of time. Has anyone experienced this? My PT suggested rectal dilators to help with the constantly “shut” rectal muscles but wondering if any other men have had any success using them. Thank you in advance for any information. This is a hard nut to crack and I’m thankful I’m not near as bad as last March but I’m scared this is never going to go away.
I guess i am asking for advice. I don’t care to debate on the female body genuinely asking for advice. I’m 21 years old and I had my first baby at 17 and my second at 19 and never went to any physical therapy or really tried to heal anything after.
For background, I was a little overweight before my pregnancies, got very big during, and now I am very tiny. I’m 115 5’7 and honestly I lost a lot of my weight by very unhealthy ways and not exercising. I feel like I lost a lot of my muscle doing things, while still not having much muscle to begin with. I have basically no glute muscle, no back muscle, probably no core muscle, basically anything despite being a cna lol. I also stand horribly.
My posture is basically gut out, butt tucked in, with my shoulder hunched it’s really bad.
This is where I get to feel very very insecure but I’m having major problems in my sex life.
I do feel looser I don’t care what anyone says, there is more aid (queefing) tmi I’m so sorry, I don’t have as much feeling and I know my boyfriend feels the same because he likes to do positions where I’m laying on my stomach or a pillow under my stomach despite telling me things are the same as they’ve always been. I just went to be normal. I want to have a tight grip like everyone else, stronger pelvic floor muscles stronger glutes better posture better sec life for both my bf and I.
I also did get stitches both pregnancies.
The hard part is I’m in the US and I have no insurance currently. I’d really like to start working on this at home.
What are some exercises, habits, diets, you had stretches, or even supplies I can buy off Amazon to help me rebuild my core and make everything just tighter I am very desperate. How long does it take to notice a difference??
I just completed my second session of pelvic floor PT for what I suspect is vaginismus, but otherwise pain with intercourse.
From what I had read online, the first exam would include some chatting about the situation, as assessment of general movement, and then a potential internal exam. If the internal exam didn’t happen in the first visit, it would happen in the second (assuming patient consent).
I just got through my second session and have not had the internal assessment done. Given that my issue is specifically related to this, I was really hoping that this would be done soon to get an initial diagnosis (and due to the expense). This far we have only done exercises that work on flexibility and breathing. Is this a normal pace for this issue? I thought the internal assessment would be done early to get a better idea of my pelvic floor muscles.
TLDR: is it normal to not have an internal assessment done by the second visit?
A Human-centered Design Approach for Supporting Self-management of Vulvovaginal and Hypertonic Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (IRB Protocol #: 1762)
My name is Zainab; I am a PhD candidate studying Human-centered computing at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, advised by Dr. Tera Reynolds. My PhD dissertation focuses on studying women's lived and care-seeking experiences with vulvovaginal and related overactive (or hypertonic) pelvic floor dysfunction to uncover care gaps and opportunities for innovation along Women's care journeys.
I am recruiting up to 15 women willing to talk about their experiences with vaginismus or vulvodynia (any form, including localized or generalized), for a paid research study to explore and co-design solutions and strategies for addressing identified gaps in vulvovaginal and pelvic pain healthcare.
Who Can Participate?
To be eligible for the study, you must be
1) Be 18 years or older, living in the United States, and speak English
2) Have been formally diagnosed with a vulvovaginal pain condition (e.g., vulvodynia or vaginismus) and/or related overactive (or hypertonic) pelvic muscle dysfunction for at least 3 months, and
3) Receiving treatments for vulvovaginal pain and/or related overactive pelvic muscle dysfunction from a care provider(s), or
4) Have previously received treatments for vulvovaginal pain and/or related overactive pelvic muscle dysfunction from a care provider(s) and are now fully recovered.
Study Involvement:
The study is taking place virtually and involves multiple re-engagements across two data-collection sessions.
If selected, participants will be compensated for their time and contributions ONLY upon completion of each session, and may be compensated up to a $75 gift card for completing both sessions. However, participating in both sessions is not required.
