Naturally Preventing and Treating Urinary Tract Infections
Over half of women have experienced the symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) - the urgent need to go to the bathroom, burning pain during and after a void, pain located in the pelvis, abdomen, or bladder, and cloudy or smelly urine. Bladder infections occur when bacteria make their way up through the urethra and into the bladder. They are eight times more likely in women, because the urethra i...
We get a lot of questions about how to find a pelvic floor physical therapist. It's still a relatively small specialty, and it can be difficult to find the right PT for you. There's a wide range of experience and expertise in the field. If you don't have success with one pelvic PT, don't give up - you can always get a second (or third!) opinion. It may just be a matter of finding someone whose specialty and personality are a good fit for you....
The Potassium Sensitivity Test (PST) involves inserting a solution of a known irritant into the bladder, for the ostensible purpose of diagnosing interstitial cystitis. While it is still used by some urologists, the American Urological Association (AUA) has deemed it ineffective and unnecessarily painful to patients.
"In addition, the PST is painful and risks triggering a severe symptom flare. In view of the paucity of benefits, the panel agreed the risk/ben...
When Chelsea first called us, she was about six weeks away from her wedding and dealing with significant abdominal and pelvic pain. She was worried that she wouldn’t be able to enjoy the day, and scared that even putting on her wedding dress would be too painful to tolerate.
This Q&A with Chelsea is part of our ongoing patient stories, and Chelsea wanted to share her journey to raise awareness for others.
PelvicSanity: Thanks so much for sharing your story –...
One of the most talked about "new" treatments for chronic pain is actually centuries old: cannabidiol (CBD oil). Having been used as a medicinal treatment for more than 2,500 years, CBD oil is derived from the marijuana plant, but does not contain the THC responsible for marijuana's famous 'high.'
Early studies have shown significant promise for the use of CBD. CBD has been FDA-approved to treat two rare forms of childhood epilepsy, and more th...
The Myth: We should wait for a 'cure' for interstitial cystitis.
The Truth: Conditions can be treated, managed and improved, but for the majority of conditions a 'cure' doesn't exist - think about diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, allergies, fibromyalgia, chronic migraines, osteoporosis, IBS, and more. The idea of waiting for a cure is passive, and implies that there's nothing in your power to improve your situation.
The Myth: The pain and symptoms of IC are 'all in your head.'
The Truth: Even though many patients are told this at some point in their IC journey by a medical professional, IC is a complex chronic pain condition affecting more than 12 million people of both genders in the United States alone, and is certainly a real and physical condition.
Myth Origin: There is no specific, concrete origin of this myth, but several factors contributed to its d...
The Myth: Elmiron(R) is your only treatment (or best) treatment option.
The Truth: Though many urologists prescribe Elmiron(R) to patients and ask them to wait 6-12 months to see if it works, there are many other treatment options that are recommended by the American Urological Association. At best, Elmiron(R) has been shown to benefit only 1 out of 3 patients; at worse, it has been shown to be no more effective than a placebo and causes significant side...
The Myth: Ingesting acidic foods or beverages makes urine more acidic, irritating the bladder and flaring symptoms.
The Truth: While some acidic foods are common triggers for IC, the body is extremely complex and 'acid in' doesn't equal 'acid out.' Many foods that contain acid are considered entirely 'IC-safe,' while some basic (meaning non-acidic) foods and drinks can also be major triggers. Furthermore, acidic urine has been proven to be no more painfu...
