Category: Myomectomy Pain

Asherman’s Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options
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What is Asherman’s Syndrome?
Asherman’s Syndrome is a condition characterized by the formation of adhesions or scar tissue within the uterus. These adhesions, also known as intrauterine adhesions or uterine synechiae, can vary in severity and extent, potentially affecting a woman’s menstrual cycle and fertility.
Uterine Synechiae in Pregnancy
Uterine synechiae can have significant implications for pregnancy. In some cases, they may:
- Interfere with the implantation of a fertilized egg
- Increase the risk of miscarriage
- Lead to complications during pregnancy, such as placenta accreta
- Causes difficulties during labor and delivery
How common is Asherman’s syndrome?
While the exact prevalence of Asherman’s Syndrome is difficult to determine due to varying diagnostic criteria and potential underreporting, it is estimated to affect approximately 1.5% of women who undergo hysteroscopy. However, the incidence can be higher in certain populations, particularly among women who have undergone multiple uterine surgeries.
Symptoms and Causes of Asherman’s Syndrome
Asherman Syndrome Causes
The primary causes of Asherman’s Syndrome include:
1. Uterine surgery, especially dilation and curettage (D&C)
2. Postpartum or post-abortion infections
3. Cesarean sections
4. Myomectomy (fibroid removal surgery)
5. Endometrial ablation
6. Pelvic radiation therapy
Symptoms of Asherman Syndrome
Signs of Asherman Syndrome can vary but often include:
1. Amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods)
2. Hypomenorrhea (light or infrequent periods)
3. Recurrent miscarriages
4. Infertility
5. Cyclic pelvic pain
Symptoms of Scar Tissue in the Uterus
Scar tissue in the uterus can manifest through various symptoms:
- Irregular menstrual bleeding
- Severe cramping or pelvic pain
- Difficulty getting pregnant
- Increased risk of ectopic pregnancy
Read “How to Tell if You Have Adhesions After C-Section” for more details on cesarean section scar tissue.
Can Asherman’s Syndrome Cause Weight Gain?
While Asherman’s Syndrome itself does not directly cause weight gain, hormonal imbalances associated with the condition may lead to changes in weight. Additionally, the emotional stress of dealing with fertility issues can sometimes contribute to weight fluctuations.
Who gets Asherman’s syndrome?
Asherman’s Syndrome can affect women of all ages, but it is most commonly diagnosed in women of reproductive age who have a history of uterine surgery or infection and seem to have a difficult time maintaining a pregnancy.
How common is Asherman’s Syndrome after D&C?
The risk of developing Asherman’s Syndrome after a D&C procedure varies depending on the circumstances:
- After a single D&C, 16% risk
- After multiple D&Cs, up to a 32% risk
- Following a postpartum D&C, up to a 40% risk
Is Asherman’s Syndrome genetic?
There is currently no strong evidence to suggest that Asherman’s Syndrome has a genetic component. The condition is primarily associated with acquired factors such as uterine surgery or infection.
How is Asherman’s syndrome diagnosed?
Diagnosis of Asherman’s Syndrome typically involves:
1. Hysteroscopy: A minimally invasive procedure that allows direct visualization of the uterine cavity
2. Hysterosalpingogram (HSG): An X-ray procedure that can reveal the shape of the uterine cavity and any adhesions
3. Sonohysterography: An ultrasound technique that uses a saline solution to enhance visualization of the uterine cavity
4. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): In some cases, to provide detailed images of the uterus and surrounding structures
  1. Read our article on “Do Abdominal Adhesions Show on an MRI Scan?”
How is Asherman’s syndrome treated?
Treatment for Asherman’s Syndrome aims to restore the normal structure and function of the uterine cavity. Options include:
1. Hysteroscopic Adhesiolysis: Surgical removal of adhesions using hysteroscopy
2. Hormonal Therapy: Estrogen supplementation to promote endometrial regrowth
3. Barrier Methods: Use of intrauterine devices or balloons to prevent re-adhesion
4. Stem Cell Therapy: Emerging experimental treatments using stem cells to regenerate endometrial tissue
5. Follow-Up Care: Regular monitoring and potential repeat procedures to prevent recurrence
6. Wurn Technique®: This involves no surgery or drugs
Clear Passage® Physical Therapy and the Wurn Technique®
An innovative and non-invasive approach to treating Asherman’s Syndrome is the Clear Passage® Physical Therapy using the Wurn Technique®. This manual therapy method was developed by Belinda Wurn, PT, and Larry Wurn, LMT, as a result of their personal experience with adhesion-related pain.
Improving the Uterus
In the LEFT IMAGE (Before Therapy), dye shows the inner walls of a uterus that is quite narrowed, squeezed by adhesions (in red circle). This woman will have more difficulty conceiving or carrying a baby to full term, with a greater risk of miscarriage.
In the RIGHT IMAGE (After Therapy), dye now fills her uterus, freed from constricting adhesions (in green circle). The increased mobility creates a much more relaxed organ, more capable of accepting an implanted embryo and carrying it to full term.
How does Clear Passage® Physical Therapy work?
The Clear Passage® Approach is a specialized form of hands-on physical therapy designed to address adhesions and restrictions in the body’s connective tissues, known as fascia. The therapy employs over 200 manual techniques, including the Wurn Technique®, which aims to:
1. Deform and detach the bonds of adhesions
2. Restore normal, pain-free function of reproductive organs
3. Improve fertility by addressing structural issues caused by adhesions
Benefits of Clear Passage® Physical Therapy for Asherman’s Syndrome
- Non-Invasive: Unlike surgical procedures, this therapy doesn’t require incisions or anesthesia
- Drug-Free: The treatment doesn’t rely on medications, reducing the risk of side effects
- Holistic Approach: Therapists evaluate and treat the entire body, addressing underlying issues that may contribute to adhesion formation
- Potential for Improved Fertility: Published studies have shown increased pregnancy rates in women who underwent Clear Passage® Therapy
What to expect during treatment
Clear Passage® Therapy is a treatment program over a series of sessions usually performed within a week, with each session lasting around 3-5 hours per day. A full treatment course usually involves about 20 hours of therapy. During these sessions, skilled therapists use their hands to manipulate fascial tissues, gradually breaking down adhesions and restoring normal tissue mobility.
Scientific Evidence
The effectiveness of Clear Passage® Therapy has been documented in several peer-reviewed medical journals. For instance, a study published in the journal “Fertility and Sterility” in 2004 found that women with a history of infertility who underwent Clear Passage® Therapy experienced a significant increase in pregnancy rates.
In conclusion, Asherman’s Syndrome is a complex condition that can significantly impact a woman’s reproductive health. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, including innovative approaches like Clear Passage® Physical Therapy, are crucial for improving outcomes and preserving fertility.
Contact Clear Passage® Physical Therapy today to learn more about how we can help you overcome abdominal pain and regain your health naturally.
February 6, 2025
Causes of Blocked Fallopian Tubes
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High FSH, Only One Tube, the Other Blocked with Hydrosalpinx , Three Children Conceived Naturally after CP Therapy alone
Blocked fallopian tubes are a common cause of female infertility, preventing the egg from traveling down the tube to meet the sperm and be fertilized. Various factors and conditions can lead to this issue:
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): This infection of the reproductive organs can cause scarring or damage to the fallopian tubes.
Inflammatory Pelvic Disorder and Its Impact on Fallopian Tubes
Inflammatory Pelvic Disorder (PID) is a serious infection of the female reproductive organs, including the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. It’s often caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, that ascend from the vagina or cervix into the reproductive organs. PID can lead to severe and lasting consequences for reproductive health, one of the most significant being the blocking of the fallopian tubes.
The inflammation caused by PID can result in scar tissue, known as adhesions, forming on the fallopian tubes. This scar tissue can block the tubes, preventing the egg and sperm from meeting, which can lead to infertility. In some cases, PID may cause the tubes to become partially or completely blocked, significantly reducing the likelihood of natural conception. Additionally, women with a history of PID are at increased risk of experiencing ectopic pregnancies, where a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, often in the fallopian tubes, due to the blockage preventing the egg from reaching its proper location in the uterus.
Early diagnosis and treatment of PID are crucial to prevent the development of scar tissue and maintain fertility. Antibiotics are typically used to treat the infection, but in cases where significant scarring has occurred, surgery may be recommended to remove the blockage or fallopian tubes. Clear Passage® is just as effective as surgery at unblocking fallopian tubes and is all-natural (no surgery and no medication).
In the LEFT IMAGE (Before Therapy), dye enters the white area showing the inner walls of the uterus, but cannot exit (shown in red circles); these tubes are totally blocked.
In the RIGHT IMAGE (After Therapy), dye fills the uterus, then exhibits ‘free spillage’ as it pours out of both fallopian tubes (shown in green circles); these tubes are wide open, capable of pregnancy.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis: A condition where tissue similar to the lining inside the uterus grows outside it, potentially blocking the fallopian tubes.
Endometriosis Stages and Effects on Fallopian Tubes
Previous Surgery
Previous Surgery: Surgeries involving the abdomen or pelvis, including cesarean section, can lead to scar tissue that blocks the tubes.
Impact of Previous Surgeries on Fallopian Tubes
Previous surgical interventions in the abdomen or pelvis can inadvertently affect the fallopian tubes, leading to blockages that impact fertility. Surgeries such as appendectomies, surgeries for ectopic pregnancies, cesarean sections, or any pelvic or abdominal surgery can result in the formation of scar tissue, known as adhesions. These adhesions can develop as the body’s natural response to healing from surgery, but they can cause the fallopian tubes to become blocked or distorted. The risk of blockage increases with the extent of the surgery and the amount of scar tissue formed, which can interfere with the egg’s ability to travel through the fallopian tubes to meet the sperm.
Read “How to Tell if You Have Adhesions After C-Section” for more details on cesarean section scar tissue.
Moreover, surgeries that directly involve the reproductive organs, such as ovarian cyst removal or treatment for endometriosis, carry a higher risk of affecting the fallopian tubes. In some cases, the surgical procedure itself may require the cutting, removal, or manipulation of the fallopian tubes, which can lead to partial or complete blockages. These blockages prevent sperm from reaching the egg or the fertilized egg from moving down to the uterus, thereby affecting fertility. Early and effective post-surgical care, along with minimally invasive surgical techniques, can help minimize the formation of scar tissue and preserve fallopian tube function. If you are diagnosed with blocked fallopian tubes, or hydrosalpinx, due to scar tissue, Clear Passage® ® has been shown to open blocked tubes nearly 70% of the time, with many women becoming pregnant after treatment.
“You succeeded in breaking up adhesions that blocked my tubes and in such a short amount of time. The tests confirm this and I was even able to achieve a pregnancy all because of your remarkable work.”
Chandra
Ectopic Pregnancy
Ectopic Pregnancy: A pregnancy that occurs in the fallopian tube rather than in the uterus can damage or block the tubes.
Ectopic Pregnancy and Its Impact on Fallopian Tubes
An ectopic pregnancy, also known as an ectopic gestation, occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside the main cavity of the uterus, most commonly in one of the fallopian tubes. This condition not only poses immediate health risks to the pregnant individual but also has long-term implications for the fallopian tubes and fertility. During an ectopic gestation, the growing embryo can cause the fallopian tube to stretch and possibly rupture, leading to internal bleeding, severe pain, and, in some cases, life-threatening situations that require emergency medical intervention.
The treatment for an ectopic pregnancy often involves medication or surgery, depending on the gestation’s size and location, as well as the individual’s overall health. Surgical treatment may include the removal of the ectopic pregnancy and, if necessary, part or all of the affected fallopian tube. This procedure can result in scar tissue formation within the remaining parts of the tube, potentially leading to a blockage. Such blockages hinder the normal passage of eggs from the ovaries to the uterus, thereby affecting future fertility. In cases where an ectopic pregnancy has occurred, the risk of having another ectopic gestation increases, making it crucial for individuals to be closely monitored in subsequent pregnancies. In cases where an ectopic pregnancy has caused an adhesion and narrowed a fallopian tube, Clear Passage® Therapies have been shown as an effective method for opening the blocked tube.
Fibroids
Fibroids: These benign tumors can grow in the uterus and block the fallopian tubes.
Fibroids and Their Role in Fallopian Tube Blockages
Fibroids, or fibroid myomas, are benign tumors that develop within the muscle tissue of the uterus. These growths are among the most common non-cancerous tumors in women of reproductive age and are often associated with fibroid disease, a condition characterized by the presence of one or more fibroids. While fibroids can vary greatly in size, number, and location within the uterus, their impact on a woman’s reproductive system can be significant, particularly when they lead to the blockage of the fallopian tubes.
The mechanism by which fibroids cause fallopian tube blockages involves their physical presence and growth within the uterus. Large fibroids, especially those growing on the outer surface of the uterus or within the uterine wall (intramural fibroids), can exert pressure on the adjacent fallopian tubes, obstructing the passage through which the egg travels from the ovary to the uterus. This obstruction can prevent fertilization or interfere with the embryo’s ability to reach the uterus, leading to fertility issues or an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy. Moreover, fibroid disease can contribute to a distorted uterine cavity or fallopian tubes, further complicating the path of the egg and affecting reproductive outcomes. The treatment for fibroids causing such complications often involves surgical intervention, such as myomectomy, to remove the fibroids and restore normal anatomy, aiming to alleviate the blockage and improve fertility. Although Clear Passage® has never done research on fibroids, therapy can help with post-surgical adhesions or subsequent blocked fallopian tubes.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): Infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause inflammation and scarring of the fallopian tubes.
The Link Between STIs and Blocked Fallopian Tubes
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) such as chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea are major public health concerns due to their ability to cause serious reproductive health issues, including blocked fallopian tubes. These infections can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), a condition that affects the uterus, fallopian tubes, and other parts of the reproductive system. Chlamydia and gonorrhea, in particular, are known for their propensity to ascend from the cervix to the fallopian tubes, where they cause inflammation and scarring. This scarring can lead to blockages in the fallopian tubes, preventing eggs from passing through, which is a common cause of infertility.
Syphilis, while less commonly associated with PID, can also contribute to reproductive health complications if left untreated. The inflammation and immune response triggered by these STIs can damage the delicate lining of the fallopian tubes, impairing their function and leading to the formation of scar tissue. This process not only blocks the path of the egg but also increases the risk of ectopic pregnancies, where a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, often in the fallopian tube itself. Early detection and treatment of chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea are crucial in preventing PID and its complications, highlighting the importance of regular STI screenings and public health initiatives aimed at reducing the prevalence of these infections. If you have suffered from an STI and now have blocked tubes or unexplained infertility, Clear Passage® Therapies can help you get pregnant.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosing blocked fallopian tubes typically involves medical imaging tests such as a hysterosalpingogram (HSG). Treatment options vary based on the cause and extent of the blockage and may include surgical procedures to open or remove the blockage or assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) like in vitro fertilization (IVF). Clear Passage® Physical Therapy is the gold standard of care to open blocked fallopian tubes without surgery.
March 7, 2024
30 Internal Scarring Facts for National Self-Check Month
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February is National Self-Check Month. Internal scarring (adhesions) in your pelvic region can occur throughout your life due to surgeries, accidents, and even natural wear and tear. This self-check month is meant for you to implement preventative health measures. These can include making better dietary choices, performing self-examinations, or going to a wellness visit with your physician to seek early treatment for symptoms associated with health problems.
What questions should you ask your physician during your wellness visit? Depending on what issues need to be resolved, physical therapy may be the treatment you need, particularly if you are experiencing illness, pain, and other health problems caused by adhesions.
How can you know if you have adhesion-related health problems? This article offers answers to these and other questions and makes a case for why you should ask your physician about physical therapy for adhesion-related conditions.
National Self-Check Month at Clear Passage®
National Self-Check Month raises awareness about the importance of taking proactive steps to prevent health problems and addressing existing health problems. One might imagine that preventing or addressing health problems would be easy, yet people avoid seeking medical care for many reasons. They may:
- Feel that they are too busy.
- Worry about the costs associated with care.
- Have unfavorable opinions about health care providers, or;
- Assume that symptoms will eventually improve without intervention.
No matter what it is, the truth is that avoiding medical care is not a good idea.
Lack of treatment, at best, can result in avoidable discomfort or suffering, and at worst, can result in late detection and treatment of a disease with severe or potentially deadly consequences.
Suppose you are experiencing illness, pain, or other health problems. In that case, it is crucial to advocate for yourself by seeking early treatment, not just any therapy, but customized solutions that are most likely to provide the best results. Doing so can result in the restoration of your body to its best possible condition or even complete relief and healing.
7 Questions You Should Ask Your Physician
During your wellness visit, your physician will review your family history of illness, your medical records, and vital signs, and perform an exam. Explain to your physician what habits you have regarding diet and exercise, sleep, and stress management.
Refer to this list of questions to help you get valuable feedback from your physician during your wellness visit. Be sure to jot down additional questions that come to mind as you continue reading this article.
1. Based on your observations about my appearance, vital signs, and weight, what is your initial impression of my health?
  1. Ask for an explanation of your blood work results or other diagnostic test results, if available.
2. Do you have any suggestions regarding my health habits?
3. Am I prone to certain health risks based on my family history?
4. Should I continue taking medications? Should the dosages be adjusted?
5. Make a list of specific pains or other symptoms you may have experienced. Go through the list with your physician. Ask after each item, “Is this normal?”
6. What treatment options are available for (fill in the blank)?
7. Would I benefit from physical therapy for (fill in the blank)?
Surgery and/or Medication vs. Wurn Technique®’s Physical Therapy
Although surgery and medication play a vital part in healthcare, they come with risks and a long list of potential side effects. On the other hand, Physical therapy can provide effective, long-lasting results without the risks and side effects, especially for adhesion-related problems.
Demonstrated Positive Results With Physical Therapy
Studies from major medical journals, available from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), demonstrate the results of physical therapy using the Clear Passage® Approach®. This non-surgical treatment utilizes the Wurn (hands-on) adhesion release techniques for various conditions caused or exacerbated by adhesions. This landmark 10-year study and many others demonstrated how this specialized, hands-on physical therapy yielded pregnancy rates for women with PCOS, small bowel obstruction (SBO), and at rates similar to standard medical treatments but without surgery or pharmaceuticals.
A Deeper Look: What are Adhesions?
What are adhesions? Adhesions are a type of scar tissue that forms inside the body after an accident, fall, surgery, infection, inflammation, trauma, radiation therapy, or endometriosis. Since surgery to treat adhesions can cause more adhesions, it makes perfect sense to treat adhesions with physical therapy rather than surgery.
Many people associate physical therapy with treatment for injuries or range-of-motion issues, and rightly so, because physicians readily prescribe physical therapy for those problems. But did you know that physical therapy can also effectively treat symptoms associated with a wide variety of diseases and conditions?
Clients with these ailments have found improvement and relief with physical therapy.
- Lymphedema
- Muscular dystrophy
- Osteoporosis
- Respiratory issues, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, and more,
When it comes to unexplained pain and dysfunction and biomechanical problems, physical therapy has a long track record of proven results. Physical therapists identify and treat the root cause of many peripheral problems, often a consequence of an underlying problem, such as adhesions.
The Comprehensive List of 30 Adhesion-Related Health Problems to Ask your Doctor about
Adhesions can squeeze nerves, organs, and joints – causing internal pain or dysfunction, including female infertility, life-threatening bowel obstructions, and numerous other problems. How can you know if you have adhesion-related health problems? This list provides some basic information about adhesion-related health problems and their causes.
1. Menstrual Pain / Dysmenorrhea – Adhesions pull ligaments, fascias, or connective tissues that attach the uterus to surrounding structures
2. Intercourse Pain / Sexual Dysfunction – Adhesions form between muscle cells deep within the cervix and/or attach to the vaginal wall, entrance, or other pain-sensitive structures.
  1. This reduces elasticity, potentially pulling the tailbone forward, and negatively impacts desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction.
3. Endometriosis Pain – Adhesions pull on pain-sensitive structures caused by endometriosis.
4. Genital Mutilation – Adhesions can cause a lifetime of chronic pain and dysfunction.
5. Cervical Stenosis – Adhesions can tighten, narrow, or close the entrance to the uterus and pull on the uterus, causing inflammation, pain, and more adhesions.
  1. These can ascend within the uterus to block one or both fallopian tubes.
6. Mastectomy Pain – Adhesions can form in the chest wall, neck, shoulders, and arms, causing pain and tightness or a condition called “frozen shoulder.”
7. Hysterectomy Pain – Adhesions can form at the surgical site and connect to neighboring structures like the intestines, bowels, vagina, or bladder.
8. C-Section Pain – Adhesions can form at the surgical site and cause pain and tightness in the pelvic region.
9. Myomectomy Pain – Adhesions can form within the uterus and decrease the chances of successful implantation of a fertilized egg, increasing the likelihood of miscarriage, or form outside of the uterus and bind delicate reproductive structures together, impairing function.
10. Blocked Fallopian Tubes – Adhesions and internal scars are the primary causes of tubal blockage.
11. Hydrosalpinx – Adhesions can cause the swelling of the fallopian tubes.
12. Endometriosis Infertility – Inflammation that accompanies the endometrial swelling can continually cause more and more adhesions to form, impairing functions necessary for fertility.
13. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) – Adhesions can cover the ovaries.
14. Pre-IVF Treatment / Age, High FSH & Hormonal – Adhesions can form at the uterus, cervix (called stenosis of the cervix), and fallopian tubes, and the dura and skull (near the pituitary, the “master gland” of female reproduction), reducing FSH levels and decreasing implantation rates.
15. Unexplained Infertility (UI), a.k.a. Idiopathic Infertility – Adhesions are invisible on X-rays, ultrasounds, MRI, or CT scans.
16. Secondary Infertility – A reproductive tract traumatized by the initial pregnancy or birth can result in adhesions that interfere with future fertility.
17. Neck Pain – Adhesions can form when neck muscles are inflamed by poor posture, injury, or other causes.
18. Back & Hip Pain – Adhesions can form at the sacral joints, causing biomechanical and soft tissue dysfunctions.
19. Tailbone Pain – A misaligned tailbone can cause mobility problems, constipation, reproductive problems, and the formation of adhesions that aggravate all of these issues.
20. Childhood Surgery/Trauma – When adhesions and scar tissue that form with surgery do not grow and expand with the rest of the body as the child grows, problems can last a lifetime.
21. Migraines/Chronic Headaches – Internal scarring creates unnatural pressure that affects complex pain-sensitive structures in the head.
22. TMJ/TMD – Adhesions can cause tightness or asymmetries that affect the jaw or temporomandibular joints.
23. Myofascial Pain (MPS) – Adhesions cause mechanical problems with the body’s structure, resulting in pain.
24. Post-Radiation Pain – Radiation therapy adhesions cause irradiated tissues to adhere to nearby organs, muscles, bones, and connective tissues.
25. Pain After Abuse – Trauma causes adhesions that can remain in the body for a lifetime without intervention.
26. Abdominal Pain – Internal scarring can form between the ribs and the pubic bone, decreasing function and causing pain.
27. Pelvic Pain / Groin Pain – Internal scarring can form when the membrane covering the abdominal and pelvic organs becomes inflamed and or the infection spreads throughout the abdominopelvic cavity.
28. Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and Inflammatory Diseases – Adhesions are a significant concern for patients with inflammatory diseases, slowing digestion and causing pain, nausea, bloating, distension, constipation, or diarrhea.
29. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) – Adhesions can slow or stop bacteria from exiting the digestive system, contributing to the recurrence of SIBO and causing additional adhesions.
30. Small Bowel Obstruction (SBO) – Adhesions can interfere with or completely block the passage of food and waste material, causing stomach pain and “stringy poop.”
Do not avoid medical care or ignore illness, pain, or other health problems. During National Self-Check Month, make a wellness appointment, and be sure to ask your physician about physical therapy for any adhesion-related conditions you may have. Take a stand for your health by seeking treatment that will produce the desired results while avoiding the risks and side effects associated with surgery and medications.
Set up a free consultation today!
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March 23, 2022
Avoid Surgery for Adhesions
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Discover hope for adhesion-related pain and dysfunction with Clear Passage® Physical Therapy’s non-surgical, hands-on approach – Request Information and schedule your Free Consultation today to explore how our expert therapists can help you avoid surgery and improve your quality of life. To learn more about our innovative treatment methods and take the first step towards relief, visit our Apply to Therapy page.

“I want to express my gratitude to Clear Passage® Therapies for what you were able to do for me. The wonderful work you perform deserves recognition. I am a woman who has had four surgeries. For me, the surgery caused adhesions that became extremely painful. If it were not for Clear Passage® Physical Therapy, I would be contemplating another surgery for obstruction in my bowel caused by adhesions. I am hopeful that one day the medical doctors will prescribe this therapy to all patients who suffer from adhesions.”
– Karyn
Overview
Adhesions are internal scars that form wherever the body heals from tissue damage due to surgery, infection, inflammation, injury, radiation, or endometriosis. While adhesions are the first step in the healing process, they sometimes continue to grow in the body. They can create powerful glue-like bonds that can squeeze structures like straitjackets, decreasing their function or causing pain. Adhesions can attach organs, muscles, and other structures that are designed to be separate, decreasing their natural movement and function.
Because the body has no way to detach or eliminate them, adhesions tend to remain in place or grow over time. When their glue-like bonds wrap around structures or bind them to others, adhesions can cause significant problems. These problems may be deemed ‘unexplained’ because most adhesions cannot be seen on diagnostic tests (CT, MRI, X-ray, ultrasound).
Avoiding Surgery for Adhesion-Related Disorder (ARD)
Adhesions can become very serious, slowing or stopping the function of some of the body’s most important internal structures. Left untreated, they can prevent life when they block a woman’s fallopian tubes. When they form in the digestive tract, they can cause bloating, diarrhea, or constipation. In cases where they squeeze the intestines, they can end a person’s life by totally blocking the passage of food. Studies show how frequently adhesions form following surgery. Therefore, treating adhesions with surgery that will so often cause more adhesions seems counterproductive. Below we have outlined and explained the advantages and disadvantages of two treatment options shown to be effective in decreasing adhesions: Clear Passage®️ Physical Therapy and Surgery.
Surgeries often cause more adhesions
Overview of Treatment Options
According to medical literature, there are only two known options to decrease adhesions in the body:
- Clear Passage®️ Approach
- Surgery
Therapy to Decrease Adhesions
Description of the procedure. The Clear Passage®️ Approach is a manual physical therapy that uses no drugs and no surgery. It has been cited in numerous peer-reviewed medical journals for its ability to decrease adhesions in the abdomen and pelvis. Some of the studies of its effectiveness include ‘before and after’ images and reports of individual patients, prepared by independent diagnostic physicians and published in reputable medical journals. Other studies examine larger groups; some compare our results to surgeries.
The therapy is ‘all natural’ in that it is 100% ‘hands-on.’ Patients describe it as often feeling like a very deep massage. The therapy can sometimes be much lighter, depending on the area and depth being treated. Clear Passage®️ therapists use their hands to locate adhered areas of the body related to the patient’s pain or symptoms. The therapist then transitions to very site-specific techniques to deform and detach the tiny strands that comprise adhesions. Therapy may be compared to pulling out the strands of a nylon rope or pulling out the run in a sweater. Our therapists describe it as feeling “like pulling out salt-water taffy, in very slow motion.”
Our therapists are experts at palpating and manipulating the soft tissues of the body, where adhesions generally form. They use data from the patient’s history, direct feedback from the patient during therapy, and a thorough training and understanding of methods developed over 30 years to locate adhesions. Then, they deform and detach the molecular/chemical bonds that are at their core. The usual protocol cited in the published studies consists of 20 hours of therapy, spaced over five or more days. You can view a short video of a Clear Passage®️ therapy session by clicking below.

Advantages of Therapy
No hospitalization. Therapy is always performed in a private treatment room, one-on-one with a highly skilled therapist certified in the work. Patients may bring a partner or family member along for company, if they like.
No anesthesia. The patient is awake and communicative during the entire procedure. Patient involvement is encouraged, with the patient invited to give feedback throughout the course of therapy.
Decreased risk. Risk is minimal. There is no cutting or burning, no risks associated with anesthesia, and no risk of inadvertently cutting through a nearby organ or other structure.
No foreign bodies are introduced. No staples, stitches, films, or meshes are inserted into the body. No cameras, gas, lights, or surgical instruments enter the body.
Side effects are mild and transient. The most common side effects reported with therapy are temporary tenderness, aching, fatigue, and hip or back pain. When they occur, these symptoms pass within a few days.
Improvements in other areas of the body. Because therapy focuses on detaching adhesions throughout the body, patients often report increases in flexibility and range of motion after therapy. Many report decreased pain and/or increased function in areas near the site where they are being treated or even in distant areas. This pain reduction is often noted in the lower back, due to the freeing of abdominal adhesions that were restricting the front of the lumbar vertebrae. Some report improvements in areas where they had forgotten or had not realized they were having a problem, until therapy relieved the pain or tightness.
Written reports. After therapy, we send each patient a typed, detailed Initial Evaluation along with a typed Progress Report or Discharge Summary. If needed, we are glad to send you daily notes of every therapy session.
Disadvantages: Risks and Challenges of Therapy
Therapists cannot visualize the adhesions. Initially, we deduce the likelihood of adhesions by conducting a thorough review of each patient’s history and symptoms. To gain further insights, we may require diagnostic tests or documentation from the patient’s physician. During therapy, we palpate the areas of your body related to your symptoms and other areas where we note scarring, tightness, spasm or increased temperature. Because our therapists have been practicing manual therapy for their entire professional lives, they are experts at palpating the body.
Costs of therapy are generally a fraction of the cost of surgery; as with surgery, insurance reimbursement may vary based on your insurer and your plan. Clear Passage®️ is an out-of-network provider for your insurer. In weighing costs, many patients take into account the cost to their quality of life vs. the cost of living with adhesions.
Travel and time are considerations. Therapy generally takes five days (e.g., Monday – Friday); it is only provided by trained, certified therapists in several cities in the U.S. and U.K. The 5-day program is designed for out-of-town and out-of-country patients. We suggest that patients with a history of bowel obstructions remain in town for an extra day before returning home, to allow the body to return to homeostasis before undergoing the changes in air pressure that can accompany an airline flight.
Surgery to Decrease Abdominopelvic Adhesions
Description of common procedures. The intent of adhesiolysis surgery is to cut or burn adhesions with the goal of returning the body to an earlier state of mobility and function. In a laparoscopy, the physician puts the patient under general anesthesia, then cuts several holes (ports) in the body. The ports serve several functions. One is used by the physician to fill the abdominal cavity with gas to separate the organs. This separation allows the surgeon to see where s/he can insert surgical instruments and access the adhesions. Using the other ports, the doctor will insert a light, camera, and surgical instrument(s), which they can use to burn or cut adhesions that they see. You can observe a laparoscopy to decrease adhesions by clicking here.
When adhesions are extensive, the physician may elect to perform an open surgery called a laparotomy. In that surgery, the body is cut open with a scalpel, with the sides generally separated with a metal retractor. Next, the physician enters with a scalpel, laser, or other surgical instrument to cut or burn any adhesions s/he may find. S/he will repair or cauterize any bleeding that occurs, and may check the area for other problems before exiting the body, closing it with stitches, and sending the patient to a room where staff can monitor the patient’s recovery.
Advantages of Surgery
Direct visualization. It is a significant advantage that the surgeon can directly see and burn or cut adhesions that do not appear on diagnostic tests such as MRI or CT Scan. Complications can occur in patients with significant adhesions if the doctor has difficulty seeing through the layers s/he are cutting through (see below).
Observe nearby areas. In addition to treating the adhered area, the physician can see nearby structures, noting any additional areas that may be of concern.
Operative report. The doctor can film the surgery and dictate a report describing what s/he observes and the procedures s/he performs during the surgery.
Disadvantages: Surgical Risks and Challenges
Anesthesia complications. Recent studies note concerns about mild to moderate brain damage for patients who undergo one or more sessions of general anesthesia. (Perousakis & Hemmings, 2009)
Inadvertent enterotomy. When a patient has significant adhesions, it can be difficult for the doctor to see the structures beneath them. Thus, a surgeon can unintentionally cut into a nearby healthy organ or other structure, called an inadvertent enterotomy (IE). An IE can cause serious problems or death. In a study from the Journal of the Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons, the authors note that:
- “IE in laparoscopic abdominal surgery is underreported.”
- “Death from IE is not uncommon.”
- “IE was the most common laparoscopic complication at our hospital.” (Binenbaum & Goldfarb, 2006)
Hospitalization during recovery. Most patients must undergo a hospital stay after adhesion-related abdominal or pelvic surgery. During this time, hospital staff will monitor the patient to ensure their recovery and to avoid post-surgical complications or infections.
New adhesions generally form after surgery. According to a 50+ year review of abdominal and pelvic surgery in the U.S., nearly all abdominal and pelvic surgeries cause new adhesions to form. Thus, adhesions can recur – sometimes worse than before the surgery to remove them. The study notes that adhesions form after 55% to 100% of pelvic surgeries and after 90% of major abdominal surgeries.
Pre-Treatment Screening (Surgery and Therapy)
Therapy and surgery both require patients to be screened for appropriateness and contraindications before treatment.
Screening before therapy. Before we accept you for therapy, our staff will conduct a thorough review of your history of healing events (prior surgery, injury, infection, endometriosis, etc.) to determine if and where adhesions have likely formed and how they might be causing problems. We then consult with you to review goals, risks, and potential benefits you can expect.
We want you to do well and to have a reasonable chance of reaching your goals. We will accept you for therapy if we feel we can help you. Similarly, we will alert you if we have concerns that you will not do well with therapy; we will not accept you if we feel that you will not have a favorable outcome. Screening before surgery. Before surgery, physicians may order diagnostic tests to help rule out contraindications such as active infection and to help identify problem areas in the body that should be assessed during surgery. Your doctor should advise you of the goals of surgery, along with the risks and potential rewards you can expect. It is likely a good idea to ask your physician about the chance of developing post-surgical adhesions with the need for one or more additional surgeries.
March 22, 2021
Endometriosis & Infertility
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Treating Endometriosis Infertility Naturally

Complete the online Request Consultation form to receive a free phone consultation with a therapist to learn if we may be able to help you.
NOTE: The 43% pregnancy rate for our patients with endometriosis includes women with totally blocked fallopian tubes. If your tubes are NOT blocked, it’s reasonable to assume your success rate will be higher.
Clear Passage® is a world leader with over three decades of experience decreasing pain and improving fertility in women with endometriosis, without surgery or drugs. Initially, several peer-reviewed pilot studies examined our results treating pain and infertility in women with endometriosis. A ten-year, PubMed-indexed study[i] of 1392 infertile women compared our pregnancy rates to those of surgery (see chart below). Results showed conception rates for women treated with our Clear Passage® physio/physical therapy were 43% (128/299), similar to surgical rates (38% to 49%) but without the risks of anesthesia or surgery.
Causes and Frequency of Endometriosis Infertility
In endometriosis, tissue that normally lines the uterus is found in other areas of the body, frequently accompanied by internal bonds called adhesions. The most common areas for these misplaced tissues are on and near reproductive organs. Adhesions that form around endometrial tissue can act like an internal glue, inhibiting fertility and sometimes causing pain as they squeeze delicate structures or bind them to other structures within the pelvis.
The misplaced endometrial tissue responds to the menstrual cycle as it would in the uterus, swelling during every menstruation. But unlike menstrual fluid that leaves the body, implanted endometriosis cannot exit the body. The inflammation that accompanies the swelling can cause more adhesions to form at the site of endometrial implants, further gluing down structures that should be mobile to function properly.
Our focus is to detach the collagen fibers that comprise adhesions. In doing so, pelvic organs appear to return to an earlier state of freedom and pain-free function.
Side-view of adhesions that can form at endometrial implants. Our focus is to detach the bonds between adhesive cross-links and underlying tissues. Freed from their adhesive bonds, the tissues return to a more normal state; pain decreases, function and fertility improve.
How does endometriosis affect fertility?
30-40% of women with endometriosis who are trying to conceive are diagnosed with infertility.[ii] With its focus on decreasing or eliminating adhesions, the Clear Passage® approach has been used by many women as an alternative to surgery for the pain and infertility associated with endometriosis. Its use is becoming more prevalent, due to studies on our work available through the U.S. National Library of Medicine in the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Adhesions act like glue, binding reproductive structures in curtains or rope-like bonds of collagen fibers and sometimes attaching them to neighboring structures. Bound as they are in adhesive straitjackets, the reproductive organs cannot move or function normally.
Endometrial adhesions may attach to one or both ovaries, causing ovulation pain or decreasing their ability to release an egg. Adhesions can block fallopian tubes in two ways: squeezing them closed from the outside or blocking them from the inside.
We find that endometriosis located on or near the uterus can cause uterine spasm or painful periods, decrease the opportunity for implantation, or cause miscarriage. Endometriosis, which attaches to the nearby bowels, may cause painful bowel movements, back, tailbone, or intestinal pain. In short, adhesions within the reproductive tract can cause pain or dysfunction anywhere in the back or pelvis, including intercourse pain and infertility.
Symptoms of Endometriosis
- Painful periods (dysmenorrhea)
- Pain during intercourse
- Pain during or after bowel movements or urination
- Excessive bleeding
- Infertility
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms along with infertility, it is quite possible you have endometriosis. The only way to identify endometriosis is with an exploratory surgery. You should speak with your doctor about the best course of action depending on the severity of your condition.
Treatments
Numerous treatment options and significant research data are available to women diagnosed with endometriosis-related infertility. Scientific data from respected medical journals allows consumers to compare the risks and success rates of various treatment options, including Clear Passage®, surgery, and pharmaceuticals. The graph on this page compares our published success rates with the published success rates of other infertility treatments for women with endometriosis, giving clear insights into options and success rates.
In a 10-year study of 1392 infertile women, the Clear Passage® approach rivaled or surpassed standard options for treating endometriosis-related infertility (surgery and pharmaceuticals) when 43% of our patients conceived after therapy. Whether used alone or as an adjunct to pharmaceuticals, many physicians were pleased to see their patients have success without surgery.
Clear Passage®️ – Treating Endometriosis and Adhesions
Adhesions have stymied Western physicians for decades. At a cellular level, they are comprised of tiny but powerful collagen fibers, similar to the strands of a nylon rope. These fibers lie down on each other in a random pattern, forming a blanket or scar to surround endometriosis and nearby tissues. Once formed, they can act like glue or straitjackets in the body, causing pain or dysfunction as they bind delicate structures that should be free and mobile to work properly. Adhesions can last a lifetime and sometimes spread unless removed by us or via surgery.
Clear Passage® staff started studying adhesions in 1984 when our physical therapist Director developed severe pelvic pain after surgery due to these internal scars. When we learned that surgery is a major cause of adhesions, our focus shifted to developing a non-surgical therapy to decrease or eliminate them.
We learned that the collagen fibers were incredibly strong; we could not break them using our hands. Then we began studying how the individual strands attach to each other. Over the years, we came to realize that we could detach these powerful strands from each other by focusing on the molecular-chemical bonds (called cross-links) that attach each strand to the next. As we developed the work, our patients’ adhesions began to dissolve and disappear. To our therapists, it felt as if we were pulling out the run in a three-dimensional sweater using just our hands.
The “hands-on” work practiced at Clear Passage® clinics is designed to reduce or eliminate adhesions, cross-link by cross-link. It has been shown to work extremely well for women with endometriosis and to have lasting effects. Many women who arrive with a history of endometriosis and infertility are now mothers of one or more children after a single five-day therapy session at Clear Passage®.
No medical techniques have a 100% success rate. If you do not become pregnant soon after therapy and choose to undergo IVF, your chance for an IVF pregnancy increases by 50% over IVF without prior therapy. View our success rates.
Calculate your odds with Clear Passage®️ therapy.
Other Treatment Options (Surgery, Drugs)
Pharmaceutical treatments for endometriosis pain generally involve hormones that prevent endometrial swelling, but also prevent pregnancy. Thus, many women with endometriosis infertility are encouraged to undergo laparoscopic surgery to burn or cut out endometriosis and any accompanying adhesions. We suggest checking your physician’s philosophy before undergoing surgery. Some are conservative; others are more aggressive. One physician told us, “I can cure the endometriosis if I cut so deeply into the affected organs that I get it all.” His focus was clearly on the endometriosis, not on surgical damage to the organ.
No matter how wonderful and skilled the physician is, every surgery carries some risks, including:
1. Post-surgical adhesions. In a mammoth 58-year study of medical literature, researchers found that adhesions occur in 55-100% of women undergoing pelvic surgery.
2. Risks associated with general anesthesia and infection.
3. Inadvertent enterotomy (mistakenly cutting the bowel, bladder, rectum, a fallopian tube, or other structures).
Many women report pain relief after surgery. Some report a recurrence of pain, or worse pain, after surgery. No matter how skilled the surgeon, most pelvic surgeries cause new adhesions as the body heals from the surgery, according to medical studies. (Liakakos et al., 2001)
Unfortunately, post-surgical adhesions can cause recurrence of pain or infertility; endometriosis tends to re-grow and spread at and around surgical sites after surgery. A study published in Fertility and Sterility found that endometriosis was most likely to re-grow in the places where it was removed during laparoscopic surgery and that unaffected regions next to endometriosis were more likely to develop endometriosis after laparoscopic surgery. [iv]
Pregnancy rates after laparoscopic surgery vary depending on the severity of the endometriosis. Women with stage I-II endometriosis experience far greater success than women with stage III-IV[v]. This is because women with stage III-IV frequently have deep endometrial implants that a surgeon cannot remove without damaging the organ or tissue. In published research, Clear Passage® pregnancy rates were shown to be equivalent or better than surgical pregnancy rates, depending on the surgery performed[vi].
Published Success Rates
To view all Clear Passage® published infertility success rates in women’s health, click here.
Pregnancy rates for women diagnosed as infertile due to endometriosis who had our therapy were roughly equal to surgical rates, but no surgery was required.
Most women who come to Clear Passage®️ with endometriosis and infertility report significant pain decreases; many became mothers after our therapy.
Treating Endometriosis Without Surgery
In the 1990s, we were surprised to find that our therapy to decrease adhesions often decreased pain and increased fertility for women with endometriosis. As improvements occurred in a wide variety of women we treated, we started sharing our data with PhD researchers to design clinical trials. Beyond organizing our findings into meaningful studies, these medical researchers helped us understand the anatomical reasons our work was helping these women.

Studies on Clear Passage® Treating Endometriosis Infertility
Our first major infertility study that included women with endometriosis was published in 2004 in WebMD’s international journal Medscape General Medicine[vii]. In this pilot study of infertile women, 71% became pregnant naturally and 64% had full-term deliveries. 33% of the successes reported second natural pregnancies before the study was published. In addition, 67% (22/33) of women who chose to undergo IVF after Clear Passage® became pregnant after embryo transfer. We felt our work was pioneering when Medscape’s editor, Dr. George Lundberg (former editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association), featured this study on the front page of Medscape’s website the month it appeared.
Several other published studies include women with endometriosis. A large study published in 2015[viii] showed a 43% (128/299) pregnancy rate for women diagnosed as infertile with endometriosis. Remarkably, the success rate for opening totally blocked tubes for women with endometriosis was 60% (40/67); women with both endometriosis and totally blocked fallopian tubes had a post-therapy pregnancy rate of 38% (45/118). These results are considered extraordinary; until Clear Passage®️, no non-surgical treatment in medicine was shown to decrease pelvic adhesions or open blocked fallopian tubes. Women with endometriosis who chose to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) had a post-transfer pregnancy rate of 55% (31/56), which was 1.4 times the national post-transfer average during the period of the study.
Often accompanied by adhesions, endometriosis appears in the interstitial spaces in the body – the places between organs, muscles, and nerves. Thus, they can bind neighboring structures together, causing pain or dysfunction – including infertility.
Adhesions can form alone (right) or at the sites of endometrial implants (left). They act like glue in the reproductive structures, causing pain or infertility.
Treating Endometriosis Pain
In 2004, the reproductive journal Fertility and Sterility published some of our findings in an abstract[ix] describing results of an early pilot study. In 2011, a study in the Journal of Endometriosis showed significant pain relief at all phases of the menstrual cycle and a decrease in intercourse pain for women surgically diagnosed with endometriosis[x]. Reported results in the study showed:
- 80% had decreased intercourse pain
- 61% had decreased menstrual pain
- 50% had less or no ovulation pain, and
- 39% had decreased pre-menstrual pain
A follow-up report in the Journal of Endometriosis (2014) measured the long-term impact of our therapy treating menstrual and intercourse pain in women with endometriosis[xi]. The results showed that our non-surgical therapy was equivalent to surgical results twelve months after treatment, with 50% of patients reporting complete resolution of pain. This was wonderful news for women with endometriosis who were facing surgery but wanted to avoid the adhesions that so frequently follow surgical intervention.
Endometriosis and accompanying adhesions act like glue in the reproductive tract, adhering to some of the most delicate structures in the body. For proper function, these tiny organs must be free to move easily. Once freed from these bonds, reproductive organs tend to regain mobility and function, including fertility.
Because medical treatments for endometriosis include hormones that prevent pregnancy, many infertile women are encouraged to undergo laparoscopic surgery to cut and burn the endometriosis and adhesions.
Our Story
Clear Passage® knows pelvic adhesions well. We first faced this problem in 1984 when our founder, physical therapist Belinda Wurn, developed severe adhesions after pelvic surgery and radiation therapy for cervical cancer. Unable to work due to adhesion pain and having seen their debilitating effects in her own patients, she was determined to find a non-surgical way to decrease pelvic adhesions.
Noting the frequency of adhesions in patients with endometriosis, she and her husband, massage therapist Larry Wurn, took a much deeper look at the etiology and biomechanics of adhesion formation. They found that the chemical bonds that attached every collagen fiber to its neighbor to create adhesions appeared to dissipate when they used certain manual techniques on the adhesions. With this knowledge, they developed a unique ‘hands-on’ approach to unravel the bonds between the cross-links that comprise adhesions. They hand-picked and trained some of the most experienced manual physical therapists in the world in the methods they developed. Trained directly by the Wurns, these therapists use their non-surgical “hands-on” approach to detach the adhesions that attach endometrial implants to reproductive structures, with results cited in major medical journals. This is the same therapy we use today, with refinements we have developed since our initial inquiry in 1984.
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March 21, 2021
Myomectomy Pain
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Discover lasting relief from post-myomectomy pain with Clear Passage® Physical Therapy’s Free Consult and Request Info – learn how their unique, non-surgical approach has helped countless women break free from adhesions and regain their quality of life without the risks of additional surgery. To learn more, visit our Apply to Therapy page.
Myomectomy is a significant surgery – one that can cause pain due to adhesions that remain in the body long after the procedure. Clear Passage®️ is a world leader in the treatment of post-surgical pelvic pain and adhesions, with over 30 years of experience treating the pain that sometimes follows myomectomy. Studies published in peer-reviewed U.S. and international medical journals found that this physio/physical therapy decreased adhesion-related pelvic pain significantly.
Months or even years after the surgery, women may develop pain. Most adhesions do not appear in diagnostic tests (X-ray, MRI, CT scans), so physicians cannot see them. Thus, many women search for years before they discover that he cause of their pain is adhesions.
Complete our online Request Consultation form to receive a free phone consultation with an expert therapist and learn more.
Myomectomy Pain Overview
Myomectomy is the surgical removal of leiomyomas (commonly called fibroids) from the uterus. Myomectomy is performed via abdominal laparotomy (open surgery), laparoscopy (access through small abdominal incisions), or hysteroscopic surgery (access through the vagina and cervix). Physicians consider the size, type, and location of the fibroid(s) when determining which surgical procedure to recommend.
A fibroid may be as small as a grapefruit seed or as large as a grapefruit; in rare cases, a fibroid may grow even larger. Fibroids are generally benign (non-cancerous) and classified as submucosal (growing into the uterus), intramural (within the wall of the uterus), or subserosal (on the outside of the uterus).
Myomectomy can help relieve heavy menstrual bleeding and pelvic pain, and improve a woman’s chances for a successful pregnancy. Like other surgeries, it can also leave painful adhesions and scarring. Moreover, myomectomy may clear present fibroids but cannot stop new fibroids from developing later. Thus, a repeat myomectomy may be recommended for some women.
Immediately after surgery, tiny strands of collagen rush to the site that has been cut, to start the process of healing. There, they lay down in a random pattern to create powerful adhesive bonds that have a strength estimated at 2,000 pounds per square inch (140 kilograms per square centimeter). After a myomectomy, these adhesions can remain in the body for life, as a permanent by-product of the surgery.
Women who undergo myomectomy sometimes experience deep or superficial pain (or both) as the body develops scars and adhesions to help the body heal from the surgery. Adhesions within the uterus (e.g., Asherman’s syndrome) can impair fertility by causing tightness or spasm, thus decreasing the chances of successful implantation of a fertilized egg or increasing the chance for miscarriage. Adhesions outside of the uterus can cause infertility by binding delicate reproductive structures such as the ovaries or fallopian tubes together, impairing their function.
Myomectomy is the surgical removal of uterine leiomyomas (commonly called fibroids). This may be performed as an open surgery, laparoscopy, or hysteroscopically.
Treatments
Clear Passage®️ Treatment
When a patient comes to our clinic with pain or infertility after a myomectomy, our physical therapists thoroughly evaluate the areas of tension or restricted mobility. They pay particular attention to the uterus and surrounding areas. Keeping in mind the tendency of adhesions to spread, they then examine the entire pelvis and abdomen, and then the rest of the body for areas of decreased mobility, tension, and pain.
Our “hands-on” treatment has been shown in peer-reviewed medical journals to reduce adhesions, decrease pain, improve fertility, and increase soft tissue mobility – without the risks or side-effects of surgery or drugs.
Belinda Treating Back Pain
We are experts at treating uterine and post-surgical adhesions. We faced this situation over 30 years ago when our director of services, physical therapist Belinda Wurn, developed severe adhesions after pelvic surgery and radiation therapy to treat her cancer. Unable to work due to her pelvic pain and having seen the devastating and debilitating effects of post-surgical adhesions in her own patients, she was determined to find a non-surgical way to decrease or eliminate pelvic adhesions.
With her husband, massage therapist Larry Wurn, Belinda took a much deeper look at the etiology and biomechanics of adhesion formation. They found that the chemical bonds that attached each of the tiny collagen fibers to its neighbor appeared to dissipate or permanently deform with certain manual therapy techniques they developed. With this knowledge, they created the Clear Passage® approach to unravel the bonds between the fibers that comprise adhesions.
Other Treatment Options (Surgery, Drugs)
While lysis of adhesions can be effective, surgery has two major drawbacks:
- It carries risks from anesthesia and infection
- Despite the best skills of the finest surgeon, the body creates more abdominal adhesions as it heals from the surgery designed to remove them.
In some cases, despite the best skills of your surgeon, abdominal and pelvic surgeries can cause adhesions (internal scars) to form. Untreated, adhesions can remain in the body for life, as a permanent by-product of the surgery.
Many physicians perform it laparoscopically, hoping to create fewer adhesions and easier healing.
A five-decade study in Digestive Surgery showed that more than 90% of patients develop adhesions after C-section treatment following open abdominal surgery, and 55% to 100% of women develop adhesions following pelvic surgery. (Liakakos et al., 2001) Another large study reported that 35% of all open abdominal or pelvic surgery patients were readmitted to the hospital more than twice to treat post-surgical adhesions during the 10 years after their original surgery. (Ellis et al., 1999) Thus, abdominal surgery itself has been implicated as a major cause of adhesion formation, and many patients become trapped in a cycle of surgery-adhesions-surgery. Clear Passage®️ eliminates the need for surgery to decrease pain for many women.
Many women report pain relief after surgery. Some report a recurrence of pain, or worse pain, after surgery. No matter how skilled the surgeon, most pelvic surgeries cause new adhesions as the body heals from the surgery, according to medical studies. (Liakakos et al., 2001)
Published Success Rates
To read a full list of our published success rates, please visit our success rates page.
Testimonials
To read past patient success stories, please visit our Testimonials page.
March 21, 2021
Blocked Fallopian Tubes After Chlamydia
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Chlamydia, often known as the “silent” STD, can cause extensive scarring and adhesions within the female reproductive tract. Because Chlamydia produces relatively few noticeable symptoms, women are often unaware they have it until they struggle with infertility and undergo extensive diagnostic testing. Although doctors can cure Chlamydia with pharmaceuticals, the adhesions and scar tissue caused by the disease will remain in the body.
The only option conventional medicine can offer women with adhesions is laparoscopic surgery. However, surgery to open blocked fallopian tubes is not always successful. Furthermore, laparoscopic surgery itself can cause more adhesions and scar tissue to form.
Nicole, one of our former patients, struggled with just this problem. When Nicole and her husband couldn’t become pregnant after three years, they sought the help of a reproductive endocrinologist (RE). Her RE performed a series of tests. Nicole told us, “That was when I found out I had an undetected STD, Chlamydia. It had caused scar tissue to form around and block my fallopian tubes.”
Her specialist recommended surgery to open the tubes or IVF. Nicole sought a second opinion with another RE who suspected she had fibroids in her uterus in addition to blocked tubes. He suggested she undergo a myomectomy to remove the fibroids, and he would also try to open her blocked fallopian tubes at the same time. He successfully removed the fibroids, but he couldn’t open her tubes.
Nicole then tried three IVFs, all of which were unsuccessful or ended in miscarriage. Afterward, she heard about our clinic on an infertility chat site and decided to attend. After treatment, her HSG test showed her fallopian tubes were clear!
However, Nicole’s doctor encouraged her to undergo IVF. Nicole, concerned about her biological clock, chose to undergo the procedure and told us, “At nine weeks, I discovered I had twins, but one passed away early in the pregnancy.” Nicole later gave birth to her baby girl, Joy.
Everyone was later surprised when Nicole became unexpectedly pregnant after the birth of Joy. Nicole exclaimed, “We didn’t try anything, and we got pregnant!” Nicole’s tubes had indeed opened, and she later gave birth to a little boy.
Learn more about natural treatment for blocked fallopian tubes. Nicole’s story, along with the stories of 75 former patients, will be showcased in our upcoming book, Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain.
November 21, 2008