Reprinted from Volume 86, Supplement 2, September 2006
Contact: Clear Passage Therapies • www.clearpassage.com
IMPROVING SEXUAL FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS VIA A PELVIC PHYSICAL THERAPY.
L. J. Wurn, B. F. Wurn, C. R. King III, A. S. Roscow, E. S. Scharf, J. J. Shuster. Clear Passage Therapies, Inc., Gainesville, FL; Florida Medical Research Institute; Southeastern Women’s Health, Gainesville, FL; None, n/a, FL; Dept of Epidemiology and Public Health Policy, Coll of Medicine, Univ of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
OBJECTIVE: Among the most common symptoms experienced by the 5 million American women with endometriosis is pain during sexual intercourse. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a non-invasive manual pelvic physical therapy in reducing dyspareunia and improving overall sexual function in this population.
DESIGN: Retrospective analysis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 14 patients (mean age = 33.8) with endometriosis, confirmed by laparoscopy or laparotomy. The outcome measure was post-treatment test scores vs. pre-treatment test scores on the validated Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) full scale and 6 individual domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain). After completing the pre-test, the 14 patients underwent 20 hours of manual pelvic physical therapy designed to address restricted soft tissue mobility due to micro-adhesions and adhesions. The post-test was completed 6 weeks after the last treatment date to allow time for the body to assimilate the changes and undergo a full menstrual cycle. RESULTS: Although the FSFI was designed to evaluate the relative degree of dysfunction within the individual domains, there is obvious overlap among the 6 categories. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test (2-sided) was used on the paired post-test/pre-test differences. It showed a statistically significant improvement (P = <0.00 I) on the overall full scale score, as well as on each of the 6 individual domains: Desire (p = 0.011 ); Arousal (p = 0.004); Lubrication (p = 0.00 I); Orgasm (p = 0.004); Satisfaction (p = 0.005); and Pain (p <0.00 I).
CONCLUSION: Many aspects of sexual dysfunction in patients with endometriosis appear to be treatable by a non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical pelvic physical therapy technique. The therapy should be considered as a new adjuvant to existing medical and gynecologic treatments.
“If the information in this article sounds like it may relate to what you’re experiencing, the team at Clear Passage® Physical Therapy is here to help. Many people living with this condition simply want to know if there is a natural treatment option without drugs or surgery that could work for them. The good news is you don’t have to figure it out alone. You can request more information to speak with a knowledgeable team member who will review your situation and help you understand whether this specialized therapy may be a good fit. If you’re ready to move forward, you can also apply for therapy so the clinical staff can carefully review your health history and determine the best path toward relief. Taking a few minutes to reach out could be the first step toward getting answers—and possibly getting your life back.”