Post Vasectomy Pain Forum

Any luck with Pelvic Floor physio?

Other non-invasive therapies
#1

Just curious if anybody has had any luck with this?

Just had my first session of physio, looks like I’ve got a ton of work to do on my pain side.

It’s very interesting considering I have alot of scar tissue on that muscle band which stretches from my abdomen to my crotch and attaches to my hamstrings (Ilipsioas?) I had never thought about having my appendix removed 21 years ago and how much instability that could have developed from it.

I’m very curious if that is a big cause of my PVPS. I had a granuloma removed 6 months ago and the pain got worse. Ultrasound turned out clear, maybe nerve entrapment also?

In any case, my muscles are really unstable on that side so I’m hoping to strengthen and see if I notice a change.

Anybody have stories to share?

#2

I’m a fan of pelvic floor PT as one tool in the tool kit. In my case, I don’t believe pelvic floor tension was the root cause of my pain, but more a secondary result of the nerve damage caused by my vas and subsequent reversal. During my last bout with PVPS, 2016-18, for the first time, I developed significant perineal pain about 4-5 months into the bout. It was awful, probably worse than the scrotal pain, and I was convinced I had pudendal neuralgia.

Between pelvic PT, a pudendal injection, and pudendal pulsed RFA, I was able to conquer to the perineal pain which left me with “just” the scrotal pain that wasn’t as bad, but more stubborn.

I can’t say the pelvic PT helped with scrotal pain but, no doubt, if your hamstrings, quads, and/or groin muscles and pelvic floor muscles are tight, I can see how loosening them would help.

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#3

Yeah its hard to say for me, i think there’s some nerve damage but its definitely interesting. For instance, tonight I did all my exercises and stretched and cooked a big meal. While I was cooking the meal I literally didn’t feel any pain because my brain was occupied. But the moment I sat down and started thinking about it again is the moment it started to come back.

I was going into a flare up today but I think alot of it was because I was at work sitting and thinking about it.

It seems like such a mental game as well.

#4

I also had an appendectomy about 7 years before my vas, and had a granuloma removed about a year after the vas. No idea if the scar tissue from the appendectomy caused any of my pain (it was all on my right side though).

That granuloma surgery made things worse for me too. I eventually did pelvic floor PT but I actually think it made me feel worse, not better. It’s a good thing to try, but if it’s not doing much, or you feel worse right after as I usually did, then might be best to stop.

120mg of Cymbalta/day is the only thing that eventually seemed to help me after a 3-year on and off struggle.

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#5

What were you on the pain scale 0-10 before and after taking Cymbalta?

#6

I would say I was in a constant state of discomfort at 7-8. But I would also get shooting pains from my navel to my right testicle that were like 11/10, pure hell and always wanted to get into the fetal position. And sometimes my right testicle just ached and ached at 9/10. So in other words, it was pretty horrific in several different ways!

#7

How much has the Cymbalta helped? On the pain scale?

#8

Immensely, I’m at like a 1-2 at worst times. Most of the time it’s zero. i’m at 120mg/day. It takes awhile to work, and at first I felt very out of sorts but I think I’m used to it now after it’s been about a year. I would love to wean off of it but am afraid to, it’s just not worth it.

It does make it so it takes me forever to orgasm though, and sometimes I just can’t, which sucks. Not worth the pain risk though.

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#9

Damn that’s pretty good. I’ve had problems with depression most of my life but was able to ween off last year before this happened. Went on testosterone therapy because I was low and that helped me mentally.
But I still have some bouts, so if these cortisone shots don’t work for my pain then I will for sure try Cymbalta