Dysmenorrhea

chronic, often severe menstrual pain and/or cramps

We have had tremendous success treating chronic dysmenorrhea. Many of our patients come to us with reports of years, even decades of severe pain with menstruation, or ovulation. Our typical dysmenorrhea patient reports 3 to 5 days of debilitating pain during that time in her period. Most can't even think of intercourse during that time. Many report painful intercourse throughout the month,- and have for years! Many report doubling over in pain prior to therapy. Quite a few have reported that they black out from the pain.

We see significant, long lasting pain relief in about 90% of the women we treat. It is very rewarding to see and hear about the relief and total (or near total) resolution of symptoms. Most women who have reported in to us have said that their relief from pain has continued (and continues still) throughout their life after therapy.

We have had reports as far out as several years, of ongoing freedom from debilitating pain that had pre-existed for decades. We feel that is because we make permanent changes in the tiny or large adhesions that are so difficult for physicians to diagnose or treat. In relieving them non-surgically, our relatively gentle but effective therapy does not cause new adhesions to form.

There may be many causes of menstrual cramps. Some of the more common causes include tiny adhesions which may impact on the delicate structures of a woman's pelvis. More of this information may be found in our section on pelvic pain.

endometriosis (left) and adhesions (right) can form outside the uterus

Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation) can be due to pelvic pathology. This can include intestinal spasms, endometriosis, chronic tightness or adhesions affecting the ligaments, fascias and connective tissues which attach the uterus to surrounding structures, or ptosis. The pain may also be due to lower back restrictions. In order to decrease these adhesions and restrictions, a therapist must have very specific knowledge of the anatomy and biomechanics of the urogenital system.

Clinically, we note pain may increase with either menstruation or ovulation. For most of the women we see, relief from periodic cramps is quick and dramatic. Many of our patients report a continued decrease of pain, for the first several months following therapy.

Menstrual pain can vary in its pattern. It may increase or decrease at night, it may be continuous or not, and it may come on and intensify very suddenly. It can feel like a weighty, pulling sensation and can radiate to the lumbar, sciatic, pelvic floor, or groin areas. Pain may be accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, migraines or fainting.

Many women who suffer menstrual pain have had one or more abdominal or pelvic surgeries (often to treat other conditions) earlier in their lives. Prior surgery may cause or increase symptoms of dysmenorrhea. This is due to the fact that even the most skilled surgeon cannot prevent the formation of adhesions after some surgeries. According a recent study in the British Journal of Surgery, 55% to 100% of patients will develop adhesions following gynecologic surgery. Surgeries such as episiotomy, C-section, abortion, hysterectomy, D. and C., and even lysis (removal) of adhesions may cause additional adhesions to form.

As with all advanced manual techniques, the success of the therapy is dependent upon the experience and sensitivity of the therapist. Since each patient presents her own unique set of symptoms and biomechanics, it can take years to understand the complexities that can cause the pain or dysfunction and learn how to address it.

Once the therapist has committed the time and expense to study the anatomy and function of all of these structures, she/he must learn specific techniques that will gently free them from improper adherence to surrounding tissues, with the intent of increasing mobility and proper movement. As we decrease the tissue tensions and adhesions, we generally see a significant decrease in pain, accompanied by an increase in function.

Treatment of dysmenorrhea (PMS, menstrual cramps)

Alternative Treatment Without Surgery or Drugs, a "Hands-on" Approach

We have helped many people who suffer from menstrual cramps and ongoing pelvic pain. Our directors spent years studying techniques and developing protocols to restore patients’ bodies to a state of balance, harmony and increased function. Our treatment sessions are individualized and last approximately one hour based on individual needs. Treatment is one-on-one, and is in private treatment rooms. From your first visit, we use a "hands-on" approach to treat your symptoms and discover the causes of your pain. We begin by treating tight and dysfunctional areas in your body.

Any patients with an active infection should consult her/his physician to address any medical causes of pain. However, if pain persists without significant relief from medications, we begin to suspect adhesions from prior inflammation or surgery might be the underlying cause of that pain. If you have chronic pelvic pain that is not eliminated with medications, it would be appropriate for you to consider a course of treatment at Clear Passage Therapies.

A few minutes into your first treatment, our therapists will be providing a gentle manual therapy to areas of your body where we feel abnormal tensions. This has been very effective in decreasing and frequently resolving pain symptoms. Our goals of treatment are to restore alignment, balance and mobility to the pelvis, sacrum, thoracic and lumbar spines, the back and hip muscles, connective tissues, and abdominopelvic organs. Other treatment goals include decreasing pain and restoring range of motion. We work with you to improve your function, your tolerance for physical activity and return you to an active, productive lifestyle.

Patients who are in pain at the time of therapy generally discover within few hours of therapy if our work will be effective in decreasing pelvic pain and other symptoms. As pain decreases and function begins to return, we educate in a lifelong preventive and restorative exercise program to improve flexibility, strength, lifting ability and endurance levels. Enhancement of personal and professional life generally follows as a result. We work hand in hand with your physician, although physician referral is not required in the state of Florida for our work.

What should I expect from treatment?

The best way to determine if this work will help you is to first complete a six-page questionnaire. We will review it and tell you if we feel we can help you, or not. After 3 to 4 hours of therapy, most patients begin to notice changes in their bodies. Those in pain find they are much less sensitive to our touch, as the pain level improves. After 6 to 10 hours of therapy, they usually begin to notice significant structural and functional improvement in their bodies. Our goal is to help you achieve a pain free, more functional and productive life, with all your goals met.

Treatment feels similar to massage, but calling our work massage is like calling the space shuttle an airplane. Our work is a very "site specific" slow and deep body work to the soft tissues of your body. We use our hands to locate abnormal tensions in and around the organs, muscles, connective tissues and support structures of the body. We then apply gentle, specific manual forces designed to reduce adhesions and encourage normal mobility, tone and function. Most patients say they find treatment sessions interesting, informative and relaxing. Most patients with pain complaints usually begin to notice pain reduction or relief after the first two or three sessions.

If you have questions, we can schedule a personal consultation in one of our clinics or over the telephone. This is best done after you have completed and returned your questionnaire, available at the bottom of this page. If treatment appears indicated, we will send you all necessary paperwork including an Informed Consent and a release of medical records. We may request clearance from your physician for the very few conditions which would prevent us from treating you. These include diseases such as HIV and active cancer which could possibly worsen with treatment. Other contraindications are hemophilia, abnormal cysts and active infection.

Your treatment is always conducted in a lovely, private room. The first treatment includes an initial evaluation, and lasts one to two hours. Thereafter, treatment sessions are generally 45 minutes of uninterrupted manual therapy. As manual therapists who often work on delicate areas, we are sensitive to your physical and emotional comfort level. We feel you should be fully informed in every step of treatment. We take the time to explain our theories and techniques while we are working with you. Your personal privacy is respected. Patient gowns are available each session for those who would like to use them.