Jess has undertaken training in the area of Pelvic Health, completing the following courses:

 

• Pelvic Health Level One with the Osteopathic Pelvic Health Institute of Australia

• Holistic Pelvic Health Care with US physical therapist Tami Kent

• Pelvic Health Foundations Course with the Physiotherapists at Pelvic Health Melbourne 

 

These courses have enabled Jess to expand her understanding and skill level in an area that she has already been working with for 20 years. These courses covered internal (vaginal) assessment and treatment of the pelvic bowl and pelvic floor. 

 

Especially in women, this area can hold a lot of tension, stress or trauma, which can lead to a plethora of different symptoms, some of which can have a huge effect on someone’s quality of life. 

 

A pelvic health appointment may be beneficial for any of the following reasons:

• pelvic pain 

  • pain associated with intimacy

  • pain with the use of tampons or menstrual cups

  • pain around menstruation or ovulation 

  • pain urinating

  • pain before, during or after a bowel movement

  • pain in the back, hips or coccyx

• bladder issues

  • leakage

  • urgency / difficulty holding

  • increased frequency

  • recurrent UTI’s

  • pain / interstitial cystitis

  • difficulty initiating or maintaining flow

• bowel issues

  • constipation

  • feeling like your bowel movements are incomplete or unsatisfying 

  • loose stools

  • fecal incontinence

  • pain with passing bowel movements

• pelvic organ prolapse 

  • heaviness, pulling, dragging feeling in the vagina or lower abdomen that may also be associated with bowel or bladder symptoms

• during pregnancy or as a post natal check

• or just because the pelvis is a part of our body that does wonderful things for us and responds so well to gentle therapeutic release

 

What does a pelvic health appointment involve….?

• first of all… a thorough history that will delve into all the nitty gritty areas of bladder, bowel, prolapse, pregnancy, childbirth and pain. There will also be questions about your fluid intake and diet, because what goes in… you know the rest. 

• then because I’m an Osteopath, I will look at your whole body, from top to toe to get an overview of other areas of strain and stresses your body may be dealing with. I do this fully clothed.

• sometimes I may decide to treat what I find through your body first and other times we will move straight into the pelvic examination. 

• what is a pelvic exam? This is done ONLY if you are 100% comfortable. It is completely your choice and you can opt out at any moment. I will perform a visual examination of the vulva to assess the motion of the perineal area during certain prompts, and then IF you are comfortable I will gain your consent to perform a vaginal exam. I place one finger inside the vagina to assess pelvic floor tension, strength, vaginal wall integrity, and prolapse. 

• If you are still comfortable I will then treat internally any tension that I have found. My treatment will be holistic in that I hold an awareness of the connected nature of all things moving and breathing through the body. Treating internally may lead me to other areas in the body that need releasing. 

• Based on your symptoms, my findings and how the treatment has progressed I may give you instructions to take home, which may include breathing or relaxation exercises, strength muscle training, stretching, advice on fluids or diet, or a plethora of many other things. 

 

Please note that if you are experiencing pelvic symptoms but are uncomfortable with an internal assessment, this is OKAY. You do not have to consent to anything you are not comfortable with. There is a lot we can still do without doing an internal, and even fully clothed still. Please don’t let this stop you seeking help for your symptoms.

 

If you have any hesitations or questions at all, please do not hesitate to get in touch to discuss with me before making your appointment.