Pudendal nerve symptoms - Looking for clarification

[Dave]

Hello,

I am concerned and confused by what I have been reading about pudendal nerve entrapment because the general consensus here is that it is extremely rare or doesn't exist, yet I am experiencing the majority of symptoms described. While I believe that I have Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and have had it for several years, brought on by chronic masturbation, tensing muscles and building extreme amounts of pressure, 1.5 years ago I did have a traumatic event where I was yelling at a barking dog, and I felt something give out just to the left of my anus. After that moment, a severe burning pain flooded in, which has left me unable to sit, with severe pain in that area, extending to the sitz bone on the left side, and radiating down into the hamstring and the left leg and foot. I have had 3 epidural steroid injections and a piriformis steroid injection, none of which have worked. The pain comes from sitting, the moment I sit down.

After several months going without sitting, the symptoms cleared up almost completely, but then I tried to do a lot of sitting. Once I did that, the flareup was big. I then tried doing squatting exercises, and I had a huge flareup and was in severe burning pain for a couple of months. It cleared up again, but I've found that I can't pull my knee into my chest, which automatically causes flareups, or when I had my left hamstring massaged, it caused a flareup as well. I also can't squat and have to be extremely careful of my movements.

Between yesterday and today, I did a fair amount of sitting, thinking that if I sat on the unaffected hip, that I would be ok. I was wrong and the burning pain is back. If this is not PNE, then what is it and what can help?

Thanks

[webslave]

You have 2 choices: Wise-Anderson or PNE surgery. Both are expensive, but the PNE surgery is much more expensive and risky. In your shoes I would go enrol in the W-A course and get evaluated by Tim Sawyer, because if that helps you, you have dodged a bullet. If it does not help you, move on to the PNE option.

[Dave]

Thanks. Are these symptoms recognized as treatable by the Wise-Anderson protocol? Has anyone here been successfully treated? I definitely don't plan on doing surgery, as the condition has gotten better on it's own, just not to the point where I am stabilized or sitting doesn't push me in the wrong direction.

[webslave]

Give them a call and discuss the symptoms with them. (707) 874 2225 (toll free 866 874-2225)

[Dave]

Thanks again, especially on a Saturday night. I appreciate it.

[robertpagen]

I have always thought the term "entrapment" is too absolute. It is my certain view that many here suffer with Pudendal nerve irritation which produces symptoms similar to what you speak of. I believe irritation is a more empowering word as then you can live your life in a way as too irritate it less. The irritation of the nerve, in my experience produces much more than muscle pain. At its height it produces an anxiety response which is literally maddening.

[Dave]

Yes, I know that maddening anxious feeling all too well. I was feeling pretty relaxed tonight and noticed that as I went from forum to forum on PNE, reading the same symptoms, followed by the initial PT, followed by nerve blockers and surgery, just looking for one site which might have a better solution, it actually made my whole body tense up and the pain got worse. I even found a forum full of horror stories. That was fun reading. Anyway, I see your point. It really is nerve irritation. How can I best deal with that is the question to ask myself. Thanks.

[Jay]

Hi Dave,

My best advice is for you to stop reading around. Knowledge is great until you have more than you need. I know from personal experience that hopping from one site to the next, soaking up info on PNE and God only knows what else, will do nothing but make you sick with worry. What's more, it can end up poisoning your perspective toward less serious answers. There are many conditions which share symptoms, and it so happens that some people posit the common chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome constellation to be a sign of PNE.

If your pain originates from muscular entrapment/spasm, then it's the muscles you must treat. Find your way to a good pelvic floor physical therapist -- we can provide help if you need that. The Wise-Anderson Protocol clinic is obviously the best place, but we understand how that's a heavy financial demand in these times. I'd absolutely encourage you to call Doctor Wise, as has been suggested. He's seen many, many patients over the years, including some who still ended up at the clinic after going through with the PNE surgery.

Ultimately, you should undergo a full course of proper, specialized PT before considering the knife. Even the PNE faithful agree with this nowadays.