Question New Sufferer

[d_man]

cool, I was still going to go. Got the HITP yesterday. Going to start reading that this weekend. Thanks webslave.

[d_man]

Well I spoke too soon. Just when I thought I was on the ups, I rushed a pee yesterday because the door was ringing and pushed hard to get it out (stupid). The rest of the day I had the burning again. Not terrible but annoying. Anyway, it continued today and I went to my first PT session. My therapist did an exam and found that there is a lot of tension right below my testicles (I think she was pushing up) and when she did the rectal noticed that I didn't have much strength in resisting her stretches. I am paraphrasing since it was a lot to take in and sometimes I don't comprehend everything the first time around. The weird thing is after she did the rectal part, I noticed my symptoms went away drastically. Unfortunately they came back a few hours later but whatever I can deal with it. She let me know we're going to take things very slowly. I'm not sure what lies ahead but she told me to continue doing the yoga, meditation etc and gave me two exercises to do. One is the elevator which requires lying knees bent and to contract all muscles in the pelvic floor at the same time and gradually imagining it going up three floors, hold then bring back down 3 floors.

The other, is the wave where you do the anus, hold 5 secs and relax, then base of penis hold 5 secs, relax

My question is if you are in a flare is it bad to do this? I am pretty sure this therapist is very competent. I just worry while in a mild flare if I should cause this stress to myself. She made sure to tell me not to tighten hard. I guess I should do as she says. Just wanted to know if you guys do any of this?

PS. Never in my wildest dreams while growing up did I think a middle age lady would have their digits up there. First for everything

[webslave]

Is she asking you to tense muscles and hold, like a Kegel exercise? If so, that's not recommended.

[d_man]

I'm not sure. I will write out the full exercises and you tell. She did say not to do it hard, very softly and not to squeeze. I was worried about doing this cause she told me when I pee to be completely relaxed (kind of contradictory). If these exercises are wrong, what would you suggest I say to her? It's not like I have tons of option here (she did recommend I read HITP and told me to read paradoxical relaxation section) I think she believes from her exam I have no strength in my penis and doing the digits in anus she told me I had a hard time fighting against her. I am not 100% because it's hard to pay attention when someone has a finger up your butt! Let me know your thoughts. I just want to do this right. On the bright side is I did get brief relief during rectal.

The Elevator

While lying on your back with your knees bent, contract slowly all muscles of your pelvic floor at the same time. Imagine your pelvic floor is like an elevator that can go up from 1st to 3rd floor. Try to contract the pelvic muscles gradually one floor at a time. When you reached the 3rd floor, hold the contraction for 3 secs, then gradually relax floor by floor down to the 1st.

The Wave

While lying on your back with knees bent, try to tighten your pelvic floor muscles one section at a time. Begin by contracting the anus as if you want to prevent gas. Hold 5 secs, and relax. Contract in front at the base of the penis, as if you want to hold urine. Hold 5 secs and relax.

[d_man]

She did mention Bio feedback and I guess that requires Kegel exercises. I will talk to her about not doing that cause i just read in the book it's not recommended . Although I am weak she mentioned (so confused)! My pain is my right side of penis mainly (burn ,dull ache, sometimes when limp the right side feels like a cramp or is harder than normal) and occasionally perineum (but not lately). I tried to do the exercises earlier and with my mild flare just wasn't feeling good. So frustrating.

[gmccormack]

D-man,

I would strongly suggest not doing kegels, my first PT who was knowledgeable told me to do kegels with my penile sphincter because I was having bad post-void drip, it made my urethra burn even more. Tim Sawyer who I saw last year did say that he has seen these exercises work but the second they make the condition worse to stop, so maybe try for a day or two. Just the sound of contracting the rectum when my pain there was at its worst sounds excruciating... .

One thing I will say about internal PT is you need to relax, the first thing beginners do is tense up, your body wants to tense up but let the PT put the finger in and tell her/him to hold it still for 5 seconds while you take a few deep breaths and relax the muscles in there. I wasted a few internal sessions because my body just didn't want to relax.

Biofeedback is joke in my opinion; Wise is adamantly opposed.

You're going through what everyone else here has, you are still early in your onset and have a good chance of recovering earlier than most because you found HITP and are practising the protocol albeit as best you can at this point.

[d_man]

gmccomack,

Thanks for your advice. I will discuss not doing Bio and Kegel with PT. Considering she is the one that told me to read HITP, it's weird she would suggest that route? I won't hold it against her. I did like her Vibe.

Being pain free for a week gave me encouragement that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I was so grateful to have that in my pocket to know

[webslave]

She seems to be skilled in some areas but not others. You never know, despite the book recommendation, she may have treated very few men with CPPS.

[d_man]

She mentioned that treating men in recent years have increased. I will give her he go, I still have faith in her. She was cool and always asked me for my consent when doing things. I will put an end to bio/Kegel for now and see what else I can learn from her. I would like to go to the Wise/Anderson clinic but I committed myself to a university funded Pain Management and CBT group therapy with men with the same condition for 10 weeks. And I really want to take part in it since I could really use the help mentally. I think it my biggest issue (anxiety) and reflecting back in the past always has been.

One last question.

I've started moment to moment relaxation and paradoxical relaxation. When doing moment to moment, I consciously make an effort to release my muscles down below. When I'm walking, sitting etc... Do you just do it for a split second and then move along and not focus or do you relax like you are urinating for minutes at a time?

And in terms of paradoxical relaxation, are you doing the same? I've been trying which I know is going to take a long time to get good at, is to relax all my body. One body part at a time and then finally the pelvis. I try to not thinking about the pain but just the sensation and accept it. It's hard to differentiate but I get the concept I think. If not feel free to elaborate. The book is insightful but sometimes hearing members tips who have done this successfully can be even better.

[webslave]

Other members can answer you here. I have recovered fully, live a relaxed lifestyle (semi-retired), and my tension and chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome issues are behind me. I don't use relaxation techniques at all, but I do get trigger points in my back and neck from computer use.

[d_man]

I'm glad to here that. Your are what I strive to be! And yes, if anyone has any advice please feel free to elaborate! Love to hear your thoughts on relaxation techniques.

[gmccormack]

The relaxation segment of the WA protocol is the most difficult. When I attended the clinic we probably did about 4-5 hours of relaxation a day. It was extremely difficult; your mind wants to wander so desperately. I would get some tapes to keep you disciplined; members here have mentioned Byron Katie as good.

I still can only do about 1.5 hours of relaxation a day max, most days now only 45 min. In addition I always listen to the Wise tapes, no way even after a year can I do it solo. Wise, when peppered at the clinic, said it would take 2 years to "master" — so don't get discouraged.

You're on the right track. When doing relaxation don't think that its doing something; the minute you are "doing" something you have failed. That's why doing it in pain is the hardest, you want it to "fix" the pain.

It's taken webslave many years to get well, you need to have patience especially with relaxation. I guarantee you many sessions where you swear you were in relaxation for 45 min only to look at the clock and it's been 20 min.

Every guy I still talk to from the clinic hates this part of it, but it is a very important piece, especially when trying to adjust your lifestyle.

[d_man]

Thanks G,

Should my PT be working on internal right away? or external? She mentioned to do external first then if needed internal. I am asking about the internal because I was shocked at the quick relief I got when she did her exam. What's standard?

[gmccormack]

It depends on your symptoms, pain in the rectum is obviously going to be internal, also the TP for pain at the tip of the penis is located deep inside to the right and left of the prostate.

If you got relief, I would be hitting that every other day for 15 minutes, with her and solo. Don't be afraid to hit the prostate, there's nothing in there that is very delicate.

Honestly, she probably doesnt like doing internal, if I was one of them I probably wouldn't like it either. Tell her to do it though, you are a paying customer here.

[webslave]

Don't be afraid to hit the prostate, there's nothing in there that is very delicate.

Er ... be careful.
https://ucpps.men/prostate-massage