My Log

[LightningTree]

I'll be keeping a log here as I attempt to apply the Stanford/Wise-Anderson Protocol.

My backgrond:
I am a 30 year old male.
I developed symptoms in December, 2003.

There are two important precursors two my present symptoms. Ever since age 12, I would occasionally have a burning pain at the tip of my penis after mastrubation. This would occur, in particular, if I used some internal muscles (not sure which) to prevent ejaculation and thereby prolong sexual activity. As of this past year, those symptoms became more frequent.

Secondly, I was experiencing rectal discomfort, bordering on pain, while sitting, as well as pain in my tailbone region. Sometimes, I had a dull testicular ache that I simply ignored. I attributed these symptoms to sitting too much. I would sit for 8 to 10 hours while working (computers), and then another 8 hours playing computer games.

After taking trip in February, 2004, I had moderate perineal pain while sitting in a car. Upon returning home from the trip (a six hour drive) I had continuous moderate perineal pain.
The next morning I felt fine. However, after about an hour-and-a-half from waking up, my muscles began to spasm, and I experienced significant pain.

Some days the pain would show up only for a few hours in the evening. Others, it would last most of the day. One thing remained constant: I would wake up feeling fine. I had urinary symptoms for a brief 2 week period that were made worse by prostate exams. But otherwise, I have not had any urgency or frequency issues.

I spent a month on antiobiotics assigned by a Urologist. I then began physical therapy that I initiated do to the experience of a relative.
I sought out someone trained in the Stanford/Wise-Anderson Protocol. I get physical therapy twice a week since then.

Over time, my symptoms have gradually improved, such that I usually only have one of perineal, rectal, or urethral pain at any given time. This pain can move around to any of these three regions almost spontaneously. Sometimes it hurts when I stand, other times when I sit. However, sitting almost always increases symptoms over the next few days. Often, sitting causes a burning sensation inside the pelvis.

My PT said he found several trigger points, although they were not obvious to me and I have to take his word for it. While my symptoms have improved, they seem to have plateued.

I am hopeful that with continued stretching, moment-to-moment relaxation, and trigger point release, that I will see a general improvement. Unfortunately, the only days I seem to be pain free are those where I do not stretch and minimize my movement.

What is difficult for me to handle is the slow pace of progress, if any. I cannot even be certain that I have progressed, as some bad days are worse than the good days several months ago. (Also, I have trouble remembering how I felt at first, as I have blocked it out.)

In any case, I am now four months into this condition, in which I began Stanford/Wise-Anderson Protocol at 1 months time. I will report on the progress of my condition over time.

[scotsman]

My PT said he found several trigger points, although they were not obvious to me and I have to take his word for it.

Welcome to the forum.

Triggerpoint treatment is usually very painful. If you didn't experience any pain when your PT found and treated the triggerpoints then I'd be surprised if that was what they were.

Richard.

[Guest]

Thanks for the tip, Richard.

There is some pain when regions close to the perineum are pushed. Internally, I mostly experienced displaced and radiating numbness when pressed upon.

That numbness has faded and been replaced by a burning soreness. But I don't get the kind of clear projection to the source of pain that would indicate a clear myofascial cause.

The most frustrating thing is that when I experience, for example, rectal pain, I can use my finger to push on the place that hurts. The pain usually just migrates someplace else (perineum, penis, etc.) Its as if the body figures out where I have pressed and just associates the pain with a new location. Who knows.

I will keep stretching and relaxing and see if it helps over time. But I gather that profits are made in this field off of suffering, not solutions.

[scotsman]

The burning sorness, following treatment, could be a good sign. I also get that after triggerpoints treatment and it's almost as if the muscle is getting a proper bloodflow again.

Referred pain is also common. I've been getting physio now for 9 months and I seem to be spending most of the time chasing the pain around. Frustrating but I am getting better. Just wish it wasn't such a slow process.

I'd certainly recommend sticking with the PT.

Richard.
(p.s. I'm now away for 2 weeks holiday).