What is Pelvic Organ Prolapse?

The most simple way to think about a pelvic organ prolapse is that there has been an anatomical shift in the position of one (or multiple) pelvic organs downwards.

The pelvic organs are supported in their position by the muscles of the pelvic floor and an intricate network of fascia and connective tissue. When these supporting structures lose integrity from weakness, stretching and or as new research suggests tension; the ability of this network to support the pelvic organs is impacted. When this happens the organs can bulge into the vagina (or rectum with a rectal prolapse) and towards the vaginal opening.

Common symptoms associated with prolapse include;

• Heaviness or dragging in the vagina.

• Fullness or bulging sensation in or out of the vagina.

• Urinary retention, post void dribble, urinary incontinence and urgency.

• Difficulty having a bowel movement.

• Constipation.

• Pain during intercourse

The most common presentations of pelvic organ prolapse are uterine prolapse, cystocele and rectocele. Although not as common, rectal prolapse, vaginal vault prolapse and intestinal prolapse as a herniation can also occur.

Can I have sex with a prolapse?

Sex with a prolapse; please know there are no studies or research to suggest sex makes a prolapse worse. The wall of the vagina is made to stretch and move, in most cases the penis, finger, dildo will move your prolapse out of the way, especially with the assistance of gravity.

If you have a prolapse and are wanting to be, or are active in the bedroom here are our top six tips:

• Grab a mirror, get comfortable and get to know your anatomy. If you’re up for it, masturbate. Yep, We just suggested that! Homework: learn what feels good.

• Use a good quality water based lubricant where the pH is in the range of the vagina.

• Experiment with pillows and positions that use gravity. Lifting your pelvis uses gravity to help move your organs away from the vaginal opening.

• Communicate with your intimate partner. Let them know what feels good, what makes you uncomfortable and if any pain is experienced. If sex is painful please seek out a health provider who can help.

• Take your time, have fun, and be kind to yourself.

• Listen to your body; stress, fatigue and long days on your feet can all impact your prolapse. What may have felt good that morning or last week may be uncomfortable later.

If you have a prolapse, help is available. Sex is possible. We are here to help

What should I do if I have a Prolapse?

You have a pelvic organ prolapse (POP), maybe it’s been officially diagnosed by a health professional, maybe you can see and feel it or maybe you know things ‘just ain’t right’ since you gave birth. The reality is up to 50% of people who have given birth, have a POP. Whether you have given birth or not, we have compiled our top five tips for those who have a prolapse.

1. Drop everything and see a pelvic floor physical therapist who is skilled in the assessment of POP. It is essential you have a thorough assessment of the pelvic floor, your breath, abdominal wall, core and whole body posture. You will need a plan for treatment and rehab along with lifestyle advice specific for you and your goals. Kathryn Johns is a leader in the fields of osteopathy, pregnancy and pelvic health in Australia and is experienced working with patients experiencing prolapse.

2. Breathe. You need to spend time reconnecting with your breath, this is a great way to connect with your pelvic region and core. Correct breathing strategies allow full range of motion of your pelvic floor and optimal strength. Poor breathing mechanics can increase the load down onto the pelvic floor and pelvic organs. 

3. Fix constipation. Constipation and straining on the toilet is a major risk factor for POP. If you are concerned about prolapse and you are constipated you need to see a naturopath/nutritionist and pelvic floor therapist ASAP. A great way to start impacting constipation right now is by looking at your pooping posture.

4. Listen to your body. Exercise, sexual positions and movement practices that felt great yesterday or even that morning may not feel good at another time. If this is the case, come back to your breath and rest. Reconnect with your pelvic floor, take things slow and be kind to your self.

5. Reduce stress. Studies have shown that when you are stressed and your central nervous system is in a heightened state your POP will bother you more. What does this mean? When you are stressed your POP symptoms will appear worse, they will bother you more than two days ago when you were feeling fancy free. This is not a reflection of how your anatomy is positioned, in fact you may have improved. If you are feeling stressed, come back to your breath, if this is not working it might be time to see a health professional to help with stress management strategies.

What is Pudendal Neuralgia?

Before I start, let me introduce you to the pudendal nerve. The pudendal nerve originates at the sacrum levels S2-4, it then travels through the Alcocks canal and up along the pubic bone. It has three branches which supply the rectum, clitoris and the perineum. The nerve is made up of sensory, motor and autonomic fibers. When this nerve is irritated, which can occur anywhere along its entire length, Pudendal Neuralgia (PN) is the result.

What are the symptoms of Pudendal Neuralgia?

The Pudendal nerve is a complex nerve with numerous functions and branches, when it is compromised the symptoms can vary greatly depending on the branch or fibers affected.

• Increased pain when sitting

• Sharp and/or altered sensation in the area between the genitals and anus. 

• Can be described as a prickling, itching swollen sensation in the vulva, rectum or perineum. 

• Clitoral pain/sensitivity

• The feeling of recurrent bladder infections

How did I get Pudendal Neuralgia?

The nerve compression/irritation can occur due to of a number of reasons, including;

• Vaginal birth and stretching of the nerve.

• Excessive sitting where the inner parts of the sit bones are compressed, like when riding a bike. 

• Mechanical force/trauma to the area.

• Hypertonic pelvic floor muscles that compress the nerve. 

What is the treatment for Pudendal Neuralgia?

We recommend seeing Kathryn Johns, our osteopath who has extensive training in pelvic health and chronic pain conditions. Her approach is individualized to your specific needs and presentation and may include,

• Internal pelvic floor myofascial release work to help decompress the pudendal nerve. 

• Whole body treatment focusing on the fascial and biomechanical regions impacting the pelvis

• Breathing education

• Specific movement practices to help release tension in the pelvis and spine

• Mindfulness and meditation

• Lifestyle advice

Will I recover from Pudendal Neuralgia?

Yes. With the right treatment and management you can expect to make a full recovery. Our bodies are amazing and have enormous capacity to heal, allowing you to get back to living your full potential. 

What is Vulvodynia?

Before I explain what Vulvodynia is, let's have a little anatomy lesson. Let's talk about the vulva. The vulva is the external genitalia for someone who has a vagina, this is so important as many call both the inner and outer workings a vagina. Even my two year old calls her vulva, a vulva and I truly believe the sooner we are all comfortable using correct terminology without shame and embarrassment the better.

The vulva protects the vagina and urethra and is responsible for much of the sexual response for women. The vulva includes the labia (outer and inner), clitoris (please tell me you know about this???) the mons pubis and vestibule and anything in between. Check out the picture for a close up look. 

Back to Vulvodynia, vulvo means vulva and dynia means pain. So Vulvodynia means pain in the vulva, but can also include any burning, stinging, itching or irritation to the vulva. Vulvodynia is not linked to a known cause and is considered a chronic pain condition that has been present for longer than three months.

Ouchy.. No thanks.

Then comes sub categories.. Clitorodynia - meaning pain in the clitoris and Vestibulodynia, pain in the vestibule region of the vulva. 

Regardless of where the pain is and what type of pain is experienced, those with Vulvodynia are all in chronic pain, and many suffer with anxiety. Wearing underwear and tight pants can be uncomfortable and vaginal penetration is usually painful,  there can be vaginal pressure and burning and many have urinary symptoms of, 

• Urgency

• Increased frequency

• Incomplete emptying

• Burning sensation with urination

• Light bladder leakage

What causes Vulvodynia?

Part of the classification of Vulvodynia is that the cause is unknown. So what do we know? We know that Vulvodynia is usually associated with potential factors. These include;

• Hormonal, the vestibule is very sensitive to estrogen and androgens, where imbalances can result in irritation. 

• Musculoskeletal components - 90% of those with vulvodynia also have overactive pelvic floor muscles, and then there are other myofascial and biomechanical factors that can influence pain in the vulva. 

• Inflammatory conditions such as Lichen sclerosus and Lichen planus

• Infections - recurring conditions such as bacterial vaginosis and thrush. 

• Nerve related, in pain. For some this is due to neuroproliferation - too many nerve endings in the area, for others there is irritation to the nerves supplying the vulva e.g. pudendal nerve.

• Iatrogenic, meaning it is related to a medical procedure, postoperative pain, cancer treatment, hormone therapy, trauma and lacerations associated with childbirth or genital mutilation.

How do we treat vulvodynia?

Firstly, any infections or inflammatory conditions need to be identified and managed.

Kathryn Johns is extensively trained in the area of vulvodynia, where she uses a combination of techniques including internal pelvic floor myofascial release (with consent), this can help to decompress the main nerve (pudendal) that supplies and refers pain to the vulva and help relieve tension in the overactive pelvic floor muscles.  Externally, there is body work to the fascia leading to the vulva and the muscle, nerves and joints that influence this area. 

Kathryn works closely with the other osteopaths in the clinic with our Vulvodynia patients. Kathryn concentrates on the pelvic health components, and our other experienced osteopaths work on the external components contributing to this condition. 

As vulvodynia is a chronic pain condition and with this comes a nervous system that is over-stimulated, part of the treatment is focused on helping to calm the nervous system down using gentle osteopathic techniques. 

We also give advice on lifestyle, breathing patterns, prescribe movement practices and mindfulness.

What is Vaginismus?

Vaginismus is a condition where the vaginal muscles, aka the pelvic floor muscles, involuntarily contract in association with vaginal penetration. This can make it very painful and or difficult for not just a penis to enter, but those who experience vaginismus may also have difficulty inserting a finger, a tampon or menstrual cup, sex toy or participate in a pelvic exam using a speculum. 

Vaginismus is the leading cause of unconsummated marriage and a major cause of dyspareunia (the blanket term for painful sex).

Vaginismus is classified into two categories. Primary, meaning it was present from the first time vaginal penetration was attempted and Secondary, meaning the person had gone through a period of no symptoms with vaginal penetration before symptoms began. 

Does vaginismus result in pain?

Many experience pain, for others there is no pain. For them it may feel like their partner’s penis (or tampon, sex toy, finger etc.) is hitting a wall as the vaginal muscles contract, preventing or making entrance difficult.

When pain is experienced with vaginismus, it is usually accompanied with fear and anxiety, a complex pain cycle can be the result, making vaginismus difficult to fix at home without the help from medical healthcare providers.

How is vaginismus treated? 

Kathryn, has years of experience treating and helping those with vaginismus, and has completed extensive training in female sexual disorders. Her approach to the treatment of vaginismus is very holistic and may include; internal and/or external pelvic floor myofascial release work, stress management, working with breathing strategies, improving posture and alignment and general osteopathic techniques. Kathryn has a major emphasis on the fascia and the fascial lines present in the body that impact the pelvic floor and the breath.

Kathryn works closely with the team of osteopaths at Eastern Osteopathy where patients regularly see Kathryn for internal pelvic floor myofascial treatment and specific chronic pelvic pain treatment while also seeing the other osteopaths if general treatment is required. Our osteopaths will educate their patients on movement practices to help lengthen the pelvic floor, breathing and meditation to assist with anxiety and stress, and the appropriate use of dilators to ensure all facets of their patients’ care are met.

What is Bladder Pain Syndrome/interstitial cystitis ?

What is Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis ?

A little bit of anatomy first, the bladder is a muscular organ that receives filtered urine from the kidneys. As the bladder fills the bladder wall is stretched. This stretch automatically sends information to your brain, making your brain aware of how full the bladder is and when it will be an appropriate time to wee. When the time is right you will feel the urge to void and, with that sensation, look for a toilet. 

Bladder pain syndrome (BPS/IC) typically involves bladder hypersensitivity with symptoms of bladder urgency, frequency and pelvic pain in the absence of any infection. In extreme cases it is common to visit the toilet in excess of 40 times a day. 

BPS is a complex pain condition involving the bladder, pelvic floor and nervous system. 

BPS is more common in women than in men and it is estimated that 1.2 million Australians are living with this condition. BPS is often associated with negative cognitive, behavioural, sexual or emotional consequences and can be linked to a reduced quality of life (Engeler et al, 2020).

What are BPB/IC symptoms?

Symptoms vary between individuals, but can include,

• Suprapubic pain (pain above the pubic bone)

• Bladder pain and pressure with filling, that is not relieved with a void

• Burning sensation with a void

• Increased urgency and frequency of void

• Vulva pain - vulvodynia 

• Phantom UTIs

• Generalised back hip and pelvic pain

• Dyspareunia - general term for painful intercourse 

What causes BPS/IC?

There is much debate on this topic, and no consensus; some believe it is caused by Hunner’s lesions, a dysfunction in the lining of the bladder. However only 10% of those with BPS have these lesions. 

What we do know is that 87% of those with the condition have overactive, tight pelvic floor muscles (Peters et al, 2007). We also know that these muscles, when tight, can cause referral patterns that mimic the sensation of urgency and/or bladder pain. When these muscles are released it gives the bladder an opportunity to function optimally. 

We also know that after having experienced 3 UTIs the bladder can be up-regulated, making it easily irritated.  

How do we treat Bladder Pain Syndrome?

According to the American Urology Association, pelvic floor therapy is the first line of treatment for BPS/IC. 

Kathryn, our pelvic health trained osteopath has completed extensive training in the field of BPS/IC where she has studied under and been mentored by some of the world's leading experts in pelvic health and BPS/IC. She has an incredible understanding of the anatomy and facial connections impacting both the bladder and the pelvic floor muscles. 

Kathryn believes in adapting a multi dimensional approach to treatment, including internal and external myofascial release to the pelvic floor muscles and the fascia supporting the urethra and bladder. Education and home exercises on breathing, yoga hip and spine movement practices and meditation along with self care and self compassion.  

Tips for Prolapse During Pregnancy

Have you been diagnosed with a prolapse and are wishing to conceive or are already pregnant?

This can be a scary time. Worried that pregnancy and birth might make your prolapse worse? Trust me this is common concern and a conversation we have with patients regularly. And it is scary and frightening, but it’s important to know that having a prolapse while pregnant is manageable and safe with some guidance, exercises and lifestyle modification. Our tips for managing this time are below.

Connect with your breath and pelvic floor

Spend time observing your breath, feel the subtle lengthening and decent as you breath in & as you breath out notice the pelvic floor engage and lift. Once you have connected with your breath you can add a gentle lift and engagement of your pelvic floor as you breath out. You can do this while in a semi-reclined position, seated, childs pose and standing.

SEE a Pelvic Floor practitioner

If you have a prolapse please make an appointment to see a qualified pelvic floor practitioner (osteopath/physiotherapis) to have your pelvic floor assessed and an individualised pelvic floor rehabilitation program created. This may involve strengthening exercises, breathing strategies and or ways to improve neuromuscular timing and coordination

Manage your constipation

Constipation is commonly experienced during pregnancy and along with straining is a major risk factor for prolapse. Consuming adequate water & fibre along with creating a healthy bowel routine while adapting good pooping posture & not straining is essential for minimising impact of prolapse on the pelvic floor. Oh and don’t forget the squatty potty to help achieve optimal pooping posture and the use of ooo cha to help expel the unwanted waste.

Listen to your body

Take the time to listen to your body; understand that your body, posture and centre of gravity is constantly changing and with this your prolapse symptoms can also change. A easy activity last week can cause a pressure and dragging sensation today. Knowing your body will allow you to alter your movements strategies to minimise impact on prolapse.

Use the Recovery Position

When feeling tired and extra pressure, bulging and dragging sensation in your vagina, taking some time to rest in a recovery position is important. Lying on your back with your legs up the wall or resting on a chair. Placing a pillow under your pelvis encourages your organs to move away from the entrance of your vagina. Then observe the natural rhythm of your breath & gently engaging your pelvic floor with your exhale. If lying on your back is uncomfortable, makes you feel dizzy or nauseous; please stop this exercise.

Exhale with Exertion

As you roll over, sit to stand, lift and other activities that involve some exertion; perform the activity with an exhale. As you prepare to move, exhale and gently blow out. By gently blowing & feeling your core engage & then moving, minimises the force directed to your pelvic floor and pelvic organs.

Look at your Posture

We know postural changes can influence the force and pressure applied to the pelvic floor. We also know pregnancy is a time of ever changing posture. Rather then sinking into these poor postural changes try to stand, sit and lye in alignment with our natural curvature. A quick way to test if your posture is optimal, check in and see if breathing is effortless, then we know our posture and alignment is on point. Having trouble try untucking your butt!!

Stay Active and whole body strengthening

Staying active & strengthening your whole body is great for overall pelvic health. It is important to exercise symptom free and under the guidance of your health care provider and/or within the pregnancy guidelines.

As a bonus regular exercise can help stimulate a bowel movement.

Manage your stress

When looking at our pelvic health we know stress can impact your ability to have a bowel movement and constipation is a risk factor for prolapse. We also know when stressed you will clench your pelvic floor muscles which in turn impacts the ability to contract effectively. Studies tell us when stressed our prolapse symptoms will bother us more. This doesn’t mean the symptoms are worse just that they bother you more causing more stress. Developing good stress management strategies is essential.

Kate's Tips for Pooping in the Postpartum Period

Now let me tell you something I found out the hard way… NO ONE tells you that having a vaginal birth can feel like the baby is coming out of your bum. Anyone with me??

Postnatally, there are lots of conversations about looking after your vagina; regarding tissue tearing, episiotomy and surgical repairs. Today however, we are doing a 180 and talking about the rectum, and, you guessed it... poop. It certainly makes sense that this area might be tender, and if you have had the privilege of seeing a vaginal birth in person or via photos or video, you can see how the rectum has been pulled and stretched away from its usual position. As unpleasant as this may sound, we do actually need for this to occur, as it helps make room for the little (or in my case - not so little) one, to exit. 

Personally, I had more pain rectally after giving birth than I did vaginally. I actually had no redness, swelling or stitches associated with my magic vagina, but did I have rectal pain? HELL YES! And let me tell you, I was more than a little scared to go poop. However, I knew that prolonging the act was definitely not going to help in the long term. 

So today I'm giving you my top tips for pooping directly after you give birth. 

• This is a biggy.. please don’t delay the poop! It might seem scary, but the longer you wait and the more you suppress the urge to eliminate waste, the more backed up you will get. As the stool backs up, it ends up being stored in the descending colon, and in doing so water is removed from your poop making it harder and harder. This will make it more painful and even harder to pass. If you feel the urge, please be brave and poop. 

• When it's time to go, remember to use the squatty potty. The posture the squatty potty encourages helps to relax the pelvic floor muscle (puborectalis), which straightens your back passage and allows poop to exit with ease. Adding a low tone sound like mooooo, zoooooo or rooooooo can aid in this process by encouraging your abdominal muscles and diaphragm to contract, increasing the pressure around the rectum and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.

• Still nervous about doing a poop? Take a small pillow with you, placing it on your lower belly (this is even more important if you’ve had a cesarean section) and adding some pressure. The act of pooping requires tension (intra abdominal pressure IAP) to be created by our diaphragm and abdominal muscles , the pressure from the pillow can help regulate the IAP normally created by our stomach muscles. Plus it takes pressure off your fresh scar. 

• A great way of stimulating the parasympathetic and dampening the sympathetic nervous system is with relaxed diaphragmatic breathing. If you are not sure how to do this, check out this video. When we stimulate our parasympathetic nervous system, it gets our digestive system moving and stimulates our rectum to contract while inhibiting our internal anal sphincter, i.e. the back passage opens. The parasympathetic nervous system is all about rest and digest. This type of breathing will also massage the bowel with the rhythmic motion of your breath. Plus, as a bonus, diaphragmatic breathing will also start building an awareness of your breath and pelvic floor muscles. Did you know that when contracting your pelvic floor muscles you increase blood flow to the area which also aids in healing and recovery?

• As I’m sure you know, things can be a little tender downstairs after a vaginal birth. If you can handle the pain after giving birth, try to avoid medication containing codeine, as it will clog you up even more. There are other alternatives such as panadol for pain relief, and the use of ice to numb the area. Using ice as a cold compress also aids in your recovery by adding compression to your first aid steps. 

• If you are having trouble with passing stool and need help with softening the waste, magnesium oxide can be a great way to achieve this. However, before taking magnesium please consult with your maternity health team. 

• Your first meal after giving birth should be nutrient rich and easy to digest. Why hello Bone broth, this yummy nourishing substance can be a great way to keep you hydrated during the labour, plus it will help to give you loads of energy (trust me when I say you will need it) during the birth, and again once you have your new bubba in your arms. This liquid gold is rich in collagen (did I mention collagen can help repair any tissue damage during the labour), gelatin and lots of minerals which are thought to have many medicinal properties, one of which is strengthening the gut lining and improving our immune system. YAY! This is exactly why people offer to cook chicken soup when we are sick. When I say cook I don't mean reheat from a can. I mean the type of soup our nannas cooked when we were young. Not sure on how to cook a bone broth? Check out Chloe’s blog. You can consume the bone broth on it’s own or use it as a base for your yummy soup.

• Look after your gut MICROBIOME - these are the bugs that live in our gut - with the greatest concentration being in our large bowel, they are very much involved with the health and function of the bowel, and the quality and ease of our poop! Pregnancy and birth interventions can cause lots of disruptions to our microbiome, so it’s important to support and rebalance the microbiome postnatally (in fact it’s super important to optimise it the whole way through pregnancy learn more about that here.

• We need both PRE & PRObiotics to restore & maintain our microbiome - this can get confusing - let me explain; PREbiotics feed the good bugs and PRObiotics are the good bugs. PREbiotics are found food in plant foods (a rich and diverse plant-based diet creates a rich and diverse gut microbiome) and PRObiotics are found in fermented foods and drinks (yoghurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut etc) or supplements can be used. 

Supplemental PRObiotics are amazing to use postnatally for gut health. They help with motility, reducing inflammation, repairing tissue, regulating stool composition (keeping them soft!) etc. BUT (and this is a big but!) not all probiotics are created equal, you need to consider specific strains, mechanism of action (what they do in the body) and also quality of manufacture. We recommend Qiara - it has lots of great research, many of the beneficial mechanisms of action and it’s a quality Australian made product, it’s actually a breastmilk strain (meaning it was originally isolated from healthy human breast milk). As well as having many proven benefits for gut health and the gut microbiome - it also helps breast milk microbiome, breastfeeding outcomes and infant gut, microbiome & immune development. As far as PRObiotics go - it’s one of the best. I wish every mum and baby could have it. 

• When choosing food from a menu in a hospital, or if you have a friend or family member who has organised a food roster (these can be the best!), just remember to be fussy and ask for nutrient rich, organic whole foods that rot and make up the colours of the rainbow. Having a 1kg tray of lasagne delivered to your door, as yummy as it sounds, may not be the best for your digestive system. Chicken soup with a side order of sauerkraut can be an awesome request.

• Most importantly, when eating, take your time to chew, chew, chew your food. Chewing breaks our food down and promotes the production of gastric enzymes. Gastric enzymes are responsible for breaking our food down to an appropriate size for the small intestine to start removing nutrients. The act of chewing, filling our stomach and dumping into the small intestine stimulates a nerve pathway that causes our colon, and it’s natural peristaltic motion, to start. This peristalsis gently propels our stool through the large intestine. Way to go chewing, filling and dumping (pun intended)!

• Water, water, water! Always have a water bottle on hand and take it everywhere. Being hydrated is absolutely essential if you plan to breastfeed. It is vital to be hydrated for the production of your milk. Did you also know that dehydration can be a major cause of constipation? Since you are taking your bottle everywhere, when you have had a poop or a wee, rather than wiping the area with dry toilet paper, try using a soft damp cloth, especially if you have stitches, hemorrhoids or fissures.

• Whether you have, small graze or a minor perineal tear, an epsiotomy or a larger tear involving the external anal sphincter; it’s likely your perineal area ( the space between your vagina and anus) will be tender and need some ice and compression for 24-48hrs. Keep the area dry and clean. When drying after a shower, remember to dab the area dry. 

• Sleep. When you can, get some sleep. Hahaha… I know that this idea is good in theory but quite hard to achieve in practice. However, it is super important that you look after yourself and get sleep when you can. Try to limit screen time - especially at the 2 am feed... as tempting as it is to pick up your phone, DON’T! The blue light can affect your melatonin levels, therefore making it much harder to go back to sleep. 

• Move. This may seem like a hard task, but starting with small walks like checking the mail can be a great way to stimulate your GUT to get moving. 

At Eastern Osteopathy we believe that having good quality poop and optimising your gastrointestinal tract (GIT) health should be part of all new mamas postnatal health plans. Doing so will not just have a positive impact on your git, it will have a positive impact on your immune system, your mental health, the function of your pelvic floor and then there are the health benefits to your new baby. 

Pelvic Floor Series: Anatomy of the Pelvic Floor

Kate and Liz are coming together for a pelvic floor series to share a few short videos and articles about the pelvic floor. In this video Kate goes through the anatomy of the pelvic floor.

Endometriosis, Periods and your hormones with Dr. Amanda Waaldyk, Doctor of Chinese Medicine

For our expert zoom series, Kate recently interviewed Dr. Amanda Waaldyk, Doctor of Chinese Medicine, about endometriosis, periods and hormones. Amanda provided some amazing insight on the impact endometriosis has on your pain and quality of life, and the role your hormones play.

For more information on Dr. Amanda Waaldyk and Endometriois, visit Amanda’s website for more resources or to book an appointment. You can also find more information on Amanda’s Instagram page.

Stress and it's impact on your pelvic floor with Dr. Kathryn Johns and Dr. Elizabeth Johns, Osteopaths

As a part of our recent expert zoom series, Kate and Liz got together to talk about stress and it’s impact on your pelvic floor. Kate and Liz have completed extensive physiotherapy based study on the pelvic floor, both internationally and locally, here in Australia. Kate and Liz are experienced in diagnosis, assessment and treatment of the pelvic floor and how it impacts the rest of your body.

For more resources on the pelvic floor, follow the Eastern Osteopathy Instagram page.