*October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  To read more about this topic check out http://www.nbcam.org/.  You can find out more about current annual mammogram recommendations and information on the disease.

If you would like information on Physical Therapy and breast cancer check out my past newsletter on the topic. 

West Virginia has a program that provides free cancer prevention screening including mammograms to qualified people.  Check out the WV Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening program web page to see the criteria and when this screening is available in your area.



* What does it mean when my bladder "falls"?

All your pelvic organs are designed to be held up in place by a combination of pelvic floor muscle and connective tissue and ligament strength.  Sometimes in women, due to aging (darn that gravity), childbirth, repetitive heavy lifting, high impact activities and such, the organ support system looses holding capacity and the organs can “fall” or drop into the vaginal canal.  Imagine that piece of elastic in your favorite pants that looses its snappy spring over time only to cause you to have droopy drawers. 

While the bladder is the most common organ to fall, any pelvic organ can drop. Falling of the bladder it is called a cystocele, the rectum is a rectocele, the uterus is a uterocele, and intestines are an enterocele.  Collectively, any dropped pelvic organ is called pelvic organ prolapse or POP for short. 

Most people are not aware they have a prolapse early on.  The organs remain in the vaginal cavity.  Over time, it may actually protrude outside the body.  Fortunately, while this doesn’t sound good, most women have no pain and few symptoms with a prolapse.  If caught early they respond very well to conservative physical therapy including pelvic floor muscle training.  If this fails, surgery can be used to lift and tuck the organ back in place. 

*What is a Journal?

This journal is similar to a blog but without the ability for others to provide comments. I (or my staff) will be periodically writing on various subjects pertaining to chronic pain and women’s health. The goal is to provide useful bits of information on these subjects. My patients are always looking for more knowledge related to their problem, but sometimes this can be difficult to find.

You can go to SEARCH on the web page to pull up all the information on a specific topic or you can read sequentially about various topics. The focus will be on physical therapy but I will also include other interesting information that is related to the relevant subjects. I stay pretty busy but will try to post new entries as I have time.

This information is provided to help enhance understanding but NOT to diagnose or suggest treatment. There are too many variables involved in each person’s unique problems that cannot be solved by bits and pieces of information provided on the web. Please see your health professional for specifics related to your situation. Also, coverage of specific products or research articles is not meant to imply endorsement or agreement of the findings.

I hope you find this Journal useful. Use it to find out more about conditions such as Fibromyalgia, pregnancy, or incontinence or to be better informed when you see your doctor. Check back frequently to find new information. If you have any suggestions or comments, please click on CONTACT US and drop us an email.

*Welcome to the Clemens Physical Therapy, PLLC Website!

Welcome to our new and improved website. We are excited to be able to bring you more information on the different conditions that we treat and the unique treatments we have available. We specialize in the treatment of chronic pain in men, women, and children and women's health and pelvic floor rehabilitation. Feel free to look around to see what we do. Be sure to bookmark our site and check back often as new information will be added regularly as time permits.

This site will be a work in progress. If you have any requests for specific topics or additional information, please don't hesitate to ask. We want this site to be as useful as possible to YOU and the best way to do that is to find out what YOU want to know. Send us an email and let us know your ideas.

Check out Conditions We Treat, What Patients Say, Who We Are, Why We Are Unique, and Useful Links. There is also information for patients and professionals on how to be seen at Clemens Physical Therapy, PLLC. Answers to some of the most common questions can be found at the FAQ section. We will periodically add journal entries on different subjects related to chronic pain, women's health, and pelvic floor rehabilitation. If you want to find more information, go to Search and type in the subject you want.

We hope you enjoy the website. Please contact us if you have any questions or suggestions.