Giving It All For A Full Recovery

[Master Mal]

Had a great meeting with a physical therapist. As I suspected, my pelvic muscles were totally fucked but the good news is that's very fixable.

Turns out I've been breathing wrong for a long time (ie, not into my stomach) and I've been clenching a lot when I was stressed, which caused my muscles to become inflamed and basically squeeze the shit out of everything downstairs, including nerves, glands, and organs. It makes perfect sense, as the feeling always came up when I crashed or when things got really stressful.

I've been working on holding myself differently and breathing properly, and I'm already feeling positive results. The pain is subsiding, my workouts are more productive, and my ED is (slowly) subsiding. It's going to take more work, but I'm glad after all this time I've figured out what to do.

So, yeah. A word to everyone - when you crash or get stressed it's important to keep it together and develop positive coping mechanisms. You never know how your muscles will internalize something.

[Master Mal]

Had my second PT visit yesterday. Pain is much more diminished and my libido is going back up. Still have some ED, but I have a feeling that will get better too.

[petty3112]

Good to hear, Mal. I've started doing those stretches from the YouTube link you posted, and I'm hoping they help. I really believe that, in addition to the litany of other issues, the stress and trauma induced by PFS also causes substantial pelvic floor issues, which manifests itself in some of the libido and penile changes that many on this forum experience (myself included).

[Master Mal]

Good to hear, Mal. I've started doing those stretches from the YouTube link you posted, and I'm hoping they help. I really believe that, in addition to the litany of other issues, the stress and trauma induced by PFS also causes substantial pelvic floor issues, which manifests itself in some of the libido and penile changes that many on this forum experience (myself included).

I really recommend seeking out a pelvic floor PT as well. Mine has been incredibly helpful, and even without the benefit of insurance surprisingly affordable (125 per session) for the progress I'm making.

[LetsGo]

I really recommend seeking out a pelvic floor PT as well. Mine has been incredibly helpful, and even without the benefit of insurance surprisingly affordable (125 per session) for the progress I'm making.

Do you recommend it for guys who are still having upswings and downswings? And would we try to explain PFS to the pelvic floor therapist, or just explain the symptoms and see if they can help? I do have a feeling that I have pelvic floor issues, since after I urinate sometimes I temporarily get an hourglass shape.

I have a whole bunch of pelvic floor physical therapists near me that take my insurance, so I think it’s maybe $20 per session. Some brief online searching said that they do two sessions per week for 8 to 12 weeks as well as exercises to do at home.

[Master Mal]

Do you recommend it for guys who are still having upswings and downswings? And would we try to explain PFS to the pelvic floor therapist, or just explain the symptoms and see if they can help? I do have a feeling that I have pelvic floor issues, since after I urinate sometimes I temporarily get an hourglass shape.

I have a whole bunch of pelvic floor physical therapists near me that take my insurance, so I think it’s maybe $20 per session. Some brief online searching said that they do two sessions per week for 8 to 12 weeks as well as exercises to do at home.

I would totally recommend it for that stage. I was in so much pain over all this bullshit, and I learned from my PT it was because the stress was causing me to clench and breathe wrong.

I've relearning to breath through my belly not just doing Wim Hof, but all the time. I'm also identifying when I'm clenching and working on reverse kegels to counteract them. I also found out my inner thighs were tight as fuck, and when she massaged them my libido went up later that day.

I'm still doing work, but holy shit I wish I had known about this a long time ago. I could have been spared so much pain and worry I had cancer.

[Cdsnuts]

I would totally recommend it for that stage. I was in so much pain over all this bullshit, and I learned from my PT it was because the stress was causing me to clench and breathe wrong.

I've relearning to breath through my belly not just doing Wim Hof, but all the time. I'm also identifying when I'm clenching and working on reverse kegels to counteract them. I also found out my inner thighs were tight as fuck, and when she massaged them my libido went up later that day.

I'm still doing work, but holy shit I wish I had known about this a long time ago. I could have been spared so much pain and worry I had cancer.

Interesting. I've never needed it, but if it helps.

[Outlaw]

Hey Mal, really interesting stuff.

I just went to see a PT and he told me I was breathing wrong too, and that my sternum was really really tensed. He said it pulls on my neck muscles, which puts pressure on my eustachian tube, which could cause tinnitus and sound sensitivity.

Anyway, he gave me an exercise to do so I'm sharing here in case it helps some guys:

You lie down in bed, put one hand on your bellybutton and one hand on your pelvic bone. You breath through your stomach (so a hand on your sternum would barely move), so that both hands raise. You then exhale in a way that only lowers the bellybutton hand, and keeps the pelvic hand up. Then you empty your air to lower the pelvic hand. Repeat 25x morning and night.

He said this will also help my pelvic floor, which he suspects I have problems with. I had similar problems 2 years ago for a month or two, so it's not too far fetched. He said this exercise should help loosen everything in pelvic area and neck

[Cdsnuts]

Hey Mal, really interesting stuff.

I just went to see a PT and he told me I was breathing wrong too, and that my sternum was really really tensed. He said it pulls on my neck muscles, which puts pressure on my eustachian tube, which could cause tinnitus and sound sensitivity.

Anyway, he gave me an exercise to do so I'm sharing here in case it helps some guys:

You lie down in bed, put one hand on your bellybutton and one hand on your pelvic bone. You breath through your stomach (so a hand on your sternum would barely move), so that both hands raise. You then exhale in a way that only lowers the bellybutton hand, and keeps the pelvic hand up. Then you empty your air to lower the pelvic hand. Repeat 25x morning and night.

He said this will also help my pelvic floor, which he suspects I have problems with. I had similar problems 2 years ago for a month or two, so it's not too far fetched. He said this exercise should help loosen everything in pelvic area and neck

Yes....breathing with your diaphragm......

[petty3112]

Hey Mal, how are the pelvic floor exercises going? Are you still seeing results?