Health Organization for Pudendal Education

All I can say is that a few people have reported that she knows her stuff and really tries to evaluate what the problem is (sometimes impossible?)
I think at one time she was the only person around who could evaluate the pelvis well, so she maybe has longer experience than others but I think the list on the home page is worth looking at,there may be someone closer. I would ring first and tell whoever you consider what your concerns are and see if they think they can help.
The physio on the list near me was more focussing on weak or tight pelvic floor muscles, which isn't a major problem for me, although I may still try to get an appointment (NHS ha,ha,ha,ha!) just to rule it out if nothing else.
Helen

Hi Helen

I couldn't find Ruth Lovegrove Jones anywhere on the internet except on Linkdin, the practice she is at in Southampton is not listed. However, in my search I found one a tad closer to home (although still an hour's drive) : to quote....

has specialist training in physical therapy for chronic pelvic pain. Chronic Pelvic Pain is a term used to describe pain that has been present in the pelvic region for at least 6 months or more and may include:
Dyspareunia (painful sexual intercourse)
Vaginismus (overactivity of the pelvic floor muscles)
Pudendal neuralgia (pain involving the pudendal nerve which supplies the pelvic region)
Interstitial Cystitis (a condition which affects the bladder causing urgency, frequency and pain)
(does both internal and external work.)

I have had such little pain/discomfort with this that I feel a bit of a fraud on here compared with others who so clearly are suffering terribly. What I am concerned about is that it will progress if i don't take action now. I can't even fill the criteria for diagnosis as I have only had 3 occasions in the last 12/18 months of PN which lasted around a day and a half at most. The worst pain was the burning in the front of my thigh which lasted the longest and was the most uncomfortable of all. Strange, but chiro did say it can affect that area too.

Convinced though that SIJD is root cause of all this aggravation for me - taking care not to aggravate or let muscles become too tense.

Hope you are ok xx

Polly xxxxxxx

Hi Polly,
Here is a diagram representing the innervation of the lower torso which shows the front of the thigh and which nerve(s) are responsible for feeling although this can't be considered an absolute map for everyone as the anatomy can vary person to person. It does give a good idea though and may help. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gray826and831.PNG
Sorry I thought all of the physio's on this list http://www.pelvicphysiotherapy.com/manual-therapists
were on the home pages. . . . .This one is quiteup to date so there may even be someone nearer you, although the very fact that PN is mentioned in the synopsis given, they sound good too.
Dr Ruth Jones is on that list, in Winchester, would think that has to be her?
I just think it is SO useful to get a good evaluation as you can then take that knowledge and have a better grasp of what is going on. I would like to do the same more as an exercise rather than as an end to less pain.
Sorry if you have searched needlessly. I hope there is someone on the list who can help
Helen x

Hi Helen

Thanks so much for that info - I think we have too many "bits" in our body and evolution needs to make some modifications!! It's all so confusing. What is causing what I ask???

My confusion is, having read lots of things on here I can't even fall into a category - do I have PN or not? Mostly the diagnosis seems to be based on pain worsening on sitting - I don't have that problem (apart from the SIJD which I've had for years) ... just the 3 flare ups in the last 12/18 months. These have always followed my 'monthly' cycle (within a couple of days). Starting with severe pain/inflammation in S3, awful spasms in piriformis, groin pain - flare in the nether regions and lastly the hypersensitivity in the front thigh and tightness in the inner thigh. In that order The sensitivity in the thigh is the most painful of all ! Far outweighing the others. Then they disappear in the same order within a day or two.

Do I have some nerve cross-talk going on I wonder?

No PT's any nearer to me than about an hour's drive or so, but that's ok - might definitely be worth a check-up with someone who does understand PN at least. Might answer a few questions and hopefully alleviate some concerns.

Oh well, onwards and upwards to finding out what's going on. Take care petal

Polly xxxxx