My amazing Pudendal Neuralgia recovery with Michael Durtnall
Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 4:44 pm
This is not only my story but also my journey of living with coccyx bone pain (coccydynia) and pudendal neuralgia.
Back at the end of 2012 I started to develop severe pain in my tailbone, sitting began to become increasingly difficult due to severe, severe burning pain not only in my tailbone/bum but also on the left side of my vagina internally, spreading down the inside of my left thigh.
At the start I told no one… largely due to embarrassment. I avoided sitting as much as possible and told myself it would go away. It did not. Instead it got much, much worse.
By February 2013 I could no longer sit. The emotional and psychological aspect of this was just as devastating as the unbearable pain. I could never get comfortable, not even able to lie on my back or my side at night as this increased the pain. As a result, sleep was also robbed from me. My tired and exhausted body having to carry this constant pain …, never given a chance to just rest.
My partner would find me sitting on the toilet in the middle of the night, with a pillow behind my head, a blanket around me, in an effort to try get some precious sleep. There was no pressure on the tailbone or public area due to the hole in the toilet seat. In the early hours of the morning I might doze asleep for an hour, due to exhaustion. My appetite went, due to this severe burning constant, constant pain, 24 hours-7 days a week, month after month. This combined with the emotional & physical anguish of not being able to sit began to affect every aspect of my life.
My relationship suffered… no longer able to have sex due to the severe pain. This added to the loneliness & isolation I felt. It affected my partner, we missed our closeness and being able to bond. Our love for each other never faded thankfully. What I missed most was being able to fall asleep snuggled up with my partner. Both my social life went as well as the one I shared with my partner. No longer able to go out to dinner, movies etc.
I was 28 years old. What I am trying to convey here is that living with severe pain day in, day out, month after month is not just an extreme, unbearable sensation and discomfort. It creeps and weeps away at every aspect of your life. At every aspect of your being, of who you are. Bit by bit the pieces of your life get smaller and smaller. Pain becomes the dictator in term of your physical abilities. It challenges your emotional and mental wellbeing to it’s very core.
Finding the strength to take care of your mental and emotional wellbeing is equally as important as trying to find help for your physical pain.
By now it was July 2013. I had not sat down in over 6 months. I was exhausted to my very core and desperate for help. Help was something I could not find. I had an MRI, was given 2 sacroiliac joint injections which actually made the pain worse, due to the irritation it caused, and was prescribed a cocktail of anti-epileptic and anti-depressant drugs which are meant to help with nerve pain. I was told to learn to live with it and that there were lots and lots of drugs to try. I am a qualified nurse and well aware of the horrible side effects of these drugs as well as their little effect on pain, except to drug you, dull your brain until you are foggy, cloudy almost zombie like. Instead I flushed them down the toilet every month determined not to inflict a whole new set of issues on my already exhausted body.
As far as trying to find out what could be causing this pain, well that was something that the numerous consultants I saw were not even remotely interested in doing. Awake at night I would search the internet & my symptoms to try and find someone who could help me. I came across a website called coccyx.org. This was to be my saving grace. There were lots of posts from sufferer’s similar to me. There was also a list of doctors worldwide who help treat coccyx pain, pelvic pain, pudendal neuralgia.
There was one name that kept re-appearing, crediting his worth repeatedly - Michael Durtnall who runs Sayer Clinics in London. I clicked on the website link and read Michael’s description of coccyx pain, pelvic pain, pudendal pain. As well as the treatment, he offers.
I broke down crying, finally someone who understood, was willing to treat the cause to offer long-term results and improvements. I knew instinctively that this was the right doctor & treatment for me. I was going to London!!
I travelled to London on my own, standing on the flight unable to sit. I lay in the back of a taxi from Heathrow unable to sit. I was booked in for a week of treatment at the clinic.
I’ll never forget the first time I met Michael Durtnall. His face light’s up with warmth and kindness when he smiles. There is light behind his eyes. He is truly present and actively listening and more importantly-hearing you, the patient’s voice. All of this combined with his aliveness, ability to be real, his energy and presence immediately sets the core foundation for any therapeutic relationship between a doctor & patient - trust.
Not only is Michael brilliantly talented and gifted at what he does but also it's the unique combination of his skill & craft combined with his ability to listen, to hear the patients voice, to be empathetic that brings about … healing & recovery. Not only at a purely physical level but also mentally & emotionally hope is regained, inner strength rekindled and a deep knowing in your heart that my pain will become less and my life will improve and start to flourish and flow again. The way life is meant to.
Encounters like this are rare in the medical world & I cannot write this review without speaking the truth of what I’ve experienced while undergoing treatment with Michael.
Michael Durtnall is a rare and precious gift to this world. As the great saying goes ‘What you do in life echoes for an eternity’.
Michael’s ground-breaking work in treating coccyx pain and pudendal neuralgia combined with the unique, wonderful person that he is, will leave lasting implications for years to come. As my dad would say ’He is one of the greats’.
I stayed for a week of treatment in late July 2013. I was nervous before the treatment but Michael is so professional and truly wants the best outcome for you. This helped me relax, I accepted that this was what I needed to do. I didn’t feel embarrassed discussing my symptoms with Michael. So for anyone who is scared or nervous etc, please don’t be. There is no need. This is your body, your life, what your going through is real. The internal treatment for the coccyx and pelvic floor is actually fine. You are treated with respect, dignity and privacy. Most importantly Michael explains everything to you & how its causing your pain. This in itself is liberating as you feel empowered that you can help your body heal & recover.
After a week of treatment the results were amazing. I was finally able to sit down after more than 6 months of not being able to sit. The severe burning pain reduced from 100% to 20%. I felt so much better and of course happier.
I returned in September 2013 for another week of treatment and again the results were hugely beneficial. I was able to sit for 30 minutes, go out for dinner, walk, sleep etc. Grateful wouldn’t even come close to describing how I felt. Michael gave me my quality of life back.
It’s now April 2017 and I have returned for a week of treatment with Michael at Sayer Clinic. Sadly I was involved in a very serious car crash in January 2014. I sustained serious injuries to my face, jaw, neck & shoulder. Over the past 3 years I have had a lot of surgeries, injections etc. which has left it’s toll on my body. As a result the coccyx pain & pudendal pain returned in the summer of 2016. Even though the pain is excruciating I felt strangely calm inside. I knew that I could come back to see Michael at and that he would help me. That in itself gave me inner strength & courage to cope. Due to the injuries to my jaw & neck I’ve had a lot of pain & discomfort and my digestion has suffered.
As well as helping me with the coccyx & pudendal pain, Michael is also helping me with my neck & abdomen. The results are remarkable. When your pelvic floor is all contracted and miserable with pain it effects diaphragm & abdomen. They become completely jammed up, breathing is difficult, digestion grounds to a halt. This becomes a vicious cycle. Your mood is effected due to not breathing properly & poor diet.
When the pelvic floor is released & no longer super tight & contracted it has a knock-on effect & releases your diaphragm & abdomen. I have experienced this and the results are AMAZING! It’s easier to breath, to eat but also it has a dramatic effect on your mood as you get a huge surge in your serotonin levels. New research is discovering that the majority of our serotonin is actually produced in our gut not our brain. Therefore if your gut, abdomen & diaphragm are not working properly your serotonin production is effected & lowered resulting in low mood in conjunction with the severe pain you're experiencing. This is why depression & chronic pain often co-exist. This is not your fault, your body isn’t working in harmony & balance the way it’s meant to. Doctor Stephan Porges writes brilliantly about this & has published huge research in the area. If you can it is definitely worth reading about and will help you understand what is going on in your body.
I am now at the end of my week of treatment and my pelvic pain has improved 60% in one week. I plan to return in July again for a week of treatment.
I would also like to mention & thank hugely the team of Physios Marta, Sofia & Katy who are extremely skilled in helping to formulate a recovery plan & path forward for you. This is hugely important as Michael & his team incorporate a holistic approach to your recovery and are dedicated to helping you heal & recover.
Hope has a new meaning for me now and I have Michael Durtnall to thank for that.
He most definitely can help you to improve your condition & regain renewed strength so that your life will improve.
Life is a journey, don’t stay stuck in despair & hopelessness. Take the first single step, go and see Michael, get your power back and move your life forward.
Back at the end of 2012 I started to develop severe pain in my tailbone, sitting began to become increasingly difficult due to severe, severe burning pain not only in my tailbone/bum but also on the left side of my vagina internally, spreading down the inside of my left thigh.
At the start I told no one… largely due to embarrassment. I avoided sitting as much as possible and told myself it would go away. It did not. Instead it got much, much worse.
By February 2013 I could no longer sit. The emotional and psychological aspect of this was just as devastating as the unbearable pain. I could never get comfortable, not even able to lie on my back or my side at night as this increased the pain. As a result, sleep was also robbed from me. My tired and exhausted body having to carry this constant pain …, never given a chance to just rest.
My partner would find me sitting on the toilet in the middle of the night, with a pillow behind my head, a blanket around me, in an effort to try get some precious sleep. There was no pressure on the tailbone or public area due to the hole in the toilet seat. In the early hours of the morning I might doze asleep for an hour, due to exhaustion. My appetite went, due to this severe burning constant, constant pain, 24 hours-7 days a week, month after month. This combined with the emotional & physical anguish of not being able to sit began to affect every aspect of my life.
My relationship suffered… no longer able to have sex due to the severe pain. This added to the loneliness & isolation I felt. It affected my partner, we missed our closeness and being able to bond. Our love for each other never faded thankfully. What I missed most was being able to fall asleep snuggled up with my partner. Both my social life went as well as the one I shared with my partner. No longer able to go out to dinner, movies etc.
I was 28 years old. What I am trying to convey here is that living with severe pain day in, day out, month after month is not just an extreme, unbearable sensation and discomfort. It creeps and weeps away at every aspect of your life. At every aspect of your being, of who you are. Bit by bit the pieces of your life get smaller and smaller. Pain becomes the dictator in term of your physical abilities. It challenges your emotional and mental wellbeing to it’s very core.
Finding the strength to take care of your mental and emotional wellbeing is equally as important as trying to find help for your physical pain.
By now it was July 2013. I had not sat down in over 6 months. I was exhausted to my very core and desperate for help. Help was something I could not find. I had an MRI, was given 2 sacroiliac joint injections which actually made the pain worse, due to the irritation it caused, and was prescribed a cocktail of anti-epileptic and anti-depressant drugs which are meant to help with nerve pain. I was told to learn to live with it and that there were lots and lots of drugs to try. I am a qualified nurse and well aware of the horrible side effects of these drugs as well as their little effect on pain, except to drug you, dull your brain until you are foggy, cloudy almost zombie like. Instead I flushed them down the toilet every month determined not to inflict a whole new set of issues on my already exhausted body.
As far as trying to find out what could be causing this pain, well that was something that the numerous consultants I saw were not even remotely interested in doing. Awake at night I would search the internet & my symptoms to try and find someone who could help me. I came across a website called coccyx.org. This was to be my saving grace. There were lots of posts from sufferer’s similar to me. There was also a list of doctors worldwide who help treat coccyx pain, pelvic pain, pudendal neuralgia.
There was one name that kept re-appearing, crediting his worth repeatedly - Michael Durtnall who runs Sayer Clinics in London. I clicked on the website link and read Michael’s description of coccyx pain, pelvic pain, pudendal pain. As well as the treatment, he offers.
I broke down crying, finally someone who understood, was willing to treat the cause to offer long-term results and improvements. I knew instinctively that this was the right doctor & treatment for me. I was going to London!!
I travelled to London on my own, standing on the flight unable to sit. I lay in the back of a taxi from Heathrow unable to sit. I was booked in for a week of treatment at the clinic.
I’ll never forget the first time I met Michael Durtnall. His face light’s up with warmth and kindness when he smiles. There is light behind his eyes. He is truly present and actively listening and more importantly-hearing you, the patient’s voice. All of this combined with his aliveness, ability to be real, his energy and presence immediately sets the core foundation for any therapeutic relationship between a doctor & patient - trust.
Not only is Michael brilliantly talented and gifted at what he does but also it's the unique combination of his skill & craft combined with his ability to listen, to hear the patients voice, to be empathetic that brings about … healing & recovery. Not only at a purely physical level but also mentally & emotionally hope is regained, inner strength rekindled and a deep knowing in your heart that my pain will become less and my life will improve and start to flourish and flow again. The way life is meant to.
Encounters like this are rare in the medical world & I cannot write this review without speaking the truth of what I’ve experienced while undergoing treatment with Michael.
Michael Durtnall is a rare and precious gift to this world. As the great saying goes ‘What you do in life echoes for an eternity’.
Michael’s ground-breaking work in treating coccyx pain and pudendal neuralgia combined with the unique, wonderful person that he is, will leave lasting implications for years to come. As my dad would say ’He is one of the greats’.
I stayed for a week of treatment in late July 2013. I was nervous before the treatment but Michael is so professional and truly wants the best outcome for you. This helped me relax, I accepted that this was what I needed to do. I didn’t feel embarrassed discussing my symptoms with Michael. So for anyone who is scared or nervous etc, please don’t be. There is no need. This is your body, your life, what your going through is real. The internal treatment for the coccyx and pelvic floor is actually fine. You are treated with respect, dignity and privacy. Most importantly Michael explains everything to you & how its causing your pain. This in itself is liberating as you feel empowered that you can help your body heal & recover.
After a week of treatment the results were amazing. I was finally able to sit down after more than 6 months of not being able to sit. The severe burning pain reduced from 100% to 20%. I felt so much better and of course happier.
I returned in September 2013 for another week of treatment and again the results were hugely beneficial. I was able to sit for 30 minutes, go out for dinner, walk, sleep etc. Grateful wouldn’t even come close to describing how I felt. Michael gave me my quality of life back.
It’s now April 2017 and I have returned for a week of treatment with Michael at Sayer Clinic. Sadly I was involved in a very serious car crash in January 2014. I sustained serious injuries to my face, jaw, neck & shoulder. Over the past 3 years I have had a lot of surgeries, injections etc. which has left it’s toll on my body. As a result the coccyx pain & pudendal pain returned in the summer of 2016. Even though the pain is excruciating I felt strangely calm inside. I knew that I could come back to see Michael at and that he would help me. That in itself gave me inner strength & courage to cope. Due to the injuries to my jaw & neck I’ve had a lot of pain & discomfort and my digestion has suffered.
As well as helping me with the coccyx & pudendal pain, Michael is also helping me with my neck & abdomen. The results are remarkable. When your pelvic floor is all contracted and miserable with pain it effects diaphragm & abdomen. They become completely jammed up, breathing is difficult, digestion grounds to a halt. This becomes a vicious cycle. Your mood is effected due to not breathing properly & poor diet.
When the pelvic floor is released & no longer super tight & contracted it has a knock-on effect & releases your diaphragm & abdomen. I have experienced this and the results are AMAZING! It’s easier to breath, to eat but also it has a dramatic effect on your mood as you get a huge surge in your serotonin levels. New research is discovering that the majority of our serotonin is actually produced in our gut not our brain. Therefore if your gut, abdomen & diaphragm are not working properly your serotonin production is effected & lowered resulting in low mood in conjunction with the severe pain you're experiencing. This is why depression & chronic pain often co-exist. This is not your fault, your body isn’t working in harmony & balance the way it’s meant to. Doctor Stephan Porges writes brilliantly about this & has published huge research in the area. If you can it is definitely worth reading about and will help you understand what is going on in your body.
I am now at the end of my week of treatment and my pelvic pain has improved 60% in one week. I plan to return in July again for a week of treatment.
I would also like to mention & thank hugely the team of Physios Marta, Sofia & Katy who are extremely skilled in helping to formulate a recovery plan & path forward for you. This is hugely important as Michael & his team incorporate a holistic approach to your recovery and are dedicated to helping you heal & recover.
Hope has a new meaning for me now and I have Michael Durtnall to thank for that.
He most definitely can help you to improve your condition & regain renewed strength so that your life will improve.
Life is a journey, don’t stay stuck in despair & hopelessness. Take the first single step, go and see Michael, get your power back and move your life forward.
