laser therapy for cystocele

Submitted by beauty on March 18, 2012 - 1:58pm
Body: 

I have recently been seeing a Chiropractor and he has encouraged me to pursue a pessary, acupuncture and also to look into laser therapy to help my tissue heal around my cystocele. I do not entirely understand exactly how this might help but I am planning to consult a PT who specializes in incontinence. I wonder if anybody else has thoughts about this?

Forum:

Surviving60

March 19, 2012 - 11:10am

Hi Beauty - You can use the search box to look for threads on these topics. I'm not sure about the laser therapy, is this a type of surgery or is it something used to "fix" tissues after surgery? I doubt you'll find too many fans of that type of a procedure on this forum. The goal of Whole Woman is to prevent women from having these procedures, and instead to adopt a natural posture which over time will help stabilize and even reverse symptoms so we can all get on with our lives. Keep looking around on this site for information, and post your questions here. - Surviving

Christine

March 19, 2012 - 4:07pm

...is simply another form of scalpel. What I want women to question is the anatomical facts around such interventions. Frankly, the statement "laser therapy to help my tissue heal around my cystocele" does not make sense outside a system that must rely on euphemism and obscuration to persuade women toward dangerous surgery. Creating scar tissue in order to barricade and "strengthen" the vaginal walls against prolapsing organs is a very old and useless concept. It hasn't worked in over 100 years and it doesn't work now - no matter what surgical tool (or operator!!) is used. Prolapse and incontinence are most reasonably addressed by returning to the true pelvic organ support system, which we have described thousands of times here on the website.

It makes me curious why you ask about all these other treatments when this is a group of women dedicated to the Whole Woman work?? Hope you find the answers you are looking for.

Christine

Mishek

March 19, 2012 - 8:11pm

Personally i wouldn't go down that risky path for fear of creating more permanent damage. Why put your body through such stress when all you have to do is adopt the ww posture (so easy) I don't believe in complicating something that is so simple.
Many women here including myself are proof of what WW work can do.

louiseds

March 20, 2012 - 9:23am

Would you have a laser face lift?

beauty

March 20, 2012 - 11:38am

I had never heard of laser therapy before the Chiropractor mentioned it. I told him that I would do some research and in the meantime I want to go forward with acupuncture 2 x's a week for 5 weeks to see if there is any improvement. Laser therapy sounded to me like the same logic as the acupuncture, stimulating the nervous system to aid the tissue to heal itself, although not quite as holisic because the laser would be trained on the tissue around my bladder. I was told that this would stimulate circulation, nobody mentioned scar tissue or surgery. Searching the web has turned up surgical procedures and my own post her on the WW forum! So I guess the Chiropractor was suggesting a surgical procedure. Sigh.

I have left no stone unturned in my quest. However the biggest obstacle I have encountered is silence. I showed my husband the first aid for prolapse video. He is an M.D. and he did not know exactly what to make of it. But it was an avenue for a conversation about what has gone wrong in our sex life and why I could use his help sorting through all this information and silence to develop a plan and feel more hopeful. He thinks I should, "have the surgery and he will help me with the anxiety and uncertainty". I see it differently, I would like him to battle the silence with me. I NEED him to know that I am not trying to undermine our marriage by avoiding surgery. There is a reason why prolapse so often leads to divorce... So although it might seem philosophically inconsistent or unnecessarily complicated, it beats the hell out of total silence and loneliness.

So having gotten that out of the way... You girls have any ideas about how to have sex that does not put constant pressure on my bladder? Maybe I am not being imaginative enough? Please if somebody has been through this, don't be shy! I am asking on a need to know basis!!!

curiousity

March 20, 2012 - 11:58am

Just quickly, as I have to run ...

When I was shown a pamphlet on the surgical options by a gynaecologist, it scared the hell out of me when I read the possible complications. Sex after surgery seemed like a far risky prospect than before! I don't know if you or your husband has been given one of these pamphlets.

Have you tried outercourse? i.e. doing everything but penetration: oral sex, mutual masturbation, frottage, using sex toys?

Gotta go - hope this is helpful.

Grandma Joy

March 21, 2012 - 12:11am

I can't help but wonder if this chiropractor meant light therapy as opposed to laser therapy. Many people confuse the two, even chiropractors who have heard of it but are not practicing it have confused the two words. Laser is an acronym for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation." It is a coherent beam of light and is used in laser surgery.

LED is "Light Emitting Diode" and is non-coherent. There are a few chiropractors who use LED light therapy called Quantum Neurology Rehabilitation having to do with working on the nerve system. It is non-invasive. NASA has used it in space and several cancer centers have done clinical trials on it's use for after surgery wound healing. It is used to strengthen the patient's nervous system and to help wounds heal; i.e. people who've had injuries, surgeries and illnesses. It might bear a little research. Would it help heal the muscles around a cystocele? - I have no clue.

Grandma Joy

louiseds

March 21, 2012 - 12:38am

I agree with Curiosity about outercourse.

You could try different positions for coitus too, where you can maintain your lumbar curve and keep your bladder out of the way. These positions are basically with you on top so you are in charge (kerching!) or side lying. Another option is with you on your tummy with hips on several pillows. Another option if you like lying on your back is move down the bed a bit and grasp the bedhead firmly with both hands. Arms above your head lifts your coccyx and reinforces your lumbar curve by activating your lattimus dorsi muscles. I think this is why many bedheads have uprights! Another option would be to use a low pillow at waist level. Down lower I find gives me back ache. You might also find that lifting your pelvis on pillows will drop your bladder and uterus further into your body, not forwards, but at least away from your vagina.

That should get your imagination going.

I am so proud of you, raising this with your husband. It is so much easier to extend the silence and not take the risk of rejection or anger, or whatever else you fear. Even if our men hide in their proverbial cave and don't initiate difficult discussions doesn't mean they don't want to find solutions. It just seems to be genetically our cue that we have to initiate the discussions. Then they will follow.

Many women on the Forums have had similar discussions with their male partner, and have had similar good outcomes. Keep up the dialog, and I hope you find solutions.

Louise

beauty

April 8, 2012 - 1:05pm

Yes Grandma Joy! The Chiropractor is certified in light/cold laser therapy. This is quite rare in the U.S. b/c insurance does not reimburse. Of course it doesn't pay for acupuncture either! I am still thinking about the laser therapy, it appears to be something quite different from surgery. My thought is that this method might work better if I can find a pessary that holds my bladder in place. I don't think my bladder needs light therapy... I think my cystocele would be considered a stage 3. I am having trouble with the pessary that the Ob/Gyn gave me because it slips out of place but I think a different model might just hold. The Ob/Gyn gave me a pessary that appears to be for a stage 1 or 2 cystocele. I am thinking that a different shape would be a lot better.

@louiseds, Thanxs for the pointers. :-)