Levator ani syndrome

@ch47, you may also be interested in this related discussion:
- Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pelvic-floor-dysfunction-1/

This article may offer some help:
- Understanding Levator Ani Syndrome: https://www.healthline.com/health/levator-ani-syndrome

Does heat or a sitz bath provide relief?

Colleen,
Thank you so much for the Levator ani info…will make sure to flag this post and give these exercises a try…ch47

I've had this problem for 8 years now. When it began, I'd have it for a few awful minutes, but it got longer and worse with time.

Lucky for me, I happen to have been a doula, and I've got a whole stable of TENS units, so I thought I'd give it a try.

I started by placing the pads as I did for the labouring folks I worked with, but over the first year and a half after I got my first episode, they got worse, and I moved the pads lower and lower.

Now I'm placing two (no kidding) on either side of my anus and two more right above that, then cranking the machine up to 10.

Until last night, this has always provided immediate and full relief, though if I take them off, the pain returns, and I have to leave them on for 2-3 hours to be out of danger.

Sadly, last night, the relief was immediate, but not complete. It wasn't bad, but I'm not happy with that direction.

There's a chance that the pads were past their expiry date, so I might have to order new ones.

Anyhow, the upshot is that it's provided many years of relief for me and it may be worth a try for others.

Good luck!

So sorry that your relief mechanisms are changing…
Two years ago I just said that is enough and said I didn’t care, I am seeing any snd every doc I could to work this through. I have been seeing a fabulous pelvic therapist after not so fabulous ones. Urethra issues, bladder ones, rectal ones. Plus the pain. Dilators vag and rectal. Forget what it’s called, but learning how to pee with pads and a monitor. My urologist rx’d some muscle relaxers. Also had burser sac swelling in internal hip groin area, shots every 6 weeks to reduce swelling. Orthopedic doc.
My spine is doing bad, doing test injections for nerve ablation. That helped the areas worked in, and so we worked further down the spine.
Finally an injection in the coccyx bone. Heaven. Didn’t last, and can’t do ablation in that area. Just had steroids in nerves outside coccyx area, starting to help. Again, no ablation there, but can try stronger steroids in coccyx next time.
Of course I use on and off tens unit, which helps relax a little.
Another wonderful temporary thing to redirect brain, in a gel, is Arnica gel 98%. Put on lower spine, across upper buttocks. Amazon. I buy the tub. Really helps other aches, too.

So, after all that, my main cause for this horrible pain, seems to be my messed up spine (never would have connected) and pelvic tension connected to it.

With this very long journey, I have improved and are basically working on the spine. And forever pt.

May something in this post give you additional ideas for finding relief 🤞

Sorry to hear you're suffering this type of
Pain. I'm familiar with how difficult it is & nothing has reduced it for me either . Also referred to some aspects of this pain as spasms. Some comments here said ultrasound helped. Another mentioned a Revitive product I'm going to find out more about those . Good luck finding pain relief, I hope you get to feel better.

I wanted to ask about the 1 vs 3 mhz?

Isn't 3 more powerful than 1? Appreciate all these tips you've tried yourself & given this feedback on.

Thanks very much. I'm chk'g out some of these.

I have to say, and happy to share, that I am finally getting some relief. Slow but sure. Pt, doctors, injections, some nerve ablation and occasional meds. It has been hard work and years. But, I am actually comfortable these days. Still doing all of those things, but with good results. I think we found an area of my spine that affects so many of my triggers. Injections and will do ablation when time.
May you all continue on your journey and find some success!

Ps…not sure what 1 vs 3 mhz…

@ch47
Ok, got the 1vs3, thing 🤣
Did you use the diazepam rectally? That helps sometimes…also vaginally could help, depending on where the nerves are. It was suggested by my urologist that I try.
Glad you are having relief from the revitive product! I never heard of it…will take a screenshot of that post so I don’t loose it.
My urologist and her practice of 3 docs, got a male patient who was seriously suffering. We went over everything I tried to share. No names of course. Was first one after me that their practice had in all their years.
We are special and rare!!! 🤪
You were lucky to get a diagnosis sooner than later.
My best to you and all, for continued relief!

@colleenyoung

@anigeturbun my physical therapist told me they don’t use TENs because studies say it causes cancer but I’ve seen multiple sites that say they’re still using it. I want to try it. I was diagnosed first with Proctalgia fujax but my anal pain was constant, 24/7, every day. Went to another specialist who said I had Levitor Ani but all that is is a fancier name for Proctalgia. I still didn’t have the symptoms of Levitor. I diagnosed myself as having pudendal neuralgia or piriformis syndrome. 6 years later, still in daily severe pain. I live in Mississippi and I swear the specialists don’t know anything about this stuff so I haven’t found help yet. I was told to go to Mayo Clinic. Cold packs, heating pad and sitz baths offer only temporary relief. I had a pudendal nerve block 3 years ago and the doctor botched it so now I have nerve damage in the perineal area. On gabapentin and cymbalta for a couple years. It helped in the beginning with my doctor increasing the gaba up to 2800mg but both meds have stopped working. I’m wearing off both now and it’s hard. I’m doing a slow taper. I’m just tired of paying for and taking meds that don’t work.