Just got a Theracane but not exactly sure how to use it for chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome trigger point work. The small manual that came with the Theracane doesn't show any exercises for chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome symptoms. Though I go to PT once a week, I am looking for at-home triggre point work I can do, ESPECIALLY for tip of penis, post-urination pain which is driving me crazy. My pain literally alternates during the day from a sore butt to a sore perineum to a sore tip. The tip pain is usually activated by urination, the butt pain by a bad IBS day and the perineum pain is almost always a sign of a bad stress day.
Any trigger point Theracane work people can reccomend would be great!
Self Trigger Point Work
It's very easy to over-do it with the Theracane in the first few uses. It feels really good when you get into it, and you just have to be careful until you learn how your body responds. That's just a general word of caution. As you use it, you will gain more experience with it. For myself, I've started slow and I've worked up to a level now I NEVER could have attempted 8 months ago. I think this is a smart approach.
The areas that the Theracane does the best for me are the abdominals and the perineum. I also use it around the anal sphincter too.
I basically attack my abdominals like a cob of corn. Just start high, go left to right, then back, then lower it a bit, then go across again. You have a LOT of fatty tissue there, and then 1/2" of muscle. So you can actually dig in pretty hard. Remember this - your intestines have no nerve endings. So any pain you feel is either the muscles or the tissue. But at the same time, you won't feel any problem in your intestines if you are pressing too hard. That's why it's important to go slow and work your way up to a harder level. Also, don't press on arteries. If you feel it pulsing more than other areas, you're on an artery and you should move off it. The reason you want to go across like a cob of corn is so you learn what the ENTIRE abdominal wall feels like; that way you can learn the good spots from the sore spots. Sometimes, you'll hit an area that hurts so bad you'll back off - and the best point of reference is a similar spot on the other side. If it doesn't hurt there, you know you've got an area to work on. Also remember to make it all the way down to your pubic bone and press in there at an angle. This is where my tip of the penis pain is located. Most people experience abdominal TP's in and around the middle, below the belly button.
For your abdomen, you'll hit "zingers" (as my PT calls them). These will refer pain to your penis, rectum, back, etc... (at least they do for me). I actually recreate all my penile pain just by using the Theracane in the abdomen. It's an important area for all my pain.
For my perineum, I work hard just above the anus. There are a group of muscles there that converge and are the source of a lot of ejaculatory pain, arousal pain, and pain overall. I work this often.
I also go around the sphincter, and press hard on all the muscles, as this relieves tension internally too. The pelvic floor muscles attach to the muscles around the sphincter, so by pressing them, you should feel relief.
You mention in another post that you have the fullness feeling - a lot of that is probably internal, and you might need internal work to help that.
I've used the Theracane heavily in the last 9 months. I feel very experienced with it. So feel free to hit me with as many questions as you have.
Michael
The areas that the Theracane does the best for me are the abdominals and the perineum. I also use it around the anal sphincter too.
I basically attack my abdominals like a cob of corn. Just start high, go left to right, then back, then lower it a bit, then go across again. You have a LOT of fatty tissue there, and then 1/2" of muscle. So you can actually dig in pretty hard. Remember this - your intestines have no nerve endings. So any pain you feel is either the muscles or the tissue. But at the same time, you won't feel any problem in your intestines if you are pressing too hard. That's why it's important to go slow and work your way up to a harder level. Also, don't press on arteries. If you feel it pulsing more than other areas, you're on an artery and you should move off it. The reason you want to go across like a cob of corn is so you learn what the ENTIRE abdominal wall feels like; that way you can learn the good spots from the sore spots. Sometimes, you'll hit an area that hurts so bad you'll back off - and the best point of reference is a similar spot on the other side. If it doesn't hurt there, you know you've got an area to work on. Also remember to make it all the way down to your pubic bone and press in there at an angle. This is where my tip of the penis pain is located. Most people experience abdominal TP's in and around the middle, below the belly button.
For your abdomen, you'll hit "zingers" (as my PT calls them). These will refer pain to your penis, rectum, back, etc... (at least they do for me). I actually recreate all my penile pain just by using the Theracane in the abdomen. It's an important area for all my pain.
For my perineum, I work hard just above the anus. There are a group of muscles there that converge and are the source of a lot of ejaculatory pain, arousal pain, and pain overall. I work this often.
I also go around the sphincter, and press hard on all the muscles, as this relieves tension internally too. The pelvic floor muscles attach to the muscles around the sphincter, so by pressing them, you should feel relief.
You mention in another post that you have the fullness feeling - a lot of that is probably internal, and you might need internal work to help that.
I've used the Theracane heavily in the last 9 months. I feel very experienced with it. So feel free to hit me with as many questions as you have.
Michael
This is NOT medical advice. I am NOT a doctor.
Age: 43 CPPS: 10+ Yrs Recovery Status: 80-85% Symptoms: Pain in testicles, scrotum, rectum, prostate, perineum Makes Worse: Anxiety, Tension, too much Nookie Makes Better: Stretching, Abdominal Massage (Go Theracane!), Relaxation
Age: 43 CPPS: 10+ Yrs Recovery Status: 80-85% Symptoms: Pain in testicles, scrotum, rectum, prostate, perineum Makes Worse: Anxiety, Tension, too much Nookie Makes Better: Stretching, Abdominal Massage (Go Theracane!), Relaxation
No problem. I ignored the importance of my external musculature when I first got my Theracane. I now feel that the Theracane has been more important in my recovery than the internal work. I used it very aggressively, and ramp it up further every few months. In the beginning, I backed off a lot of spots because I thought they were "wrong". But each time, I came back to those spots later and wished I had stayed with it. So if you find a rough spot, post a question on the forum or do a search; perhaps it's an area you need to work on.
Michael
Michael
This is NOT medical advice. I am NOT a doctor.
Age: 43 CPPS: 10+ Yrs Recovery Status: 80-85% Symptoms: Pain in testicles, scrotum, rectum, prostate, perineum Makes Worse: Anxiety, Tension, too much Nookie Makes Better: Stretching, Abdominal Massage (Go Theracane!), Relaxation
Age: 43 CPPS: 10+ Yrs Recovery Status: 80-85% Symptoms: Pain in testicles, scrotum, rectum, prostate, perineum Makes Worse: Anxiety, Tension, too much Nookie Makes Better: Stretching, Abdominal Massage (Go Theracane!), Relaxation