Wise Anderson Clinic Dec 2009

[flump]

Physiotherapy:

He showed me a new way of treating my perineum (currently I do internal then external) where you basically work both sides at once. .

could you please explain how you do this?

Imagine the skin between your thumb and your first finger is like skin/muscle in your perineum - i.e. pinch that skin area between your thumb and first finger on your right hand with your thumb and first finger on your left hand and imagine your first finger on that left hand as being inside your anus and the left thumb being outside your anus on the perineum. You basically then just squeeze your left thump and first finger together and also slightly rock them whilst doing the squeezing. That way you are hitting that area from both the outside and the inside at the same time.

Makes sense?

I got ya,thanks

[alprost]

Great stuff Richard! I know how much of an investment it is (in terms of emotion, hope and money!) to take the plunge, leave your family for 10 days, and go to the clinic. I'm really pleased that you have gotten on so well so far and have found more TP's that relate to your symptoms. Having 95% of your symptoms back for a few days (even although it is obviously a great sign) aint a lot of fun however

[scotsman]

A long but good day

Physiotherapy:

Started with another session with Tim where we treated my right abdominals followed by left inside thigh adductors. We then went inside and really found some nasty spots on the deep levator ani muscles right past my prostate. I've never been treated that deeply before. Delighted that we found them though - treated both sides before treating the perineum.

The confidence and skill that Tim treats you with really underlines the experience this guys has. What I didn't know what that Janet Travell (who along with David Simons wrote the bible on triggerpoints) was the personal physician to John F Kennedy when he was in the White House (who as we know suffered from CPPS) and Tim is her protégé. Says it all really.

Anyway, after Tim it was off to see Dara again for more work with stretching, skin rolling and tennis ball work.

Dr Wise:

We were then into the session with Dr Wise. More relaxation in the morning and we were also shown the new self treatment wand. This is the 10th version and it looks a neat device - basically a hooked wand which measures the pressure applied to the tip. This ensures that you don't damage yourself when doing internal treatment. It also had a moveable stop on the wand which you set to dictate how far in you can insert it. Tim will be setting it for us - so in my case, I can't reach the deep levator ani points with my own fingers, so Tim will set the depth of the wand to match how far in I need to go to treat them with the wand. We will be getting the wands tomorrow (no extra charge) and taken through how to use them.

The afternoon was spend with more relaxation sessions but also a lot of time was spent taking everyone through how to self treat internal triggerpoints - i.e. positions to insert your fingers, how to approach it, what triggerpoints are, etc, etc.

My day starts again tomorrow at 8:30am with Tim.

[scotsman]

Physiotherapy:

This morning I got my wand and Tim spend the time taking me through how to use it on myself to treat the deep levator ani muscles to the right and left of my prostate. What an excellent tool! - effortless and well designed. Guarantees that when I get back home I'll be able to treat those areas my fingers don't reach.

Due to the treatment of those levator ani muscles (the top parts of which haven't been treated in the 6 years I have this) - my pain level increased to about a 4 this afternoon (from it's usual 1-2 on the ten scale). Not been that high for a good few years but I welcome it - as it shows I'm treating a new spot.

I'll be doing some internal work with the wand tonight again.

Didn't see Dara separately today as she was came in later in the day to do a group session.

Dr Wise:

More relaxation training again - it's going to take a lot of practice to get to grips with paradoxical relaxation - I find my attention keeps going all over the place and keeping focus is tough - but then it seems to be for everyone and it's expected to take months to get proficient in it. I found the afternoon work on relaxing the eyes easier - so will use that as my focus tomorrow.

We also had John come into to speak to us for a couple hours. John has managed to banish all of his chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome symptoms and came to tell us his story in detail (background, treatment, emotions felt, etc). Very eloquent, interesting and honest speaker and I could really sense it resonating with the attendees in the room. Here was someone who was in the worst of places, with all the symptoms and he's come through it - and not only that, has ended up in a better place than he was before he came down with CPPS. I understand he's been coming to the clinic each month for the past 15-18 months to talk about his experience with the protocol and it's an important part of the week. John is here for the next couple days and tomorrow morning will be taking us through his trigger-point and stretching regime.

Monday already tomorrow - so down to my last couple days. Amazing where the time goes!

[scotsman]

As posted yesterday - my pain is usually on the 1-2 scale these days but after my physio session yesterday morning treating the levator ani muscles my pain level was up to 4. Well, after treating them again last night the post treatment pain was up to 6 and I had the frequency feelings back - last time I had that was around 5 years ago. Managed to get to sleep ok and the frequency was away when I woke up this morning and my pain level was back from a 6 down to a 2-3.

I was expecting this, so didn't phase me - but interesting nonetheless These spots have never been treated – spending 6 years in a tight, dysfunctional state will take a while to revert

Seeing Tim at 8:30am.

Richard.

p.s. just in case my posting times look a bit strange - I've not changed the clock on my laptop - so it's still in UK time (GMT).

[Gettingbetter]

Cool!
I've actually developed this pinching technique myself about a years ago and it really works wonders! And to see that they use a similar technique at the Stanford clinic is just great! makes me feel quite clever haha ;)

[scotsman]

Physiotherapy:

Another treatment session with Tim and my levator ani muscles were a lot better - still sore but not anywhere near as bad to treat as they were the first day - progress

Tomorrow morning is my last treatment with Tim and he's opened it for whatever I want - so I'll be going for another treatment of the perineum and levator ani and also to do a final assessment of the whole internal pelvic floor to check we've got all the bad spots mapped.

I did some internal work myself this evening with the wand - and the lower levator ani's were fine - but up top (the area I can't reach without the wand) are still bad - which is to be expected. I think it will take a while to calm those bad boys.

Dr Wise:

No relaxation today. Instead the morning was spent with John (previous patient) taking us all through an external treatment regime. It made a big difference to see someone doing this and it made self treatment easier. It also showed us alternative ways of treating trouble spots - we all had a good discussion whilst John took us through it.

The afternoon was spent with doing and explaining cognitive therapy and the relationship to pelvic pain dysfunction. Lots of group discussion - excellent.

Last day full day tomorrow - where has the time gone!

[graeme]

Fantastic thread this is Richard. One was wondering when you get back if you could put a pic of the wand they use (your new one) on this thread ..

[scotsman]

Day five - last one

Physiotherapy:

Another good treatment session with Tim. I decided to have him treat my levator ani again and also give my pelvic floor a last assessment - nothing new found

Dr Wise:

Lots of relaxation today - working on relaxing the jaw, tongue and lips (stopping that inner voice). Discussion on diet, medication, defecation and sex issues (in the increase in symptoms they can cause). We were also given a pack of audio tapes each, which provides around 2 years worth of relaxation exercises (there is around 25 cassettes - doublesided). Lots of good group discussions and a final chat with David, John and Tim to round the clinic off.

I'd say that almost all of the 14 attendees had their pain and symptoms reduced by being at the clinic - some in a quite dramatic way.

What a great mixture of people - from lawyers to playwrights to musicians. Time being symptomatic ranging from 3 months to 18 years. We've all shared email addresses and will stay in touch as a support group.

I'm thrilled by my experience at the Wise Anderson Clinic - it has completely met my high expectations.

I'm driving back to San Francisco airport tomorrow and flying back to the UK in the evening. Can't wait to see my beautiful wife and children

[webslave]

Thank you, Richard. Superb contribution to the forum.

[robertpagen]

Yes, Thank you for talking about your experiences. It would be helpful if you would elaborate on some of the discussions you have mentioned, ie Sex or defecation issues, and useful practical suggestions. While going to Stanford is the gold standard of treatment and I respect what they do there, it is not possible for each person afflicted with this condition to work into their lives. I would also like to know if this newer safer wand is available to us. Thank You

[alprost]

Thank you, Richard. Superb contribution to the forum.

I'll second that!

[scotsman]

I edited my last post to add in a discussion on diet plus to say that we were given the paradoxical relaxation lessons on cassettes (around 25 tapes, double sided). We were also given a cassette player with headphones each as well.

Oh, we were also given after the third day a pack of gloves and lubricant so we could practice internal trigger-point work for ourselves - which for a lot of people was the first time they have tried it.

[scotsman]

I would also like to know if this newer safer wand is available to us. Thank You

Currently the wand is available only as part of a clinical trial - it doesn't have FDA/medical device approval yet as it's still in development. We had to read and sign a decent amount of paperwork to get access to it, i.e. we signed up to take part in a clinical trial. It uses a stress gauge on the wand shaft to let you know hard you are pressing and we were advised as to what readings to stay within. I'm very experienced in internal treatment (you get that way after 6 years of sticking your finger up your bum) and this wand is excellent. Everyone at the clinic also found it to be superb.

I know though that this will be frustrating as the wand isn't on general release yet and I don't know when that will be, though I guess it will still be a relatively long time yet (> 12months).

Currently it's a very big bonus of attending the Wise-Anderson Clinic.

[scotsman]

It's interesting, the wand has a digital readout that gives you a pressure reading - so we have been advised not to go above '40' (I can't remember off hand what actual pressure that relates too) and probably around 20 is good to start with.

When I am treating the levator ani muscles right up to the top end of my prostate (left and right) then I can bear about 17-23 on that scale as it hurts. Remember, these are the spots that I couldn't reach with my fingers. Half an inch further back towards the anus (i.e. pulling the wand out a bit) then I can see 40 on the pressure/stress gauge with feeling very little - certainly no pain at all, just the pressure of the wand. Of course, that was because this is an area I could reach with my fingers and had been treating them and the muscles were fine.