Has anyone tried physiotherapy to treat adhesions?

[Confusedpigeon]

Hi

Was wondering if anyone had tried physiotherapy to treat adhesions? I developed pelvic inflammatory disease in June 2018 after having a contraceptive coil fitted. Unfortunately the infection was some sort of stubborn anaerobic bacteria and had affected the cervix, womb and both ovaries and it’s taken 11 months of antibiotics to (hopefully) get rid of it. I’ve been left with a lot of pain in my left ovary and tube area, as this was the area that was hit the worst with the infection. My Dr suspects this remaining pain is adhesions from inflammation/scar tissue forming. I’ve seen lots of information online about physiotherapy being used as a treatment for adhesions instead of surgery. Has anyone tried it and had success?

[Pinky2233]

All physical therapists are different so to answer your question yes physical therapy can break up adhesions. Often it takes several modalities to break up scars or adhesions.

There is hydro disection where an experienced doctor injections the area with a numbing agent such as lidocaine and the needle itself breaks up the scar and the fluid plumps up the surround the tissue. This is very effective if the doctor is advanced enough to find the adhesions and has the know how to give injections to break them up.

For external adhesions there is acupuncture and dry needling

Km style acupuncture technique using a fanning technique. .30 x .30 Agupunt unpolished needles work best

For Dry Needling the practititioner is twirling the needle with an uncoated needle which helps stretch the tissue

All three techniques plus a highly effective PT might be needed based on how the tissue presents.

[Pelviccrusader]

Please make sure that you are using probiotics if you have taking antibiotics for any length of time. Latest data indicates that having spore-based probiotics helps the most since they populate that gut more efficiently. Megasporebiotic and Nexabiotic are two possible choices.

[Skye22]

After 13surgeries I have abdominal, pelvic, bladder and bowel adhesions. Have had adhesions separated on numerous surgeries but was unaware at the time that this in turn caused more adhesions. I have now been informed that I am unable to have any abdominal surgery due to the risk of complications. Doctors will only intervene unless in an emergency. I now have to manage my conditions with meds but living with chronic pain is soul destroying. I see a specialist bowel and bladder physio who is able to do abdominal visceral massage,a very painful procedure. It does not separate adhesions but it helps with my restricted abdominal movement and bladder and bowel functions. I would recommend treatment with a specialist physio but I would be cautious about hydro dissection as I read that the needle can in itself cause adhesions. Best advice I can give is talk to your specialist as what would be best for you, and what treatment plan would be most beneficial.

[Copey63 in reply to Skye22]

Your story is my story. It becomes a mind F (pardon my French)......

[Skye22 in reply to Copey63]

Do you mind me asking to share your story ,the thought of someone else going through the same as me is just awful. Wishing you good health.

[Copey63 in reply to Skye22]

Hi. I had endometriosis (while living in the UK) finally had a hysterectomy. Was fairly pain free for about a year and then started having pain in my R groin. Ended up with a tumor in my appendix. Had that removed and then several inguinal hernia repairs....same location. Groin pain returned and they thought it was the mesh that was hurting so they removed it, replaced it, and then removed it. Three years later I'm still having lover right groin pain.....pain after sex, sitting too long, lifting, shopping. I've had over 8 CT scans, MRI's and colonoscopies. I know it's adhesions but most Docs don't think they are responsible for the pain. It also seems cyclical although I don't have ovaries......

It's a mind F for sure and I'm now thinking of talking to a surgeon about exploratory 'surgery' to see if my endo is back or he can remove some of the adhesions. Problem is with surgery the adhesions will come back. This is the short version of what I've gone through. Hope you are finding things better.

[Skye22 in reply to Copey63]

Hi there thank you for sharing your story. Sadly it would appear we share a lot in common. I had severe endometriosis too, so bad had a hysterectomy aged 26. Followed ops for multiple ovarian cysts before they finally removed them. Then multiple adhesion ops over a few years. Like yourself I was still having a lot of left side abdo and pelvic pain. NHS just brushed it off as "unlucky" and refused to do even an exploratory as severe risk of complications. Over a few years I dropped to 7 stone, unbearable pain and no quality of life. We had no choice but to go private what a shock ! I didn't know that endometriosis could return my insides were a mess. They removed that, massive adhesions, pelvic repair and appendectomy. Was 2 year recovery. My consultant was really sympathetic and supportive and said I was at the stage where he had no choice but to operate and shocked at how bad my insides were. He reckoned due to my young age at the first surgery and subsequent ones it was inevitable that I would have lifelong health issues.

Now dependent on meds and various treatments. It's a hard one to call about having further surgery. We know when something is not right but try getting a doc who listens. Advice...... You do what you feel is right for you especially if it improves your quality of life!! I hope your future is bright and wish you good luck and Good health and stay true to yourself. We all have a voice it's being listened to that's the problem.

[Copey63]

Will keep you posted....

I assume you don't have access to CBD oil, etc? Here in Oklahoma it's becoming the go to for pain instead of narcotics. Take care and stay in touch. PS where in the UK are you?

[Skye22 in reply to Copey63]

I'm in the beautiful West coast of scotland!! Yeah cbd oil very popular here, have tried it but it's expensive and dosage is very vague, I think I would rather try the real stuff if it was legalised, we live in hope!!! Yeah defo keep in touch hope all goes well for you.take care and all the best wishes from scotland!!!!