PH&PTC

Houston Sex Therapist Emily deAyala Joins Pelvic Health Center

The Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy Center, a team of pelvic floor specialists in Texas, has announced the addition of Houston sex therapist Emily deAyala to its practice. PHPTC hopes welcoming Emily will enhance their ability to provide quality, well-rounded care to their patients by extending their expertise in sexual dysfunction treatment and therapy.

Emily deAyala, a marriage and family therapist, has announced she will be joining the Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy Center to provide sex therapy in Houston. PHPTC is a group of pelvic floor and pelvic health specialists with services in pelvic muscle rehabilitation, physical therapy, pain management, and other treatments for pelvic and sexual conditions. Emily, a Certified Sex Therapist, says she is excited about joining the practice and increasing her ability to offer high quality care in the treatment of sexual dysfunction at the pelvic health center.

As a subspecialty of psychotherapy, sex therapy focuses on the treatment of sexual dysfunction and other specific conditions related to human sexuality and relationships including desire, arousal, difficulty with orgasm, sexual pain, and other issues. Sex therapy hinges on individual as well as couples and relationship counseling to address patient concerns and find the proper course of action for treatment. Emily says her goal in joining the PHPTC is to enhance her services by ensuring the best use of patients’ time and working with a team of specialists to provide more comprehensive care in the treatment of pelvic and psychological conditions affecting sexual health. “I feel fortunate to be surrounded by a team of experts in the field. The team I work with is always open to new ideas and we constantly work together to expand our knowledge base.”

Emily says she hopes partnering with an experienced, full-service pelvic health center such as the PHPTC will ultimately improve the quality of care patients receive, and assist in restoring her patients’ comfort in their sexuality and relationships. She also adds that she is eager for the opportunity to continue developing her methods and therapy practice throughout the transition to her new home. “I am thrilled to be working with a team that values continuing education as much as I do. Going to conferences together and learning the latest technologies, theories, and modalities keeps us on the cutting edge of care.”

About Emily deAyala, MA

Emily deAyala received her undergraduate degree in Psychology with honors from the University of Texas at Austin and her Master of Arts in Counseling from St. Edward’s University, with a dual emphasis in marriage and family therapy and licensed professional counseling. She is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists as well as the Texas Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. As a psychotherapist at The Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy Center, Emily currently serves as the Texas Section leader for the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. Her services include individual and relationship/couples counseling and the treatment of orgasmic disorders, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, sexual orientation, sexual addiction, and many other sexual and relationship concerns.

About the Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy Center

The Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy Center is a division of the Colorectal Surgical Associates focused on evaluating and restoring pelvic health through therapy and rehabilitation. It also provides dietary counseling, stress management, and treatment for urinary and bladder dysfunction and bowel and fecal disorders.

Located at 7900 Fannin, Suite 1200 in Houston, TX, the Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy Center can be contacted at (713) 790-0600. It can also be reached online via the website pelvichealthcenter.com or facebook.com/pages/Pelvic-Health-and-Physical-Therapy-Center/159260407423834.

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Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

Pelvic physical therapy has many options. Here are some examples of some choices available for you:

• RPE or Rating of Perceived Exertion:  This is a test that aids physical therapists determine how much physical endurance you can handle.
• Flexibility Program:  This is where you stretch to relieve joint stiffness and pain. It also enhances normal everyday activity, mobility, independence, posture, muscle balance and aids in prevention of injury.
• Massage therapy:  Massage therapy works to remove toxins that build up in the muscles, especially if lymph nodes have been removed.
• Kegal exercises:  These are also known as pelvic floor exercises and are the most commonly used physical therapy for strengthening and toning the pelvic floor muscles.

Following Up After Pelvic Floor Surgery

It is also important to make sure that you keep all of your follow up appointments with your Houston colorectal surgeon. These appointments are to address any concerns you may have, new or old symptoms and to check for any warning signs of infection or recurring cancer. You should let your doctor know the following:

• Symptoms that you think may point to the cancer recurring
• Pain
• Problems with fatigue, bladder, bowel and sexual function
• Problems concentrating, memory loss, insomnia, weight issues
• Any additional medicines, supplements or vitamins you are taking
• If you are experiencing depression or anxiety
• Any changes to your family medical history, especially any new cancer

After cancer treatment is completed

Once you have completed your after care it is important to have a complete record of your cancer treatment. Make sure you have the following information:

• Diagnostic test results
• Diagnosis of specific cancer
• The date of your diagnosis
• All of the places and dates of your cancer treatments including the names of the medications, the doses of said medication, chemotherapy and radiation dates and places
• Any side effects or complications
• Any care given for pain, nausea, emotional support and nutritional supplements

Having pelvic floor surgery does not mean a person must resign themselves to their weakened condition.  After proper healing has taken place and upon the colorectal surgeon’s recommendation, careful physical therapy by providers certified in this specific discipline can help patients to restore much of their preoperative pelvic function.  This, coupled with new advances in minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgery help ensure the greatest retained pelvic function possible.

• Bladder Incontinence
• Stress incontinence: the urethra and sphincter do not fully close allowing for frequent accidents without warning.
• Urge incontinence: overactive bladder
• Overflow incontinence: bladder does not empty well
• Reflex incontinence: the bladder and sphincter have no sensation of when to go
• Functional incontinence: unable to get to the bathroom in time
• Enuresis: loss of urine without stress or sensation
• Pelvic organ prolapse
• Cystocele: bladder protrudes into the vagina
• Rectocele: wall of the rectum goes into the wall of the vagina
• Urethrocele: vaginal and urethral tissues weaken to where the urethra pushes into the vagina
• Uterine prolapse: uterus slips into the vagina
• Enterocele: organs bulge through the vagina
• Pelvic pain: with pelvic pain the pelvic floor stays tensed which results in pain.

These are the most common disorders after childbirth.

What treatments are available

In the most severe cases, surgery by a Houston colorectal surgeon must be performed. For mild or moderate cases, colon surgeons in Houston recommend different types of medical treatment along with pelvic muscle physical therapy.

Regaining tone after childbirth is essential for good pelvic health. Pelvic muscle strengthening can be achieved in several ways. The trick is finding the best method for you. The first step is finding a pelvic floor physical therapist. A pelvic floor physical therapist is trained to assist women throughout their pregnancy and the childbirth process. This can greatly reduce the amount of stress and injury during pregnancy and birth.

The physical therapist will take a thorough history and list any symptoms and concerns. Then they may run a series of tests and exams to see where you need help. Kegal exercises, also known as pelvic floor exercises or PFE, are the most commonly used physical therapy to strengthen and tone the pelvic floor, though they may not be the exact therapy right for each woman as every woman’s body is different.

Biofeedback, a device that isolates the pelvic floor muscles, can relax muscles, help retrain breathing patterns and increase contraction and relaxation of the bladder. NMES is another electrical device which works to reeducate the muscles.

Other therapies include:

Manual therapy

• Exercise
• Posture training
• Scar tissue release
• Joint mobilization
• Connective tissue realignment
• Myofascial release

Pregnancy and childbirth are a great strain on a woman’s body, but like the excess weight, the change does not have to be permanent.  With the proper exercises both during pregnancy to maximize pelvic floor strength and resiliency, and after delivery to restore pelvic floor muscles to full health, problems such as uterine prolapse, bladder incontinence, and rectocele can be avoided.  If you are recovering from pregnancy, consult your Houston colorectal surgeon to take the first steps toward better pelvic floor health.