What will my pelvic floor therapy session be like?

You will be in a comfortable private room , working one-on-one with your therapist. You can expect to spend 60-75 minutes at your initial evaluation and 55 minutes at your follow-up treatment sessions. Each session will include a combination of assessment, manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education, therapeutic exercise, and patient education. Your therapist will not only be assessing your pelvic floor, but looking at posture, breathing, body mechanics, diet implications, and movement assessments for activities that are important to you such as exercise, caring for your child, cleaning your house, engaging in your job, participating in intimate activities with your partner, etc. The session will focus on YOUR ultimate goals and what will best allow you to participate in the roles and tasks which are most important to you…without worrying about your pelvic floor.

Please note, at times there may be a therapy student, another therapist, a physician, or other healthcare provider present at your session for educational benefit. As this is a growing specialty field of therapy, it is important to cultivate learning opportunities to further the field. You have the right to decline an observer for any or all portions of your session.

What is involved in an internal pelvic floor assessment and do I have to have one?

During the pelvic floor assessment, your therapist will step out of the room while you undress from the waist down and cover yourself with a sheet. You will lay down on an exam table while the therapist performs an examination of the abdominal tissue and an external and internal evaluation of the pelvic floor muscles and surrounding tissues. The exam may be done in standing if a potential prolapse is being evaluated. The internal evaluation will be vaginal and/or rectal for a person with female genitalia and rectal for a person with male genitalia. The therapist will use one gloved, lubricated finger to evaluate the pelvic floor for muscle tension and imbalances, trigger points, prolapse, tissue restrictions, scar tissue, and nerve involvement. Doing this allows the therapist to get an accurate picture of how the pelvic floor is functioning and to identify any strength, coordination, and/or mobility deficits. This way, the therapist can address the body from an all-encompassing perspective. However, this can be triggering or overwhelming for some people. If you are not comfortable with an internal assessment it is not something that has to be done. Even if you have already consented to an internal assessment on your intake forms, you can always change your mind in the moment and that is okay! There are plenty of other intervention options and your therapist will work with you to find the best approach to help make positive changes. However, please note, often an internal assessment can provide highly valuable information and if you are not having as much success as you’d like with other treatment options it could be the missing link.

Can I still come to my appointment if I’m on my menstrual cycle?

Heck yes, Aunt Flo is welcome to attend! It does not bother your therapist to treat you while you’re on your menstrual cycle. If we worried about that, people would miss one appointment a month! We just consider it extra lube and get you extra wet wipes at the end of the session. Furthermore, sometimes treatment during your cycle can give us extra information about how your body behaves during different phases of your cycle.

How many visits will I need to get better?

This will vary greatly from person to person. How quickly you respond will depend on what you are being seen for, how long you have been dealing with the symptoms, your level of commitment to self-care and working through your home programming, and other personal factors. Please be candid with your therapist about how much time you will be able to devote to your home program so they may find you ways to be successful even with limited time. You should expect to see some improvement within several visits. Some patients may be better in 2 visits and others 10 visits. Most patients will need at least 5-6 sessions. Your therapist will have a better idea of how long your rehab will take after the initial evaluation and will be able to provide a Good Faith Estimate under the No Surprises Act.

Do I need a prescription from a doctor or midwife?

No. Occupational and physical therapists have direct access in Ohio and Kentucky, meaning a referral is not required for pelvic floor therapy services and you may just go ahead and click a “Book Online” button to navigate to the scheduling site. However, if you are pregnant and seeking internal work a referral is preferred for your safety (and internal work is deferred during the first trimester). If you hope to try to get reimbursed for your sessions through your insurance by submitting a Superbill for out of network services a referral may also be helpful.

Do you take insurance?

Queen City Pelvic Health and Wellness, LLC is a cash-based therapy practice and does not contract with any insurance companies. It is considered an “out of network” practice for insurance purposes. This allows your therapist to provide quality and optimal one-on-one care that is a more whole body and holistic approach and not limited to one specific diagnosis or body part. Over the years, as you all have certainly noticed, insurance has provided less and less coverage and has placed more limits on services. Often, cash-based services end up being less expensive than insurance-based services after considering high copays and even higher deductibles. By being cash-based/out of network, patients are typically able to spend significantly less time attending therapy because your therapist is able to better focus on your needs! At your request, you can opt for an invoice (Superbill) after each visit that you may submit to your insurance to try to get reimbursed for out of network benefits. Many insurance companies reimburse therapy services, but there is no guarantee. You may use an HSA/FSA card, most major credit cards, or cash for payment. Payment will be collected at the completion of the session. The initial evaluation is $225, follow-up sessions (usually once a week) are $150, and re-evaluations are $185.

For those experiencing financial hardship, Queen City Pelvic Health and Wellness, LLC is currently able to provide reduced rates for one patient each month. Please reach out to inquire about this option or to get a referral for another practitioner.

DUE TO FEDERAL REGULATIONS, QUEEN CITY PELVIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS, LLC IS UNABLE TO SEE ANYONE WITH MEDICARE. MANY HOSPITAL-BASED THERAPY CLINICS AND SOME PRIVATE PRACTICES DO CONTRACT WITH MEDICARE. YOUR PHYSICIAN SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A REFERRAL.

What are you doing to manage COVID-19?

Queen City Pelvic Health and Wellness is following CDC safety guidelines. Your therapist has been vaccinated and boosted and will wear a mask at your request. All equipment and high touch surfaces are sanitized between clients. Clients who have been ill or exposed to COVID-19 are asked to delay their appointment per CDC guidelines.