Sex Without Pain: A Self-Treatment Guide To The Sex Life You Deserve

By Heather Jeffcoat, DPT

Sex doesn't have to hurt! Whether your pain during intercourse (or your partner’s) began with a first sexual experience or after pregnancy or injury, this step-by-step guide - developed by a leading women’s health physical therapist - can put you on the path to recovery, and to enjoying the sex life you deserve.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: May 12, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483528038

Book preview

SEX WITHOUT PAIN

A Self-Treatment Guide

To The Sex Life You Deserve

by

Heather Jeffcoat, DPT

Sex Without Pain: A Self-Treatment Guide To The Sex Life You Deserve

Heather Jeffcoat, DPT

© 2014, Heather Jeffcoat, DPT. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Printed in the United States of America

Active Orange Publishing

Los Angeles, CA

For more information about this book and additional, updated resources, visit:

FusionWellnessPT.com

Terminology used in Chapter One: Defining Your Pain—What Are Trigger Points? conforms to the definitions recommended by The International Continence Society and the following book:

Travell, Janet G., MD and Simons, David G., MD., et al. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual, Second Ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 1998.

Transitional Exercise Three in Chapter Six: Transitioning to Intercourse is used by permission from the following book:

Penner, Clifford L., Ph.D, and Penner, Joyce J., RN, MN. Restoring The Pleasure: Complete Step-by-Step Programs to Help Couples Overcome the Most Common Sexual Barriers, Second Ed. Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2014.

Cover Design by Kristin Williams

Illustrations by Rose Perry (Artist) and John Dorn, MA (Advisor)

Photography by Julia Swain

Exercises modeled by Lucia Shashoian

This edition was prepared for publication by L.E. Deason/Fool’s Errand, LLC.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: The information in this book is not intended to substitute for an individual diagnosis or comprehensive treatment plan. The author strongly urges readers to seek the advice of a licensed professional healthcare provider before beginning this, or any other, self-treatment and/or exercise program.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Duke University and her Bachelor of Science in Animal Physiology and Neuroscience from the University of California-San Diego. She also holds Comprehensive Teacher Training Certification in Pilates from Body Arts and Science International, and is a Certified Fascial Stretch Therapist through the Stretch To Win Institute.

Heather specializes in treating orthopaedic and women’s health physical therapy diagnoses, as well as developing personalized perinatal fitness programs. Her primary interests are treating pelvic pain and pregnancy and postpartum related disorders as well as tension headaches and pain or dysfunction in the neck, shoulder, low back, and sacroiliac joint. She often partners with physicians and sex therapists both at the Southern California Pelvic Pain Center and in the Los Angeles medical community.

Heather also enjoys significant involvement with the American Physical Therapy Association’s Section on Women’s Health. In addition to writing and editing numerous articles distributed nationwide, she has been a featured writer on BabyFriendlyLA.com and authored a long-running quarterly column, Perinatal Wellness, for the International Childbirth Education Association Journal.

Heather currently teaches wellness and restorative classes for women and provides patient care and personal training in the greater Los Angeles area, where she lives with her husband and two children.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Like my treatment program itself, this book would have been nearly impossible to complete without the support I have received from my own personal and professional team. I owe each of them a tremendous debt of gratitude. My deepest thanks go out to the following people:

Jennifer Briggs, DPT, for her many notes and invaluable input on the text and images; and to the many other friends and colleagues who provided generous, insightful review and feedback throughout the writing and editing process.

Kathe Wallace, PT, and Holly Herman, PT, my mentors in the art and science of pelvic floor physical therapy, who literally helped me to navigate my first pelvic floor.

My mom and dad, Katherine and William, for instilling in me the drive to do better than the last time for myself and for others. It’s a value that has propelled me to every success of my personal and professional life.

My husband and children, whose continual love and support is my greatest source of strength. Devon, thank you for all the schedules you juggled, all the dinners you made, and all the play dates you executed to give me kid-free, stress-free stretches of time to write. Kieran and Brendan, thank you for watching Daddy and keeping him well entertained on Mommy’s writing days, and for always greeting me at the door with bright smiles and big hugs. You make my life endlessly better.

This book is dedicated to the patients I’ve treated over the last decade. Your feedback has helped me to revise my techniques and achieve quicker outcomes for future patients, and it is the reason this book exists. Your trust in me is humbling; your courage and perseverance is inspiring; and your continued success and happiness is the greatest professional reward I could ever receive.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter One: Defining The Pain

Chapter Two: Reality Check

Chapter Three: Self-Assessment

Chapter Four: Self-Treatment

Chapter Five: Dilator Techniques

Chapter Six: Transitioning To Intercourse

Chapter Seven: Addressing Large Muscle Groups

Chapter Eight: Additional Treatment and Success Stories

Appendix I: Self-Assessment Worksheet

Appendix II: Progressive Relaxation Exercise

Appendix III: Treatment Aids Purchase Guide

Appendix IV: Trusted Professionals Resource Guide

INTRODUCTION

Frustrating. Confusing. Devastating. These are just a few of the words women use to describe pain during intercourse, a condition that affects far more people than even many physicians realize. If you, or your partner, are struggling in this area—please, keep reading. The answers you’ve been looking for are here; and to find them, you won’t have to sift through confusing medical jargon or humiliating suggestions that

Reviews for Sex Without Pain

[Thiago Leão · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's interesting what we think we know and what we really know. This book is really essential to bring the relationship to the best. Most for women to read it but men should read it too. It's never bad to learn a bit.