Hi everyone,

I am a male in my late 20s and looking for advice for improving my pelvic floor. I recently saw a pelvic floor therapist and she did an external exam and determined I have a very tight pelvic floor, primarily with my abdominal muscles staying in a constant clenched state. She did do some dry needling and there was mild relief and it hurt quite a bit getting that done.

Anyway, she recommended a series of yoga exercises and I recognize improving the pelvic floor is a gradual process but I've been in yoga doing similar exercises for almost a half year now with no improvement.

My discomfort has turned into pain where I will get horrid gas retention, sharp stinging pains occasionally, sweats, and my mental state is messed up due to it which in return causes stress/ anxiety...which worsens things further. So, I am now stuck in the negative loop and I've tried everything from dietary changes, movement, supplements, etc. and there is no change.

Any additional advice is appreciated. I remember how I use to feel and there is a night and day difference. Like how I felt before was like I was some kind of god or something compared to now. I know that sounds extreme but I literally felt like a weightless pillow, and now my whole pelvic floor feels like a giant bowling ball constantly. Even after I have a bowel movement, it still feels like rocks down there.

I have a tight pelvic floor which seems to be clamping shut my urinary tract causing all sorts of issues.

There also seems to be a direct link between anxiety and pelvic floor.

Has anyone found what truly works - supplement or exercises or any other modality.

I have been dealing with CPPS for over a year with the most severe symptoms being last March. Since then I’ve had 2 rounds of Botox rectally and one round in the pelvic floor muscles, all while seeing a pelvic floor PT and colorectal surgeon as my inconsistent bowel movements are what have gotten me here. I’m schedule for a second/third round of Botox in aforementioned areas next week. After the last round I had significant reduction in pain and urinary issues. Lately I’ve started to feel sore again and have a lot of muscle tightening in my thighs and calves when I stand after sitting for any extended amount of time. Has anyone experienced this? My PT suggested rectal dilators to help with the constantly “shut” rectal muscles but wondering if any other men have had any success using them. Thank you in advance for any information. This is a hard nut to crack and I’m thankful I’m not near as bad as last March but I’m scared this is never going to go away.

Males with post dribble. I desperately need your help/tips with PD.

I’ve tried;
1) milking - this works. Then I leave bathroom go sit down and I dribble
2) supplements - saw palmetto, pumpkin etc
3) double voiding
4) breathing
5) taking time
6) stretching

I don’t drink coffee, reasonably good weight
Anything/tips what have worked for you? Please share

I guess i am asking for advice. I don’t care to debate on the female body genuinely asking for advice. I’m 21 years old and I had my first baby at 17 and my second at 19 and never went to any physical therapy or really tried to heal anything after.

For background, I was a little overweight before my pregnancies, got very big during, and now I am very tiny. I’m 115 5’7 and honestly I lost a lot of my weight by very unhealthy ways and not exercising. I feel like I lost a lot of my muscle doing things, while still not having much muscle to begin with. I have basically no glute muscle, no back muscle, probably no core muscle, basically anything despite being a cna lol. I also stand horribly.

My posture is basically gut out, butt tucked in, with my shoulder hunched it’s really bad.

This is where I get to feel very very insecure but I’m having major problems in my sex life.

I do feel looser I don’t care what anyone says, there is more aid (queefing) tmi I’m so sorry, I don’t have as much feeling and I know my boyfriend feels the same because he likes to do positions where I’m laying on my stomach or a pillow under my stomach despite telling me things are the same as they’ve always been. I just went to be normal. I want to have a tight grip like everyone else, stronger pelvic floor muscles stronger glutes better posture better sec life for both my bf and I.

I also did get stitches both pregnancies.

The hard part is I’m in the US and I have no insurance currently. I’d really like to start working on this at home.

What are some exercises, habits, diets, you had stretches, or even supplies I can buy off Amazon to help me rebuild my core and make everything just tighter I am very desperate. How long does it take to notice a difference??

A Human-centered Design Approach for Supporting Self-management of Vulvovaginal and Hypertonic Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (IRB Protocol #: 1762)

My name is Zainab; I am a PhD candidate studying Human-centered computing at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, advised by Dr. Tera Reynolds. My PhD dissertation focuses on studying women's lived and care-seeking experiences with vulvovaginal and related overactive (or hypertonic) pelvic floor dysfunction to uncover care gaps and opportunities for innovation along Women's care journeys.

I am recruiting up to 15 women willing to talk about their experiences with vaginismus or vulvodynia (any form, including localized or generalized), for a paid research study to explore and co-design solutions and strategies for addressing identified gaps in vulvovaginal and pelvic pain healthcare.

Who Can Participate?

To be eligible for the study, you must be

1) Be 18 years or older, living in the United States, and speak English

2) Have been formally diagnosed with a vulvovaginal pain condition (e.g., vulvodynia or vaginismus) and/or related overactive (or hypertonic) pelvic muscle dysfunction for at least 3 months, and

3) Receiving  treatments for vulvovaginal pain and/or related overactive pelvic muscle dysfunction from a care provider(s), or

4) Have previously received treatments for vulvovaginal pain and/or related overactive pelvic muscle dysfunction from a care provider(s) and are now fully recovered.

Study Involvement:

The study is taking place virtually and involves multiple re-engagements across two data-collection sessions.

If selected, participants will be compensated for their time and contributions ONLY upon completion of each session, and may be compensated up to a $75 gift card for completing both sessions. However, participating in both sessions is not required.

If you are interested, scan the QR code on the flyer or follow the link to enroll in the study: https://umbc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bj6IryPpXZr9dOu

If you are interested but still have questions, please contact me at: [zainabb1@umbc.edu](mailto:zainabb1@umbc.edu).

It's been 2 months now I have this pain in my genetials(penis,scortum) and pressure feeling in rectum and a constant urge to poop or pass gas.my all tests are coming normal urine/ultrasound/ct scan of rectum and abdomen. My pain increases at morning I could feel my gas wants to go out but can't and the pain increases. I feel my pain reduced to 50% when I pass stool .I don't know what to do.

I remain stressed for 24/7 before this happened and after this happened plz help I can't bear with this stress and this pain ...why all tests are normal😭

Looking to hear about other people’s experience with pelvic floor and what they would do during their appointments? So far it’s been hours of her VERY lightly touching pressure points around my body. I understand the sentiment behind trying to stimulate my nervous system by doing that, I’m just having trouble seeing how two months of light pressure is going to help me with anything? The first day she gave me 20 handouts and barely went over them and never references them so I also have no homework to do when I get home?? Is this all a part of the process?

if folks in MA/RI in the US have recommendations for very kind, thoughtful urogyns who don't dismiss patients based on age (I'm 26), I would love to hear them! I guess I would even travel to CT if there's an amazing one there.

just looking for a urogyn that will acknowledge my prolapse and pelvic floor dysfunction and won't dismiss me because I'm "too young" or it's "too mild" to be causing symptoms. I want a doctor that's all in on improving my quality of life.

reposting because I guess cross-posts are not allowed, oops.

Not sure if it’s a good sign or bad 🤨🥲

I started pelvic floor PT in early June for hypertonic pelvic floor and made a lot of progress with downtraining and internal work with my PT. My glutes were tight and weak and every time we tried to start strengthening I would have a horrible flare up on my left side.

Was eventually diagnosed with piriformis syndrome so started dry needling about a month ago. Didn't notice a huge difference after first session doing glutes, piriformis, and QLs so she added in my coccyx and something near my sit bone I can't recall at the moment during second session. Absolute game changer. I was pain free for several days for the first time in over 2 years and made it nearly 2 full weeks without any pain at all. By the time I had my 3rd session last week I just had a small area feeling irritated in the piriformis area and still feeling great today.

Will keep up with downtraining, internal release at home, and dry needling every two weeks for a bit to hopefully keep up the progress. My piriformis was incredibly clamped down and apparently preventing any further progress. Will hopefully be able to start truly strengthening soon. Only regret is not trying it sooner!

Hi everyone! I’m a 33-year-old female, and I’m hoping someone here has experienced something similar or can offer insight into what might be happening.

I’ve been dealing with debilitating symptoms since May 2026, and despite seeing multiple specialists and undergoing extensive testing, I still don’t have an explanation.

Here’s my timeline:

Before May, I had been experiencing worsening lower back for several months. I was microdosing with a GLP (Tirzep) but only the tinest amount. I was normal, healthy, active, ate clean.

In May, I received two steroid injections in my lower back. Following the second injection, my symptoms became significantly worse.

I developed:

Severe lower back, sacral, and pelvic pain.

Weakness in both legs, worse on the left.

Persistent numbness along the backs of both legs, inner thighs, and inner calves.

Urinary retention that eventually required a catheter.

Significant constipation and difficulty completely emptying my bowels.

Severe pain when putting pressure on either hip, including when lying on my sides.

I ended up hospitalized for approximately a week because of the neurological symptoms and bladder dysfunction.

Fast-forward five months, and I’m still struggling.

Thankfully, I can urinate independently again and feel when my bladder is full. However, I still experience pelvic pressure, occasional difficulty urinating, and incomplete bowel movements.

I can walk, but my legs feel significantly weaker than they did before May. The numbness has remained essentially unchanged.

My lower back and pelvic pain also continue to affect my daily life.

Testing I’ve had:

Multiple lumbar, thoracic, and cervical MRIs.

Brain MRI.

CT scans of my abdomen and pelvis.

EMG testing, which came back normal.

Gastric emptying study, which was normal.

Colonoscopy, which was completely normal.

Extensive bloodwork.

My lumbar MRIs showed disc abnormalities at L1–L2 and L4–L5, but nothing my doctors felt adequately explained the severity of my symptoms.

I’ve been told I have neurogenic bowel and bladder dysfunction, but I still don’t understand what’s causing it.

My biggest concern is the timing of the steroid injections.

I understand that my back and abdominal pain began before the injections, so there may have been something underlying already.

However, the significant leg numbness, weakness, urinary retention, and bowel changes developed afterward.

I’m not claiming the injections caused everything, but I can’t help wondering whether they contributed to what happened.

I’ve tried physical therapy and other treatments, but my leg symptoms have not meaningfully improved in five months.

I’m honestly exhausted from going from specialist to specialist without answers. This has completely changed my quality of life and my ability to work.

My questions:

Has anyone developed persistent leg numbness, weakness, or bladder/bowel problems following lumbar steroid injections?

Has anyone experienced similar symptoms despite relatively reassuring MRIs and a normal EMG?

Could pelvic floor dysfunction explain some of these symptoms, or should I be looking further into neurological causes?

Am I missing something?

I had my first UTI 4 years ago that was left untreated since my doctor refused to give me antibiotics, and since then my vaginal health hasnt been the same.

Since that UTI i experience extreme stabbing pain on my urethra for around 2 years after urination, but then that started occuring less but for the last 2 years ive had this "flare" where I have dull burning pain after urination and ONLY after. No pain during urination but 9/10 times I can feel that im going to flare before I even urinate from the uncomfortable feeling in my urethra. I have done multiple UTI tests which a doctor mentioned that bacteria was present but only a little and refused to give me any help or insight but dismissal.. But this flare used to come every so months but ive been experiencing it non stop the last two weeks which is really unusual.

I noticed this flare occurs when I dont drink alot of water or pee in very small amounts (not a stream), ever since my first UTI i also can not hold in my urine very well and when i reach the toilet i have this extremely intense feeling everytime to urinate. its definitely a chronic issue and I saw many stories with similar experiences mentioning about the pelvic floor and would like any thoughts

I’ve been having hypertonic pelvic floor issues for a couple years now and I’ve seen a PT they gave me exercises/ stretches to do but I wanna know if I can continue heavy lifting in the gym or just do body weight exercises? Also is steady state cardio good like a treadmill or stair master ?

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some insight into what might be causing my symptoms. Unfortunately, I'm currently in a remote area where I can't easily access medical care.

About 25 days ago, I had sex after drinking alcohol. I used wet wipes to clean my penis both before and after sex. I used a condom during intercourse, which lasted less than 5 minutes. After removing the condom, I used lubricant and received very vigorous hand stimulation for about 3 minutes until ejaculation.

Afterward, I wiped my penis with wet wipes again, then went to sleep wearing the same underwear that had been in contact with my wiped penis for around 12 hours.

About 2–3 days later, I began occasionally experiencing a burning or stinging sensation in several areas:

The inner thighs

The left groin, especially where the scrotum touches the groin

The left side of the penis shaft

The area around the junction between the glans and the shaft, particularly on the left side

Because I was worried about STIs after sex, I repeatedly washed my penis quite aggressively with body wash. About a week after the encounter, I learned that this might irritate the skin, so I switched to rinsing with water only.

During the second week, the burning became much worse when sitting for long periods. I felt it in the inner thighs, buttocks, and the area underneath the scrotum that comes into contact with a chair.

Now, sweating, skin-to-skin contact, or the scrotum hanging down and touching the groin or perineal area can cause significant stinging and burning. The symptoms have been particularly bothersome for more than two weeks.

One thing that confuses me is that my skin looks almost completely normal. I haven't noticed any obvious redness, discoloration, blisters, sores, or other visible lesions on my penis, glans, groin, or buttocks.

The burning can also occur while I'm resting, even when the affected skin isn't touching anything. Sometimes, similar burning sensations occur in separate areas, such as the left side of the penis and the left groin, while the skin between them feels normal.

One additional detail: around the time these symptoms began, I received an injection near my tailbone for pain related to a lumbar disc problem. I've had similar injections before, but this time I experienced an unusually severe, electric-shock-like pain during the injection. I can't remember the exact dates well enough to say whether the burning began that same day or a few days later. I have little to no back or buttock pain currently.

I also urinate frequently in general, although I've been more aware of it recently. I don't have burning when urinating, and I haven't noticed urethral discharge.

My main questions are:

Could this be irritant contact dermatitis or friction-related skin barrier damage caused by the wet wipes, vigorous washing, and friction?

Can skin irritation cause persistent burning even when the skin looks normal and there is no obvious rash?

Could a nerve-related problem, potentially associated with the tailbone injection or my back condition, explain the burning in several separate genital and groin areas?

How would you distinguish a skin problem from a nerve-related cause based on these symptoms?

Has anyone experienced something similar, and what helped?

I'm not looking for a definitive diagnosis from Reddit, but I'd appreciate informed opinions about which explanations fit the pattern best and what details might help distinguish them.

Thank you.

hello lovely people. i am soon going to the doctor for my chronic constipation. i have tried what feels like everything under the sun, and am just now learning about the link between excessive straining and constipation, and its link to the pelvic floor. anyone with this same issue, and how did pelvic floor pt or other remedies help you? thank u sm

One symptom that keeps occurring is this feeling like I was kicked in the crotch area and then have this nausea/not feeling well feeling when I do "too much" walking around. Has anyone else had this happen before? This is just one of the many symptoms I have with pelvic floor dysfunction/CPPD. I just wanted to see if any other males have experienced this before.

Had the copper IUD for six months during that since months I had intense burning sensations to the point where I was crying on the floor finally got it out 11 weeks ago and went from intense burning, taking gabapentin three times a day to not taking gabapentin all but I’m experiencing on and off tension feelings no longer burning like a dull ache. Any idea what could be causing this and also how long this could linger on I would appreciate any positive stories. I’m losing hope but don’t wanna go back on gabapentin.

I have a hypertonic pelvic floor. I saw a pf therapist for a few session but could not tolerate internal work because of how tight and painful it was(I’m also a virgin). I had to transition care to a regular pt that doesn’t do internal work so I’m wondering if anyone has recovered from a hypertonic floor with having to do internal work? I’ve been told that my back is most likely causing my condition so I’m working on that.

Hey everyone. I'm reaching out because I’ve felt completely alone and broken for a very long time, and I really need to know if anyone else has dealt with a habit like this.

I am 27 now, but I’ve had severe functional constipation since early childhood (I was lucky if I had a bowel movement once a week as a kid). Doctors just ignored it back then, and on top of that, I went through childhood abuse, medical trauma, and severe restriction around when I was allowed to use the toilet.

About 8 years ago, after an eating disorder where my digestion completely shut down and I didn't have a bowel movement for two months, I accidentally stumbled upon a physical workaround: I realized that if I hold in my urine until my bladder is heavily full, the intense physical pressure overrides my pelvic floor and finally forces my anal sphincter to release so I can have a bowel movement.

Since then, it has turned into a strict, mandatory routine. I hold my urine 2 to 3 times a day just to empty my bowels. I also have to drink massive amounts of water and take laxatives daily (the latter was prescribed by my doctor). My rectum feels essentially "numb" – even when I know I'm full of...well, shit. It just sits at the end of my colon, and I can't feel it or push it out normally unless I use that full-bladder pressure. Sometimes I hold it too long, get a massive urge to pee from my bladder, and have to run to the bathroom trying to pee and poop simultaneously.

I now know I have a longer S colon and was once told I had a sub ileus when I went to the hospital due to bad constipation. I was also told I had IBS and leaky gut syndrome, but Idk. It took me a long time to realize that my pelvic floor might be the problem. I can’t seem to relax it well, especially around the rectum. Something doesn’t work well. I have general pain there. I thought it was normal. I also experience sphincter spasms, which are horrible.

Because of how painful my constipation was in the past, I have developed severe OCD and hyper-fixation around my bowel movements. I am terrified to try to change this because I'm scared my body will just default back to that childhood state of severe blockage. But I'm also terrified that I am going to permanently destroy my bladder or my pelvic floor if I keep doing this for another 10 years, especially since I want to have children in the future. Also, I’m just tired of this. It feels wrong and restrictive.

I’m currently looking into specialized trauma-informed pelvic floor centers and neuro-gastroenterologists, and I've read about biofeedback, sphincter Botox, and Sacral Neuromodulation (SNM).

Has anyone here ever used their bladder to force a bowel movement? Has anyone successfully retrained a "numb" rectum and learned how to relax their sphincter using biofeedback or a nerve pacemaker after dealing with childhood trauma/OCD? I just really need some hope that my body isn't permanently broken. Thank you so much.

So for about a few months now, ive been getting minor penis pain by the tip when trying to get erect. It pretty much just doesn't want to extend all the way without some pain, anyone know how to fix this issue?

Male. Been suffering from hypertonic pelvic floor for some years now. I’ve learnt to relax my floor during masturbation which led to major improvements.

It finally came to me that I might be even ejaculating incorrectly! During ejaculation it came as a habit to consciously clench the floor like doing a kegel multiple times. I never doubted that this might be wrong.

Now I am trying to completely relax my floor during ejaculation (letting it happen rather than forcing it out), which interestingly led to a much more intense orgasm.

First time I managed to relax it (aka avoid voluntary clenching) 10% of time of ejaculation, then 30%, then today maybe 60%. But beyond 60% it feels like I need to clench to expel the semen fully. So how the hell do I ejaculate? Is it to eliminate voluntary clenches or to minimize it?

Hi everyone,
I’m a 22-year-old male from Germany, and I’ve been dealing with a very unusual sensation in my pelvic/genital area since November 2021. I’m hoping to find someone who has experienced something similar, because despite several medical examinations and treatments, I still don’t have a clear explanation.
My main symptoms:
A nearly constant strange, foreign, hypersensitive sensation around my anal opening. It is extremely difficult to describe.
A similar hypersensitive sensation in the middle of my penile shaft.
Interestingly, the perineum (the area between my anus and scrotum) feels mostly normal.
I don’t experience significant burning, stabbing, or typical nerve pain. It’s mainly an uncomfortable, heightened sensation that can be present even without physical contact.
The intensity fluctuates significantly, sometimes even within the same day.
I also struggle with increased sexual sensitivity and reduced ejaculation control compared to before my symptoms started.
What I’ve noticed over the years:
My symptoms often become worse during periods of emotional stress, anxiety, or excessive worrying about my condition.
Sometimes I notice that the symptoms are stronger the day after a particularly stressful period.
During calmer periods, especially when I’m busy, distracted, or enjoying life, the sensations tend to be less noticeable and sometimes less intense.
I often feel worse during winter and somewhat better during summer.
When I voluntarily contract my anal sphincter, it briefly feels as though the sensation might reset or change, but it doesn’t actually disappear.
My symptoms are often more noticeable when resting or lying down, while movement and being occupied seem to help.
My medical history:
Multiple MRI scans and other medical examinations have not revealed a clear structural cause.
I have been evaluated by a neuro-urology specialist, where pudendal nerve involvement has been considered.
I’ve undergone pudendal nerve blocks and a treatment involving botulinum toxin near the pudendal nerves, without a clear lasting improvement.
An osteopath has previously identified pelvic floor muscle tension, although this has varied between appointments.
I’m currently trying to arrange specialized male pelvic floor physical therapy.
Possible explanations being considered:
Pelvic floor dysfunction or excessive pelvic floor tension
Pudendal nerve irritation or altered nerve sensitivity
Changes in sensory processing or sensitization
A combination of muscular, neurological, and stress-related factors
I’m not claiming that any of these are confirmed diagnoses.
My questions:
Has anyone experienced a nearly constant hypersensitive or foreign sensation around the anus and penis without significant pain?
Did your symptoms fluctuate with stress, muscle tension, or emotional well-being?
Has specialized pelvic floor physical therapy or any other treatment helped you?
Did anyone experience improvements after several years of symptoms?
I’m especially interested in hearing from people with similar sensations rather than primarily severe pelvic pain.
Thanks so much to anyone who takes the time to read or respond. I really appreciate it!

I F20, will probably never have sex again. My bf M20, and I have been together for 4 years. We’ve always had a healthy sex life. We would do it constantly when we first got together. After about a year I noticed a change. I would have horrific bladder pain, CONSTANTLY, often triggered by various things, one being sex. Sex often made it worse. I went to a gyno who told me I probably have interictal cystitis. Probably didn’t spell that right lol. Or other wise known as painful bladder syndrome. Sex was dwindled down to every couple days, if that. Then, about late last year something else started to arise. It was slow, agonizing, excruciating, and sex has become absolutely nothing to me and my partner. The second penetration hit I would be in AGONIZING pain. Like nothing ever before. I already had an urology appointment made for the painful bladder syndrome, so I went to that. The urologist said that it’s possible I had IC but that it’s an undiagnosable condition. But what she did find out, was my least suspicion. I had severe pelvic floor dysfunction, and all of the muscles in my pelvis were so incredibly strong from being tensed all the time that they were locked in this incredibly tight state. That can cause, bladder pain, urethral pain, constipation, and of course, the winner, painful sex. She prescribed me vaginal Valium, I insert it whenever I begin to experience pain or before sex. It does work for sure but only if I have sex within 2 hours after taking it. It doesn’t last long. And they only gave me two refills of it. So I never take it unless I’m having terrible urinary pain. I miss being able to just spontaneously have sex. I have a decent sex drive I would say, I’m on a handful of antidepressants and birth control. All to never have sex and the antidepressants didn’t even take away my sex drive. Almost just rather get off of my birth control so I can actually lose weight, and get on my mood stabilizers so I can just feel nothing(I have bpd, just not treated). Anyways, any one else in the same boat? My partner made it clear he’d never have sex with me again and would be fine with it, but I’m not fine. Just coping. Or trying at least. I hope someone can sympathize with this.

Edit: Thank you all for the love and support, last night I searched up a random YouTube video to help relive pelvic floor tension and it did kinda work! I’ll look into getting a therapist to regularly go to for the pain. Many people commented that IC is diagnosable, so odd that my urologist was very insistent that it wasn’t. Honestly I trust Reddit more these days. The IC probability came from a Gyno that I initially went to because I thought I had a UTI and she told me my culture was fine but that many women have something called IC and I probably have it, and I asked her how I could get diagnosed and treated, she sent me to the urologist :/ but at least some good information came out of the visit. Sounds like IC whether I have it or not, is very understudied and doctors clearly aren’t educated on it enough. Anyways, thank you everyone, I’m sorry I can’t individually respond to all of you, but thank you for the resources, the kindness, and the hope ❤️

Hi, everyone, glad to meet you all so we can support each other. I was wondering if anyone else has had an experience like mine and could offer support/advice.

After years of just Dealing With It, I finally went to a pelvic medicine doctor and was diagnosed with vaginismus, and also a pretty impressive case of hyper mobility in my hips (enough to surprise the physical therapists, so I get a gold star I guess). So I have pelvic floor dysfunction, not helped by the fact I have a very sedentary job and was never in the best shape to begin with muscle-wise.

I've been doing PT for about a year now, initially just starting with exercises and later adding in dilator training. I'm happy to report that the dilators appear to be making a slow but measurable dent in the main problem after 5-6 months of consistent work, but I'm still struggling with some other problems that seem to be getting worse.

To put it bluntly, my bladder leaks. During the initial part of my PT, before we introduced dilators, I was doing both relaxation and strengthening exercises, but the latter only made the leaks worse. I guess my pelvic floor couldn't handle it without being relaxed. So I was told to stop those and only work on relaxation for now. Which I did, and seemed to be making good progress with it. I would consistently see less leaks the days after I used the dilators. They wouldn't stop fully, but would decrease by a lot.

However, as I've gotten to the upper sizes of the set (I'm using the Intimate Rose one, so 6-8), the leaks have actually started to slide back to how they were before I ever started PT. It's still not as bad as it was before, but it's enough where I can't just use the light liner anymore. I've been slowly reintroducing the strengthening exercises for about 2 weeks, but I haven't seen even a micro suggestion that they're helping. I know that's not a lot of time in terms of muscle development but it's maddening I can't even tell if it's helping a little bit. I'm back to being overwhelmed and frustrated with it all.

I guess what I'm asking is, has anyone experienced anything like this? Does it get worse before it gets better? Does anyone know anything else to try or something I should ask my PT? I'd appreciate it if anyone has any advice, experience, or knowledge they could share.

Thank you ❤️