Edit: Combining my 99% pain free story with my success stories so that users of different platforms can read both in one place.

I see a lot of new people come to the thread and new users to reddit all together. I had no idea how to use reddit when I first joined. It took me a good couple of weeks to feel like I knew what I was doing. So, my tip to anyone here who is new and needs encouragement, reassurance, or a pick me up. Use the sorting feature. In the top left area you can sort from best posts to "Top posts" and then a specific time frame. Here you will find many success stories to help steer your way to recovery.

I say "steer" because its so so easy to get lost down the never ending spiral of pelvic pain (PP). I was there and I could easily go back down, but I refuse to let it win and there is nothing worse than constant suffering. And Despite the non linear process healing of PP, you need to focus on the fact that you will heal! It just takes time and persistence.

It was just over a month ago that I found out that I was dealing with pelvic floor disorder. I had seen multiple doctors, ran a significant amount of tests, and was severely beaten down mentally, physically and emotionally from the suffering I was enduring on a daily basis. But I was a fighter, like so many of you. Life is a beautiful thing and I refuse to let PFD strip me of all the endless joys I cherished before this nightmare started. If you are here reading this, those wheels have already been set in motion. Total healing is just around the corner.

Prior to feeling how I am today, I did tons of research. Which can be very troubling when you are caught in the constant doubt of "what is wrong with me"? We become self administered "experts" to our own disease. Let me tell you, the internet is a conservative readers nightmare and a contortionists daydream in finding the answers to healing pelvic pain. Page after page you fill find fancy medical terms of words you can barely pronounce, controlled studies, a plethora of different antibiotics to take, specific diets, homeopaths, etc. The list goes on and on and one thing remains certain throughout. Stress.

The overwhelming amount of stress involved each day scraping the internet for answers is both good and not so good. Its unfortunate that many of us are not so lucky in finding the exact answers of what we have or how we got it. Thus, we are forced to take matters into our own hands and find our own cures. But, unfortunately it can cause an increasing amount of stress and ANXIETY every day. Can you blame us?

So, I am going to save you some time. There were 2 things that always remained constant in all of my research in finding the "cure" to pelvic pain. Reducing anxiety/stress and loosening the muscles/fascia in the tight and overactive pelvic floor. When you just think hard about those 2 things, it makes complete sense in regards to the symptoms we face each day. Regardless of what ailment you have that affects the pelvic floor, doing these 2 things on a consistent daily basis, will bring you relief. But, I will share a complete routine of what has worked for me and others that have healed themselves before me.

This is an extensive list/routine at what I did to beat PFD pain and suffering. It took me 5 weeks of everyday work. But regardless of how long you have suffered, I believe this will help many. Like all routines, it takes a good week of sticking to it. After that, its easy and it is easy for me to see and feel what a difference this has made for me, beyond just having relief from pelvic pain.

Anxiety

Everything started with anxiety for me. And most likely anxiety and nervous tension play a part in most everyone who comes on here looking for support. Anxiety is no stranger to me. I have beaten it in the past and I was determined to do it again, no matter how bad I had re-sensitized myself. I remembered what I did the first time I beat it, I read a book that was recommended to me called "Hope and Help for Your Nerves". It didn't take long of me reading it that I broke down and cried. Everything in that book speaks so clearly to anyone who suffers daily with crippling anxiety. And I have read tons of material on the subject. This one is by far the best. Its funny, it seems like the best kept secrets are ones that are passed down from one person to another. This is such a book. It doesn't need to rely on extensive marketing campaigns, fake reviews, and excessive hype. I linked the audiobook, because its read by the author who has so much healing compassion in her voice and I believe listening to it daily, will slowly but surely desensitize the subconscious mind as well as get anyone out of a tough bind when they need the healing words the most. She has pulled me out of panic and negative thoughts again and again.

Diaphragmatic breathing and reverse kegels

I also practice diaphragmatic breathing with my stretching routine (that I will talk about below.) It also helps relax the pelvic floor when you inhale. So it is a double win. When I am anxious, I tend to breathe shallowly. Learning to breathe from the belly and practicing it frequently helps you adopt this breathing method over time. Also, I have found that reverse kegels during my breathing, gives me tons of relief, helps balance my pelvic floor, and helps during a flare up.

Internal Trigger Point Release

I read the book "Ending Male Pelvic Pain" and for females, "Ending Female Pain". In my opinion, it is a much better book than "Headache in the Pelvis". It was night and day for me. There is much more information with clear cut routines to follow. I also saw a pelvic floor physical therapist 3 times. It may have given me relief. I cannot be certain because I was doing the trigger point release on myself. So, it could have just been a bonus plus I learned how much pressure to use from a trained expert I suppose. At home I used the Intimate Rose pelvic wand. I did this every 3rd day for 5 weeks.

Stretching and Foam Rolling

When I made the connection between anxiety and body clenching, I knew that all the other posts I read on stretching held such strong merit. And it goes beyond just pelvic floor tension. Its buried deep in other muscles and fascia all over the body. Unraveling it all has brought me so much overall relief and I feel so amazing because of it.

So, I created my own routine that I saw others doing, what my physical therapist recommended, and what I discovered on my own. In doing the routine, I fell in love with foam rolling. I think it is superior to stretching as far as the relief I felt. But, I still stretch equally as much as I roll. I do my routine twice a day and sometimes I roll midday or whenever I want to feel immediate relief from muscle tension; like I said, I am addicted to it. I own 3 different foam rollers, 2 foam roller balls, and myofascial release lacrosse balls. You do not need everything I own, but I will list them anyways. Although I will say, the intelliroll is amazing for the lower body. Sadly, its the only thing not available on amazon.

Intelliroll Sport - I use this for all of my lower body rolling and holds.

Amazon Basics 36 inch - For entire back. This was a good beginning roller for me because it is softer and I like the fact that I could get it in a larger size.

The Orb - This is perfect for hitting spots along my glutes, adductors, hamstrings, and parts of my thighs that I cannot hit deeply enough with rolling. Its a game changer. I also bought the extreme mini, but I do not use it as much as the 5 inch.

Myofascial release balls - I use these when I am driving oddly enough. I use to sit on them as best as I could but they are inferior to the orb. When I am driving, I like to put one behind me and press in on tender points in my back.

I do my whole body because I realized that any tension in my body can make me involuntarily clench or put me in a state of nervous tension overall.

The routine:

I use these specific videos because they were the ones given to me by my physical therapist. Plus there is no needless build of someone blabbering on like many videos that are in circulation. She uses the intelliroll but you can use any roller. But, the intelliroll is amazing. It has been my savior for the lower body.

Glutes and Hamstrings After I roll, I use the orb on spots that I could not hit deeply with rolling. I also have the body of the tinman so I cant stretch enough to hit my hamstrings well with a roller. But, I use the orb in a similar fashion.

TFL and IT Band This will hurt like a bitch at first but will give you tremendous relief once you get used to doing it daily.

Quads and Adductors - Again, I use the orb afterwards on my adductors. I cannot get all the way into my groin with a foam roller. Plus I can navigate it easier than the roller all along my adductors.

It is important of me to note that with doing rolling, to hold it on tender points. It will hurt like hell but do as much as you can tolerate. Eventually it will release and give you so much relief. I roll mostly to find these points. Once I do, I hold. Roll, hold, repeat.

5 Stretches to Relax the Pelvic Floor - My favorite is the child's pose. It gives me such a great stretch in my groin and upper hamstrings. But, I do every stretch here along with the cobra pose.

Cobra - I actually extend this all the way up and find it helps with my overly tight abdomen.

Hindi and Hindu squat or deep squat. This is golden for relaxing the pelvic floor and combining with reverse kegels.

Diet and GI Health

There is a link between pelvic pain a gut dysbiosis. Whether I have this issue, I do not know, But, I do suffer from IBS and acid reflux. I do not strain on the toilet anymore, (this usually triggers a flare up for me) especially since I use a squatty potty, I recommend anyone who strains on the toilet to get this and take Metamucil. I also follow a low FODMAP diet currently and will add in my favorite foods to find out whether I get triggered or not. But, so far it has really helped me. I have started taking probiotics but have not been on them long enough to notice any big differences. From time to time I experience nausea when then triggers anxiety an then triggers a flare up. Its like a domino effect. So, I use tummy drops ginger flavor and it gives me immediate relief from nausea and bloating.

The Next Step

I cannot comment fully on this as I have not been consistent with it, but I plan to, is strengthening the muscles that help support the pelvic floor. The idea is that because these muscles are tight and often weak, they have to rely on the pelvic floor more. These muscle groups are the glutes, the abs (core), hips, hamstrings and adductors. Exercises consist of resistance stretching (eccentric movement) and body weight movements like the glute bridge, 8 point planks, and side leg raises. I will update this in time once I start being consistent with it and have some sort of results to report on.

Other things that helped

Walking. Avoid sitting for extended periods of time, or if you do, invest in a donut cushion. Hokeki brand on Amazon makes the best on imo. Baths and heat. I love using those beanbags that you can heat up in the microwave and applying to the tender areas. Sitz baths are nice when I cannot take a bath or need relief from constipation or more perineum pain relief. Guided mediation from the headspace app is great when you need to wind down. Of course getting a great nights sleep is paramount, I should have mentioned this earlier. But I know how hard it can be to get comfortable with nagging pain. And a final note on masturbation. I flare up if I do it everyday. But anywhere between 4-5 days to 2 weeks, I have found does not flare me up. Especially if I pee afterwards, take a bath and do reverse kegels. Some have went a few months with no ejaculation. I think doing that is excessive and is unrealistic for most people.

Lastly, it is important not to give into your pain, It does not deserve the constant guarding that we do on a daily basis because of the pain we feel daily. I know this is hard and is a lot easier said than done. But the sooner you accept it and let it be a part of you in this moment, the easier it will be to deal with flare ups when they arise.

So, overall, this is the extent of my routine that has gotten me amazing results in just over 1 month of doing every day.

I hope this helps. Feel free to message me with any questions.