A Pilot Study Investigating the Use of a Therapeutic Wand in Addition to Physiotherapy for Bladder Pain Syndrome

Detailed Summary

Bladder pain syndrome is a condition where pain is experienced when the bladder fills with urine and eases briefly when the bladder empties. There can also be a constant need to urgently empty the bladder. The internal pelvic floor muscles in people with bladder pain syndrome can be tense and painful, and relaxing and stretching them may improve symptoms; reducing bladder pain, urgency and how often people have to empty their bladder. This pelvic floor release is done by specialist physiotherapists.Therapeutic wands, such as the TheraWand®, are used routinely throughout the United Kingdom to allow people to relax and stretch their pelvic floor themselves. Using a therapeutic wand has been shown to be safe and to reduce pelvic pain, improve bladder and bowel symptoms and relax the pelvic floor muscles. However, this research was conducted mostly in men with pelvic pain. The aim of this study is to find out if using a therapeutic wand at home as well as having a specialist physiotherapist massage the pelvic floor gives any added benefit than just having the physiotherapy treatment. The investigators hope to find out if the therapeutic wand gives women a way of managing their symptoms independently in their own homes.

Study Details

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Interventions