What is Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder (PGAD) & How Can Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Help?

I'm excited to announce that I have officially joined Activcore and that I will be offering pelvic health services at the Bernardsville, NJ location starting on January 13, 2025.‍ So here's a bit about me...‍ I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) who specializes in pelvic health, women's health, orthopedics and manual therapy. I received my DPT degree from Rutgers University in 2018.

As a pelvic health physical therapist at Activcore in New Jersey, I find myself talking about the pelvis all day long. After all, people are excited to learn about this fast growing area of physical therapy practice. And they have many, many questions! So here are some of the most common I get asked...

Whether you consider yourself an expert on the pelvic floor or you are just exploring what the heck goes on “down there,” it never hurts to have a better understanding of the essential functions of the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is more than a complex network of ligaments, muscles, and connective tissue (fascia). This dome-shaped structure has five extremely important “S” functions.

Visceral manipulation is a gentle type of manual therapy treatment focused on the organs and associated connective tissue. As a pelvic health physical therapist, I use it often to treat a wide variety of conditions across all ages and genders. Some common conditions that Visceral Manipulation helps includes: musculoskeletal problems like lower back pain, sciatica, and neck pain...

Diastasis recti abdominis (DRA), also commonly known as abdominal separation, is a condition in which the connective tissue (linea alba) between the right and left side of the rectus abdominis (six-pack muscle) is widened. It typically occurs during pregnancy, when natural separation must occur to accommodate the growth of the uterus and fetus. This separation affects up to 70% of postpartum females.

As a pelvic floor physical therapist, many of my clients are female. But I have specialized training to help males too! Equipped with the most advanced tools and techniques in the industry, like Visceral Manipulation, Low Pressure Fitness, and the Redcord suspension system, I can help you overcome pain and pelvic floor dysfunction, regardless of your gender.

Endometriosis affects 1 out of 10 women. Typically it starts out as painful periods, but can progress to chronic pelvic pain, abdominal pain, painful intercourse, and/or bowel and bladder issues. It can even lead to infertility. ‍It is common for people to have signs and symptoms of endometriosis for years (and sometimes decades) before being formally diagnosed with it. This prolonged process leads to unnecessary suffering, feelings of embarrassment and isolation, and reduced quality of life. That is why awareness is key.

Trauma and chronic stress—whether emotional, physical, or psychological—have long been recognized as key contributors to a variety of health conditions. One area often overlooked, however, is the pelvic floor. Many people are surprised to learn that stress can significantly impact pelvic health, especially when left unresolved over time.‍ Whether you’re dealing with digestive irregularities, urinary urgency, pain with sitting, or unexplained pelvic discomfort, understanding how the nervous system, diaphragm, and pelvic floor work together is essential.

Men (and those with male anatomy), have you ever typed into Google: “It feels like there’s a golf ball in my rectum”... “There’s so much pressure in my butt”... “Something feels stuck near my tailbone”...“My tailbone hurts every time I sit”...“I can’t drive for long without pain.” If so, you’re not alone—and what you’re experiencing could be related to one of several possible conditions.

Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) is a very rare condition, affecting about 1% of women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). People with PGAD experience sudden and uncontrollable physical sensations that feel like sexual arousal. However, these sensations happen without sexual desire and are not relieved by orgasm. Although PGAD has been studied mostly in women and AFAB individuals, it can also occur in men and people assigned male at birth.

Pelvic organ prolapse is a condition that many women may not hear about until they experience symptoms or receive a diagnosis during a routine pelvic exam–and men during a routine physical exam. While it only affects a small percentage of men and women, it’s important to understand what it is, what causes it, and how it can be treated—especially as we age or after childbirth.