Pelvic Health Melbourne

05/12/2025

Lichen Sclerosus (LS) — What You Need to Know

LS is a chronic skin condition that affects the v***a, a**s, or p***s.
It’s not contagious, may have a genetic or autoimmune link, and is most commonly diagnosed in people in their 40s and 50s.

Signs & Symptoms
✨ Persistent itching, burning or soreness
✨ White, pale or crinkled patches of skin
✨ Skin that’s thin, fragile, or easily torn
✨ Dryness, fissures, blisters or bruising
✨ Possible scarring or narrowing of openings (v***a/anal LS)
✨ In people with a p***s: often affects the fo****in or head of the p***s

Management & Treatment in Australia
✔️ Prescription steroid ointment
✔️ Topical oestrogen when helpful
✔️ Gentle skin-care routines
✔️ Silicone-based lubricants for intimacy
✔️ Vaginal stretching with dilators or vi*****rs (if relevant)

Why Pelvic Health Physio Matters
Our clinicians are experienced in recognising LS and can help guide you back to your GP for diagnosis and medical treatment.
We also support you with secondary pain, tightness, and intimacy-related discomfort, helping you return to comfortable s*xual activity.

Why Awareness Is Important
LS can sometimes be missed — not all clinicians see it regularly.
Knowing the signs means you can ask the right questions and get help sooner.
Early treatment reduces inflammation, prevents scarring, protects long-term v***al health, and improves comfort.

How We Can Help at Pelvic Health Melbourne
✨ Identify likely LS lesions and guide appropriate referral
✨ Support with scarring, narrowing, and dilator programs
✨ Advise on moisturisers and lubricants
✨ Help manage nerve-related pelvic pain and persistent v***al burning

If you’d like to learn more or need support, reach out to us at Pelvic Health Melbourne 💛

04/12/2025

L***a Colour Changes: Totally Normal, Totally Common 💗

Let’s talk l***a colour — because yes, it varies a lot, and yes, it’s normal!
Your l***a can be light pink, brown, purple, deep red… or change over time. Bodies are beautifully diverse, and so are v***as.

💫 What’s normal?
It’s super common for the inner l***a to be darker than the outer. Genetics, hormones, and blood flow all influence colour — just like skin tone anywhere else.

🌈 When colour changes happen:
• Puberty: Hormones can naturally darken things.
• Pregnancy: More blood flow = deeper colours (often purple-ish).
• Menopause: Lower estrogen may mean paler tissue.
• Arousal or your period: Temporary darkening is totally normal.

🚩 When to get things checked:
Pop in to a health professional if you notice:
• Sudden or uneven colour change
• New dark or light patches
• Pain, itching, burning, swelling
• Sores or texture changes
• Unusual discharge or odour

These can be signs of irritation, infection, or skin conditions — all treatable.

✨ Remember:
There is no one “normal” v***a. Colour, shape, size — it all varies. What matters most is comfort, function, and your overall health.

If something feels off (or you just want reassurance), a pelvic or women’s health professional can help you understand what’s normal for you.

03/12/2025

We celebrated all things Pelvic Health Melbourne at our Christmas party over the weekend! 🎄✨
We were missing a few familiar faces, but those who could make it had a wonderful time together — complete with lots of food, fun, and festive games.

Thank you to our incredible community for your continued support — we’re so grateful for each and every one of you. 💛

28/11/2025

Premature ej*******on (PE) is one of the most common s*xual concerns for men — but it’s still something many people feel uncomfortable talking about. It can impact confidence, intimacy, and relationships… but the good news is it’s treatable.

So, what is PE?
It’s when ej*******on happens sooner than you or your partner would like — often with minimal stimulation or shortly after pe*******on.

Why does it happen?
PE can be linked to things like:
• Overactive pelvic floor muscles
• Stress, anxiety, or performance pressure
• Hormonal or neurological factors
• Habits developed over time (like rushing s*x or ma********on)

What can help?
• Learning to relax and retrain the pelvic floor
• Breathing and body-awareness techniques
• Mind-body strategies to reduce anxiety
• Medical assessment or medication when needed

A pelvic floor physio or s*xual health professional can help you build confidence and improve control with personalised strategies.

PE is common — and nothing to be ashamed of. Starting the conversation is often the hardest part, but it’s also the first step toward meaningful change.

26/11/2025

Why does my child still wet the bed sometimes?

Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) can be worrying for parents, especially when it happens only sometimes. The truth is, occasional bedwetting is actually very common in children and often part of normal development.

Why it can happen:

Bladder and brain are still learning to communicate overnight

Deep sleep makes it harder to wake to bladder signals

Small bladder capacity

Family history (bedwetting can run in families)

Constipation or fluid habits can play a role too

When to be reassured:
Occasional accidents — especially under the age of 7 — are usually normal.

When to seek support:

If accidents are frequent or worsening

If bedwetting continues past age 7–8 consistently

If your child also has daytime wetting, pain, or constipation

If your child struggled with bedwetting for longer than you’d expect, it is likely that they may have a bedwetting episode x1/year ongoing with many factors coming into play including the ones mentioned above. This is still normal even into adulthood because of their history.

Bedwetting is not your child’s fault, and it’s not laziness. Gentle support, healthy bladder habits, and professional advice if needed can make a big difference.

24/11/2025

21/11/2025

Please see very succinct steps on how easy it is to do your cervical screening

1. If you have a cervix and are aged between 25-75 you are eligible (every 5 years)

2. Contact your GP for short appt or telehealth appt

3. Pick up or your medical clinic will deliver an at home self-collection HPV test

4. Perform test as described on instruction sheet

5. Send back or drop back to your clinic

6. Await contact from the provider with your results

If you have human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16-18 these are the high-risk strains of HPV that are associated with a lot of the pelvic health cancer.  

It is important to know that this is a lifelong increased risk. 

🩷

19/11/2025

Trans Awareness Week (13–19 Nov) is here! Let's celebrate trans joy, visibility, and community empowerment. As pelvic health physios, here's how we support our trans and gender diverse communities:

✨ Tucking & Binding: Pain, discomfort, or changes in bladder/bowel control? Pelvic physio can help you stay comfortable and safe.

💜 Sexual Function & Intimacy Pain: Pain with touch, pe*******on, or feeling like intimacy isn’t possible? Support is here so you can enjoy connection without pain.

🏋️‍♂️ Chest / Top Surgery Prehab/Rehab: Not sure which moves are safe, or how to recover best? Get guidance for a smoother recovery journey.

🛌 Pre/Post‑Bottom Surgery Rehab: Whether you're preparing for or recovering from surgery, physio helps you regain comfort, function, and confidence.

🌈 Chronic Pelvic Pain: Gut, bladder, or pelvic pain impacts quality of life—no one should manage this alone.

🧡 Dilator Therapy: If you need to use dilators, affirming physio can make the process safer, more comfortable, and less isolating.

You deserve health care that truly sees and affirms you. Help is here—and you belong.
🏳️‍⚧️

15/11/2025

This week, we're spotlighting Trans Awareness. Why? Because pelvic health is for everybody.

Everyone deserves to feel seen, supported, and empowered when it comes to their health.

By amplifying trans voices and experiences, we’re working to create spaces where inclusive care is the standard—not the exception.

Pelvic health isn’t defined by gender; it’s defined by the people who live in their bodies every day.

This week and every week, we honour, uplift, and advocate for the trans community. 🏳️‍🌈💜

07/11/2025

Let’s Talk About Prostatitis 🩺
Prostatitis is a common condition that affects the prostate—a small walnut-sized gland under the bladder. It can cause pelvic pain 😣, urinary issues 🚻, and discomfort with s*x ❤️‍🔥. The good news? It’s treatable and doesn’t mean prostate cancer ✅.

There are a few types:
• Acute bacterial: sudden, severe infection —needs urgent medical care.
• Chronic bacterial: recurring infections —treated with longer-term antibiotics.
• Chronic pelvic pain (CP/CPPS): the most common type, causing ongoing pelvic pain, urinary issues, and discomfort after ej*******on. Often linked to tense pelvic floor muscles, stress , or inflammation.
• Asymptomatic: found by chance —usually doesn’t need treatment.

Common symptoms include pelvic or perineal pain , urinary urgency , and discomfort during or after ej*******on.

How physio can help:
Pelvic floor physiotherapy is a key part of managing chronic pelvic pain. Techniques like muscle relaxation , gentle stretches, breathing exercises , and flare-up strategies can make a big difference.

Other helpful strategies:
• Medications to improve urinary flow
• Stress management and lifestyle changes
• Hydration, regular movement, and avoiding irritants like caffeine or alcohol

Most men improve significantly with the right care, and early support makes a big difference.

Want to learn more about prostatitis and ways to manage symptoms? Check out our full blog. Link in bio.

05/11/2025

Jelqing is a so-called “p***s exercise” involving repeated stroking or squeezing to try to increase length or girth.
It’s essentially “manual traction therapy” — just without the science, supervision, or safety.

There’s no clinical evidence that jelqing actually works.
But urologists have seen plenty of consequences instead:

Bruising

Torn blood vessels

Scarring of erectile tissue (Peyronie’s disease)

Temporary erectile dysfunction

The p***s is made up of delicate vascular tissue (the corpus cavernosum and corpus spongiosum).
Too much pressure can cause microtears, leading to scar tissue, reduced elasticity, and impaired function.
In short, the “gain” you’re chasing might just make things worse in the long run.

Skip the jelq, save your health.
If you’re concerned about size, performance, or pain — speak with a men’s pelvic health physiotherapist or urologist.
We can help you:

Strengthen and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles

Manage premature ej*******on

Improve erectile quality

Address hard flaccid syndrome

Treat it with class, not pressure.

01/11/2025

Pelvic circles are a gentle yet powerful movement to improve pelvic mobility and body awareness.

Sitting on a stability ball, slowly move your pelvis in a circular motion — one direction, then the other.

Think of drawing smooth circles with your hips while keeping your upper body relaxed. Add some pelvic tilts forwards and backwards as well to open the lumbar spine.

What it’s good for:
● Increases pelvic floor flexibility and blood flow
● Helps release tension and stiffness in the lower back and hips
● Great for pregnancy, postnatal recovery, or pelvic pain management
● Encourages better core control and posture
Start with small, slow circles and gradually make them bigger as you feel more comfortable.