About Emily Mason Pelvic Wellness

What services are right for me?

If you're confused as to whether you need pelvic floor physical therapy, women's health coaching, yoga therapy or some combination of these, I recommend calling me so we can chat and decide together. You can also check out the services tab and read through each option to see if one resonates best with your circumstances. 

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base of the pelvis. These muscles have vital roles including:

• Continence Control: They are responsible for maintaining continence, preventing unwanted leakage of urine or feces, which is crucial for your everyday comfort and confidence.
• Core Stability: The pelvic floor muscles contribute to core stability, allowing you to feel strong and supported throughout your daily activities.
• Organ Support: They provide essential support to internal organs such as the uterus, bowels, and bladder, helping maintain their proper positioning and function.
• Sexual Function: These muscles also play a pivotal role in healthy sexual function, contributing to a satisfying and enjoyable intimate life.
• Circulation and Lymphatic Health: The pelvic floor muscles aid in promoting healthy circulation and lymphatic movement from the lower body back toward the heart, which is essential for overall wellness.

What is pelvic floor physical therapy?

Pelvic floor PT is a specialty within physical therapy that focuses on neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction in the pelvic region (especially concerning bowel, bladder, and sexual dysfunction). We look at the full body and how it is affecting the pelvic region as everything is connected. But we especially look at the hips, spine, abdominal region, ribs and pelvic floor itself. We focus on educating you about this region of the body, performing various manual techniques and modalities to help soothe the nervous system, and building you an exercise program that is right for YOUR body. Read more in my blog here!

Do you accept insurance?

For Physical Therapy: YES! While you pay me directly at time of service, I am an out-of-network provider and I can provide a superbill when requested for you to submit to your insurance. If you are a Medicare patient, your services will not be covered by insurance.

Do I need a referral from my doctor to attend pelvic floor PT?

Nope! Arizona is an open access state for physical therapy, meaning you do not need a referral to come see me. However, some insurances require one for coverage, so if you are planning on submitting your superbills to insurance after our sessions, you may want to check with your insurance if they require a referral. I do recommend that you've had a Pap smear or internal pelvic screen by your OB/GYN in the past 3 years to rule out any other causes of your symptoms.

What is women's health coaching?

Women's health coaching dives deep into what's happening holistically in your body that may be contributing to some of your pelvic health symptoms. We meet virtually and do a thorough history and decide what areas of your life are holding you back from reaching your health goals. This usually includes nutrition guidance and meal planning, building an exercise routine for you based on your cycle and body's needs, a specific sleep plan, stress reduction techniques, optimizing your environment to reduce toxins and emotional stressors, and so much more! If you've never worked with a coach, I highly recommend it. It was such a game changer for my own health journey and led me to the work I do now!  

What is yoga therapy?

Yoga therapy is a blend of yoga and a more extensive therapeutic background to help an individual discover their tendencies that could be leading to pain or limitation in their yoga practice. I work with complete beginners to very advanced yogis.

What can I expect during my first day of pelvic floor physical therapy?

I have a great blog on this with a YouTube video at the end that will help prepare you for your first day!

What payment methods do you take?

Credit or debit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, Union Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay.

What do I wear to the in person sessions?

It is recommended you wear comfortable workout clothes to our sessions as we will be doing exercise based movements.

How frequently do we meet for appointments?

The majority of my patients need weekly appointments for the first 2-3 months. Then, depending on your progress, we slowly start to decrease appointment frequency until you've reach your goals. This depends on how long you've been experiencing your symtpoms and the complexity of your case, but on average, I see my patients for about 6 months, 12-16 sessions total.

How long are the appointments?

All appointments are 1 hour long and are one-on-one with Dr. Emily.

When will I see results?

This depends on how complex your case is, how long you’ve been experiencing symptoms and how much effort you put in during the healing process.

Will the treatment and internal exam be painful?

It shouldn't be! There may be moments of discomfort or tenderness during our sessions, which help us to determine where the problem areas are. But I always go slow and stay within your comfort level. If you can’t breathe or are clenching, that is my sign that we need to back off. I communicate with you constantly during our treatments to make sure you know what to expect and I will frequently ask for your consent.

Can't I just do kegels to fix my pelvic floor issue?

Nope!! This has been a common misconception for far too long. Unfortunately, many doctors out there are still telling their patients to do this for their pelvic pain, incontinence, prolapse, etc. The majority of women I work with need the opposite of kegels and find their symptoms actually get worse with them! We have to address the full body to get to the root cause of your symptoms.

Can I come to therapy when I'm on my period?

You can and I encourage it! Pain levels might be heightened during this time, so I will often do more gentle techniques on these days to support your cycle. Internal work is still an option during this phase, but it’s totally up to you and there’s so much more we can work on if this is not what you prefer on these days.

I'm trying to get pregnant. Can your services help with this?

Yes!! Pelvic floor physical therapy can increase blood flow to your reproductive organs and help with fertility. Women’s health & nutrition coaching can help prepare your body for pregnancy in a more holistic way. The combination of these two is where the magic happens!

I'm currently pregnant. Can your services help me prepare my body for childbirth?

100% yes. The sooner you can start pelvic floor therapy, the better! We can help you to have a more comfortable pregnancy, stay active in an appropriate way for your body, and prepare your body for labor with specific birth prep exercises, breathing techniques, and manual therapy.

How long do I have to wait before starting pelvic floor PT postpartum?

Usually we wait for your OB’s clearance at your 6 week follow up before we do any internal pelvic floor assessment and treatment, but we can get started much sooner than that! Usually within a couple of weeks postpartum, we can help you with body mechanics and finding your core strength again so you can do all that’s required of you as a mom! We can also help you with pain management during this phase.

Can I bring someone to my appointment?

Definitely! If it makes you more comfortable to have someone present with you in the room, feel free to bring them along! I enjoy educating partners and family members so they can understand what you are going through.

What kind of conditions do you work with?

Pain Conditions & Hormonal Issues: Painful Periods, Pain with Sexual Activity, Abdominal Pain, Hip Pain, Low Back Pain, Tailbone Pain, Endometriosis, PCOS, Infertility, Fibroids, Peri-Menopause, Menopause

Bowel & Bladder Issues: IBS, Constipation, Diarrhea, Hemorrhoids, Fecal Urgency & Incontinence, Bloating, Excessive Gas, Urinary Urgency & Incontinence, Incomplete Bladder Emptying, Interstitial Cystitis, Chronic UTI's

Pregnancy & Postpartum Care: Birth Prep, C-Section Scar Massage, Episiotomy Scar Massage, Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Low Back Pain, Sacroiliac Pain, Sciatica, Pubic Symphysis Pain, Round Ligament Pain, Diastasis Recti

Do you work with non-female clients and pediatrics?

I do not, but I can refer you to someone that does!