September 2020 Newsletter
Prostate Cancer
September is Prostate Awareness Month. Over 30 million men suffer from prostate conditions that impact their daily life and function. Each year, over 230,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, which is why early screening and detection are so important! The prostate is a walnut sized organ found in men between the bladder and penis that produces fluid that protects sperm when ejaculation occurs. The urethra runs right through it, which is important to take notice of. If the prostate becomes enlarged (BPH), it can start to grow compressing the urethra and making urinary function a little more difficult. Think of the urethra like a garden hose, and if you kink the hose or start to squeeze it, less liquid is going to be able to escape. BPH is more likely in men ages 50 and older, causing increased urinary frequency, urgency and needing to get up at night to empty.
Prostatitis, or inflammation of the prostate, can be a driver for pelvic pain and chronic infections in some men. Prostatitis can be broken down into 4 major categories: chronic prostatitis/ chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic bacterial prostatitis, acute bacterial prostatitis, and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis. Pelvic floor muscle tension can be a cause of nonbacterial prostatitis, causing muscle or nerve irritation and symptoms common to that of a UTI, yet negative cultures when tested.
Prostate cancer is another diagnosis involving the prostate, and can also impact the pelvic floor. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, yet doesn’t seem to get that much attention. Digital rectal exams can detect size changes to the prostate, as well as PSA levels with blood work. Early detection is key, so make sure to ask your doctor when you should start screening, keeping in mind any family history, your ethnic background, and diet and smoking history. For those who undergo prostate removal, urinary leakage and erectile dysfunction are common side effects following surgery. Many factors are at play, but typically men can see an improvement in urinary leakage with consistent pelvic floor strengthening within 3-6 months after surgery.
Prostatitis, or inflammation of the prostate, can be a driver for pelvic pain and chronic infections in some men. Prostatitis can be broken down into 4 major categories: chronic prostatitis/ chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic bacterial prostatitis, acute bacterial prostatitis, and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis. Pelvic floor muscle tension can be a cause of nonbacterial prostatitis, causing muscle or nerve irritation and symptoms common to that of a UTI, yet negative cultures when tested.
Prostate cancer is another diagnosis involving the prostate, and can also impact the pelvic floor. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, yet doesn’t seem to get that much attention. Digital rectal exams can detect size changes to the prostate, as well as PSA levels with blood work. Early detection is key, so make sure to ask your doctor when you should start screening, keeping in mind any family history, your ethnic background, and diet and smoking history. For those who undergo prostate removal, urinary leakage and erectile dysfunction are common side effects following surgery. Many factors are at play, but typically men can see an improvement in urinary leakage with consistent pelvic floor strengthening within 3-6 months after surgery.
For more information please email:
sullivanphysicaltherapy@yahoo.com
sullivanphysicaltherapy@yahoo.com
SPT Spotlight
Rhianna Rose
Patient Care Coordinator
Patient Care Coordinator
We want to welcome our newest Patient Care Coordinator, Rhianna Rose. Rhianna graduated in May of 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a certificate in Social Inequality, Health and Policy from the University of Texas at Austin. She grew up near Boston, but she has lived in Austin for over ten years and loves the wonderful (and "weird") community here. Rhianna has held several administrative positions in Austin and was so excited to join the Sullivan Physical Therapy family as their newest Patient Care Coordinator. She is passionate about mental and physical well-being, and has enjoyed learning more about pelvic floor health and healthcare administration through this role.
In her spare time, Rhianna enjoys reading, trail running, and spending time with her family.
In her spare time, Rhianna enjoys reading, trail running, and spending time with her family.
Austin Area Birthing Center
Christina McGee PT, DPT, is on site at Austin Area Birthing Center South on Wednesdays to provide physical therapy evaluations and treatments to pregnant and postpartum AABC clients to maximize health and healing and allow patients to get back to activities safely following delivery.
Postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy is standard in some other countries, with health systems recognizing that preventative care during the crucial healing period following delivery can save women from future suffering and save the system hundreds of thousands of dollars in medications and surgeries farther down the line. Problems such as incontinence, prolapse, scar pain, diastasis recti, back or hip pain, and pain with intercourse can be addressed and eliminated or even prevented all together with a post partum evaluation and recommendations or exercises from a pelvic floor physical therapist trained in postpartum health. To this point, these services are rarely offered in the United States.
Currently, AABC is allowing only one person (partner or family member) to accompany patients and children are not allowed in the center at this time. When you arrive, please wait outside and Christina will step out to greet you at the time of your appointment. She will walk you by the front desk for a brief screening prior to your session. Face coverings are required for all patients. Please bring a face covering with you if you have one. If you do not have one, we will provide you with one.
Please contact Sullivan Physical Therapy to learn more about this service please email christina@sullivanphysicaltherapy.com. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact our office at 512-335-9300.
Postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy is standard in some other countries, with health systems recognizing that preventative care during the crucial healing period following delivery can save women from future suffering and save the system hundreds of thousands of dollars in medications and surgeries farther down the line. Problems such as incontinence, prolapse, scar pain, diastasis recti, back or hip pain, and pain with intercourse can be addressed and eliminated or even prevented all together with a post partum evaluation and recommendations or exercises from a pelvic floor physical therapist trained in postpartum health. To this point, these services are rarely offered in the United States.
Currently, AABC is allowing only one person (partner or family member) to accompany patients and children are not allowed in the center at this time. When you arrive, please wait outside and Christina will step out to greet you at the time of your appointment. She will walk you by the front desk for a brief screening prior to your session. Face coverings are required for all patients. Please bring a face covering with you if you have one. If you do not have one, we will provide you with one.
Please contact Sullivan Physical Therapy to learn more about this service please email christina@sullivanphysicaltherapy.com. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact our office at 512-335-9300.
Updates from the Physical Therapy Team
- On August 27, we said good-bye to one of our patient care coordinators, Shelbi Rhoda. We have been lucky to work with Shelbi for the past year and half. We are sad to see her leave Sullivan Physical Therapy, but we are proud that she is chasing her dream of becoming a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant.
- In September, Amethyst Guerrero, PT has scheduled a "zoom coffee" with a new provider, Bright Light Counseling Center. They have clinicians who specialize in post-partum depression/perinatal mental health and parenting. They are currently providing telehealth services and accept insurance (BCBS, United, Cigna, and Humana) in addition to private pay.
- Our schedules are open for appointments through January 31, 2021. Please call us to schedule your future appointments.
Update Regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Sullivan Physical Therapy would like to assure our patients we are being proactive regarding the announcement from the Center for Disease Control about the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the United States and the World Health Organization declaration of the COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic.
As part of the Austin Health Community we take this charge very seriously and we want you to know what we are doing to make Sullivan Physical Therapy a safe place for patients to be seen.
What is Sullivan Physical Therapy doing to prevent spreading COVID-19:
We will continue to assess and monitor as this progresses and will respond accordingly.
As with any respiratory virus, you can protect yourself by taking everyday actions. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with this helpful information:
What is COVID-19?
How is COVID-19 spread?
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
How can I prevent getting or spreading the COVID-19?
Below are variety of helpful links with additional information regarding the COVID-19:
We are committed to continuing to provide excellent care to the Austin Community during this time. Please feel free to ask any of our staff if you have any questions or concerns.
As part of the Austin Health Community we take this charge very seriously and we want you to know what we are doing to make Sullivan Physical Therapy a safe place for patients to be seen.
What is Sullivan Physical Therapy doing to prevent spreading COVID-19:
- Putting CDC recommended protocols in place to ensure the highest level of prepared COVID-19 prevention.
- Ensuring we have necessary supplies and equipment, and appropriate staffing.
- Provide all employees with N95 masks to use while inside the clinic.
- Placed UV air purifiers in the waiting room and each treatment room to address microorganisms such as viruses in the air.
- Rearranged our waiting room to allow for social distancing. Rearranged our waiting room to allow for social distancing. We ask if there is more than 10 people in the waiting room for patients to wait outside or in their car. If you are waiting in your car, please call our office at (512) 335-9300.
- Removed all magazines and chocolate from the waiting room.
- Converted all toilets to be contact free flush.
- Increased our cleaning protocols in between patients both in the treatment rooms and common areas.
- Increased our daily cleaning and disinfecting protocols with additional frequent deep cleans.
- Ask all employees and patients who have symptoms of the COVID-19 (cough, shortness of breath, fever) to contact their healthcare provider before coming to the clinic.
We will continue to assess and monitor as this progresses and will respond accordingly.
As with any respiratory virus, you can protect yourself by taking everyday actions. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with this helpful information:
What is COVID-19?
- A new respiratory virus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China that can cause severe illness and pneumonia in some people.
How is COVID-19 spread?
- Through the air by coughing and sneezing.
- Close personal contact, like touching or shaking hands.
- Touching something that has the virus on it (like a table or glass) then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
- Fever
- Chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
How can I prevent getting or spreading the COVID-19?
- Wash your hands often
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze
- Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands
- Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest
Below are variety of helpful links with additional information regarding the COVID-19:
We are committed to continuing to provide excellent care to the Austin Community during this time. Please feel free to ask any of our staff if you have any questions or concerns.
