FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Hopefully we can answer many of your questions here but if not, no worries!

Feel free to send us an email or give us a call and we will answer anything we can for you.

General Questions

  • Can you treat my problem?

    The short answer: Yes! 


    The long answer is we rarely have someone come in for an evaluation that won't benefit from pelvic floor therapy. 

    If you are curious if we are able to help your symptoms or are not sure if you need to see your doctor first, reach out to us via email or give us a call. We will happily provide you with a complimentary phone consultation to determine if physical therapy, including dry needling or pelvic health treatment, is right for you. 


    You can also check out this list of diagnoses we treat to see if your symptoms are listed. 

  • What should I expect at the first visit?

    During your first visit we will perform a comprehensive evaluation of your current symptoms to determine the cause and contributing factors. As a result, we will establish an evidence-based, patient-centered plan of care to return you to your best self. 


    To do this effectively, we ask that you complete your intake paperwork prior to your visit, wear loose fitting or workout clothes, and bring a list of questions you may have.


    Curious to know more about treatment? Check out The Four Pillars of Pelvic Health

    or The 3 Treatment Methods of Pelvic Therapy

  • How many visits will I need?

    Each person is different and will require a different treatment plan. Many factors go into your recovery including your health history, current symptom duration, your lifestyle outside of therapy and your commitment to rehabilitation. During your first visit we will discuss your expected treatment plan while taking into consideration your specific situation and availability to set you up for success. Most patients notice improvements in a few visits.

  • What will occur during a pelvic health evaluation?

    Your pelvic health evaluation will occur in a welcoming, private setting to allow you to discuss your symptoms and ask questions in a safe and judgement-free zone. Once we have had an in-depth conversation about your health history and current situation, we will perform our hands-on pelvic examination. We will use manual palpation (touch) to assess various muscles and soft tissue which may include external and/or internal pelvic floor musculature for pain, guarding, strength, and endurance. You are in complete control of this and your consent will always be obtained first. If you are not ready for an internal examination during the first visit that is okay. We will discuss all possible options and determine what is best for you. 

  • Do you see men for pelvic floor physical therapy?

    We treat EVERYbody and everyBODY! No matter what your gender identity and expression is, we are here to help. So, YES, we treat men and penis-owners for pelvic floor physical therapy at Pelvic Pride Physical Therapy.

  • Do you offer services to transgender patients post-surgically?

    Yes! We are happy to offer physical therapy treatment to patients who have undergone gender affirmation surgery.  This includes addressing scar tissue and range of motion limitations with top surgery as well as scar tissue, pain, and sensitivity from phalloplasty, metoidioplasty or vaginoplasty (including dilator protocols).  Treatment in a trauma-informed, safe space should be available to all patients.  


    Curious to learn more? Check out more about our Gender Affirming Care here.


    If you find cost to be a limiting factor please reach out to Dr. Joy at joy@pelvicpride.com.  

  • Do you accept insurance?

    Pelvic Pride is an out-of-network clinic and each session is paid for at time of service via debit/credit card, FSA (flexible spending account) or HSA (health savings account) card. We will provide you with a ‘superbill’ to self-submit for reimbursement by your insurance company.  While  all services provided by Pelvic Pride are covered under out-of-network benefits by insurance, Pelvic Pride does not guarantee reimbursement by insurance companies. 


    Find out more about why we chose to be an out-of-network clinic.

  • Do I need a referral?

    No, Maryland is a direct access state and does not require a referral from your doctor to be seen by a physical therapist. This means if you see a video on Tik Tok and think "that's me!", sprain a muscle over the weekend or wake up with a pain from how you slept there is no need to schedule a visit with your primary care provider just to be sent to physical therapy. You have the choice to be seen by a physical therapist first. We will always perform an evaluation and if it is determined that we are not the correct provider we will work to make sure you are seen by the right person. 

Dry Needling Questions

  • What should I expect with dry needling?

    Dry needling requires direct skin contact as needles are never placed through clothing. Please be sure to wear loose fitting clothing, a tank top or sports bra for neck, shoulder, and upper back symptoms to allow for appropriate access to your treatment areas. After a dry needling session you may experience soreness in the muscles that were treated. This should feel similar to a good workout at the gym and will go away in 1-2 days. While some patients experience relief in one or two sessions, others require longer treatment times, depending on the nature of the injury or pain. We will discuss this during your initial evaluation and determine the best plan of care to resolve your discomfort and return to you to your prior level of function. 


    Want to know more? Check out our blog post Dry Needling FAQs.

  • Does dry needling hurt?

    Dry needling should not be a painful experience. A guide tube is used to help place the needle and the pressure from that tube is all you should feel with insertion. Once the needle is in place I will guide it in your muscles to address the identified areas of restriction. Here you may experience a reproduction of your referred pain (pain in a different part of your body) or feel the muscle twitching as it is released. After a dry needling session it is advised that you keep moving and drink plenty of water. You may experience some soreness just like you would with a good workout, but this will resolve after 1-2 days. 

     



  • Why is it called ‘dry’ needling?

    No medication is being administered during these sessions – thus the name dry needling. We utilize a thin filiform needle very similar to an acupuncture needle to provide dry needling treatment. 

  • Do you have to be certified to dry needle?

    Yes! Dr. Joy performed her training for dry needling with Myopain Seminars and completed her certification examination to receive the designation Certified Manual Trigger Point Therapist (CMTPT). Dr. Joy is a registered dry needling therapist through the Maryland Board of Physical Therapy.


  • Does insurance cover dry needling?

    Very few! As of 2020, there are new billing codes for Dry Needling.  When those codes were introduced, many insurance companies stopped paying for dry needling.  This means the cost falls back onto the patient - usually $30-60 per visit for dry needling, plus your co-pay or co-insurance (if you have one). What does this mean for Pelvic Pride?  This means the cost for dry needling at my practice is very similar to that of a practice who accepts insurance as you will still pay out of pocket for this service. HOWEVER, at Pelvic Pride, we will work one-on-one with no distractions or other people around during your treatment session. 

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