We know your pain, you are not alone, and there is hope. Don’t believe us? Check out these Sarton Physical Therapy testimonies.
Discover how people with conditions like yours found relief.
One in Ten women suffer from endometriosis. In honor of those women, & their loved ones who support them, I share this post. A couple weeks ago, Julie Carter Sarton invited me to do something I have never done…> to share my story with a group of people whom I have never met.> I shared almost the whole story with a surprising amount of struggle with the vulnerability I felt leading up to it! That I am only now posting on the last day of March, Endometriosis Month, may hint at how private I really am, even though I like to think of myself as being very open. Many women like me would rather no one know about the true level of suffering and instead, just plan every detail around it. It took about 17 years for me to find the excellent care I needed. There is so much hope and really great expertise sometimes hidden away. If you or someone you know is dealing with endometriosis, feel free to message me. The good Lord doesn’t waste anything–perhaps my experiences can help.
If you suffer from pelvic pain, you know how difficult everyday life can be, and how difficult it is to find someone who truly understands what you are going through. It took me a long time before I found Julie, but it was my first appointment with her that truly marked the turning point in my healing. It has been a long road, as pelvic floor dysfunction does not have a quick fix, but Julie has been there every step of the way. Not only is she an amazing physical therapist, helping bring significant healing to my body, she is also a great listener and able to help her patients through all of problems pelvic dysfunction carries with it.
I first came to Julie at the end of my road, thinking this was the last thing I could try before giving up all hope for a normal life. Now I am taking the final steps to complete healing and I am filled with hope and excitement for this new life that I am just learning to enjoy! I can never thank Julie enough for what she has done for me.
they also respect and encourage the integration of complimentary alternative modalities such as Yoga, Pilates, Massage Therapy, Guided Imagery (A big shout-out to Rhona Jordan who provided Guided Imagery, “table-side,” during one of the most therapeutic and productive PT sessions! :D ), and Acupuncture. They were also happy to collaborate and encourage open communication with my other health and wellness practitioners. Thanks to My Pelvic Floor Journey with the Sarton team, I have become inspired to advocate for more Pelvic Floor Awareness education and outreach, especially in the world of Dance Teaching and Dance Teaching Methodology; Yoga Therapy and Yoga Teacher Trainings; and bringing awareness to other medical, health, and wellness professionals. I cannot say enough good stuff about the team at Sarton!
I saw over 12 doctors who could not diagnose my problem. Once it was finally diagnosed, several methods of treatments were recommended including the application of estrace cream, anti-depressants, anti-histamines and biofeedback. For the first year of under going these treatments, nothing seemed to help my pain until I found Julie and started undergoing internal pelvic floor manual work with Julie. After one month of PT, I was able to be intimate with my husband for the first time. My vulvar pain level when I came in was an 8 and now is down to a 1. Julie’s pelvic floor treatment has literally changed my life.
I have been a patient of Sherine’s for several years now, and cannot begin to describe how much pelvic floor physical therapy has helped me — more than any other medicine, treatment or physician has helped. I was apprehensive to try it when I first began, but am so glad I did.
Physically, my pain and muscle tightness/scarring has improved vastly, and I know how to deal with flare ups when they do happen. Emotionally, I feel so much stronger, knowing there is an answer to this pain, and I don’t have to deal with it on a daily basis anymore.
If you are dealing with pelvic pain, I highly recommend Sherine and the team at Sarton Physical Therapy to help you improve your life.
I’ve also worked with other therapists at the office, had massages, and taken Pilates classes here, which I also highly recommend! The office staff is also very kind and considerate, which makes a huge difference. They also offer seminars and other valuable healing information/resources. I could go on and on :)
My problems started in the third trimester of my pregnancy (October 2018). Everything started with vaginal burning which I thought was bacterial infection. Since it didn’t go away, I felt like something else was wrong. Vaginal burning shortly started spreading to other parts of my body – tailbone, inner thighs, rectum and finally, to my legs (wearing underwear felt uncomfortable). Even urination felt like burning. Towards the end of my pregnancy I wasn’t even able to sit or sleep which made me sad and depressed but everybody was convincing me that these horrible sensations will go away after giving birth. I googled my symptoms and read forums which helped me come to the conclusion that I could have vulvodynia or pudendal neuralgia – something I never heard about before but sounded horrible. The slightest hope I’ll get better disappeared after giving birth to my baby boy. In fact, it only got worse and I was severly depressed – luckily, my family helped me with my son while I was in so much pain and recovering from the c-section. Although my gynecologist recommended a doctor who prescribed medication (Cymbalta, 60mg) and I will always be grateful for that, I knew I had to find help because I didn’t want to be dependent on medications for the rest of my life. Finding Sarton Physical Therapy was a miracle and travelling to the other part of the world was hard but the right decision. I came from Croatia to California and spent 5 amazing weeks there. My therapy was very intensive and I had it 3-4 times a week in order to be able to start healing as soon as possible and return home to my son. I had physical therapy, massage, pilates and even tried guided imagery. Thanks to PT’s at Sarton, I enjoyed every day of my therapy and felt like I was at home.
Today, while I am writing this post, it has already been 5 weeks since I have returned back to Croatia. I am so happy to say that I’m almost 80% pain free and my healing journey continues. I’m having both pain free days and days which are not so good but I always try to stay positive. I am much more relaxed, enjoy every single day spent with my son, family and friends and laugh a lot. Nothing of this would be possible without the support of my husband, mom and my dad who accompanied me to California. I also have to thank dr. Allea Francis for changing my life and giving me hope that I will get better from the moment we had our first video session and to dr. Julie Sarton who is so passionate about helping people and who was like my second mom.
To all of you that are in pain or suffer in silence, please know you’re not alone. It can and will stop but you need to find help (if you can’t do it in your country, try to find it elsewhere like I did). Always trust your instinct even if others tell you it’s all in your head. Pain is real but don’t let it define you and take over your life. Don’t ever turn back to your family because they are here to support you unconditionally. That’s why it is important to celebrate every single day and the miracle of life which was given to you.
…and I also live in Texas! My doctor, however, was right and getting treated by Julie Sarton is worth the trips I am making to California every few months. Julie is the kindest most compassionate person you could ever meet and her experience with pelvic floor PT is unparalleled. She explained to me in detail why I was having this pain and in just 3 sessions I could feel the improvement in my symptoms. Julie gave me a home excercise program to follow until I see her again and she offered to guide any pelvic floor PT I find back home. Thank you Sarton PT for a being a warm and healing place like no other and for giving me hope.
You honestly changed my hip-life. So many little things I have not done or adjusted to for so long that I didn’t realize how much it was impacting me! You are a wizard.
…I noticed a persistent tingling sensation in the perineum associated with sitting. The longer I sat, particularly when driving or riding a bicycle, the symptoms became more intense and after 30 to 40 minutes became almost intolerable. For the first several weeks, I was certain it was a temporary problem and (like so many other injuries I’ve had) would eventually go away. As the problem persisted, however, I grew increasingly concerned and began to research possible causes and diagnoses.
With the help of Julie Sarton as well as Dr. Jerome Weiss I came to understand that my symptoms were a form of pudendal neuralgia, likely caused by a combination of factors, including a history of intense involvement in athletics and cycling as well as long hours on the computer for professional writing and research. I also came to understand that, unlike other injuries I had experienced, nerves are complex and take a long time to heal. This was not going to improve with a few weeks or even months of medication, therapy, and rest. It was going to be a long journey requiring patience, persistence, and commitment over a period of years.
It’s now been almost two years since the initial onset of symptoms and over 18 months since I began a consistent and diligent treatment plan with Julie…. I have increased my sitting tolerance from 5 minutes to 90 minutes and have made numerous lifestyle adjustments which have allowed me to maintain a sense of normalcy in my daily work and activities.
Among the many things I have learned from Julie, perhaps the most important has been to accept and even embrace the process. I’ve learned to make pudendal neuralgia my hobby—to study it, be fascinated by it, and to learn as much as I can about my body and how it’s responding to various treatments. I tracked my condition and progress with three different tools: (1) a simple journal with 2-3 entries per week regarding observations or patterns with my symptoms; (2) a monthly spreadsheet with a daily entry regarding the level of pain tolerance (on a scale of 1-10); and (3) a spreadsheet where I capture data from weekly functional sit tests, timing how long I can sit without symptoms in relationship to the various changes in treatment or other circumstances.
I attribute my progress to a combination of lifestyle adjustments (standing work station, bar-height tables at restaurants, carpooling and lying down in the back seat, swimming instead of running and biking, etc), dietary choices (avoiding lactose which was causing some distension and placing additional pressure on the pelvic floor), physical therapy (weekly appointments for both internal and external work), and independent exercises (skin rolling, perineal massage, deep diaphragmatic breathing, careful stretching). There is no easy answer or quick fix other than the daily commitment to avoid compressing the nerve and reverse the cycle of muscle spasms that is causing this neuropathy. While I can’t predict the road ahead, I’m committed for the long haul and thankful for the knowledge I’m gaining each day to influence my own health and recovery process.
As John Wooden (legendary UCLA basketball coach) writes in one of my favorite quotes: … “When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur. . . .Not tomorrow, not the next day, but eventually a big gain is made. Don’t look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time. That’s the only way it happens–and when it happens it lasts.”
When I first discovered them I was suffering from Pudendal Neuralgia and had been to many doctors. Julie helped diagnose me which was so important. After seeing her for a period my pain went away compltely, something I had not thought possible. I was also, with her help, able to have children, which doctors had said was not possible. I was fine all thru the pregnancies, as well as after I recovered so well I was able to play Volleyball again and resume work full time, with kids. When my L4 disk went out recently (12 years later) I went to Sarton PT again and am currently well again, after just 5 months this time. Julie has become an expert in the field of pelvic floor rehabilitation and has an amazing positive and proven track record with many patients. She has organized an incredibly skilled team and is versed in all the areas necessary to heal. Muscle Skeleton, nutrition, PT, rubs, massage, Guided Imagrey, they have it all under one roof… and all of it plays a crucial role in healing. She has figured out and cured many very difficult injuries… including mine.
As you know, the traumatic birth of my son 3 years ago left me with a 180 degree tear of my external and internal anal sphincter muscles. This defect caused me to have frequent daily episodes of fecal incontinence. This handicapping condition drastically reduced my quality of life and I though my only recourse was to have an exceptionally risky and painful surgery. Then I was referred to you and you determined that I would benefit from intensive pelvic floor PT and designed an individual program for me. Because of your patience, excellent teaching and expertise, I have now gone from 10 episodes of fecal incontinence day to 1 or 2 small episodes per month. My life has completely changed for the better. After 6 weeks of PT with you, my (physician) concurs that I do not need surgery to correct my muscular defect. I can now swim, work, exercise and go about normal life without worrying about leaking. Thank you!
…of the tremendous transformation I’ve just encountered through the efforts of Sarton PT. I have gone form 6 bathroom calls a day, with all the attendant toilet paper, wipes and diaper (fecal incontinence) to only 2 ( with a tremendous cost savings in paper products) in a period of only 4 weeks and 4 treatments.
For any physician who works in this area, the strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles is the answer for a normal life. I strongly recommend your services below to all my doctors and their colleagues.
The Lord has blessed you with hands of healing. Thank you for helping get my Interstitial Cystitis under control.
The treatments and exercises prescribed to me have helped me greatly with my incontinence issues. The therapists were very kind and really put me at ease and made me feel comfortable with the process. I learned so much about my body and what can be done to relieve my problems. I have finished my sessions, but I know if I continue with the advice and exercises that she gave me, I will continue to do well. Thank you Sarton PT!
I can’t say enough about Dr. Sarton and her wonderful staff. I have a very popular California HMO and was first referred to physical therapy by a Urologist who (after 6 months of going round and round with multiple doctors at said HMO) finally diagnosed me with pelvic floor dysfunction. I was finally happy that they figured out what was going on with me but I could not get my first PT appointment for 9 weeks! This is when I went outside my HMO and found Sarton Physical Therapy. I finally did try my HMO PT and then couldn’t get my second appointment for another three weeks! Not only that, I was just disappointed with the whole treatment. I think she did an actual 15 minutes of actual physical therapy so I went right back to Sarton. This is what they specialize in and after just 4 sessions, I feel 90% better. I will not even try to go back to my HMO.
All women Who are pregnant or postpartum should see them! They can help with almost any issue and get your feeling like yourself again!
I came here after the birth of my second child because I was experiencing constant back and pelvic pain. It was affecting my mood and my ability to care for my kids. Julie Sarton is great at diagnosing your condition and is just a wealth of knowledge. Every time I meet her, I feel like I am getting a crash course on human anatomy and body mechanics. I hope she writes a book one day.
I have seen almost all the therapists at Sarton, and I can honestly say that each one is fantastic. They have worked on my weak core, my tight pelvis, and have given me tools and exercises to “be my own therapist”. Lisa, the pilates instructor, really knows her stuff and I look forward to seeing her. She is kind and doesn’t judge my wobbly body, and makes each workout interesting.
I always feel like I’m walking a little taller & straighter after seeing Bobby, the massage therapist. Lynn and Angelica, the staff at the front desk, are so patient in scheduling appointments. I feel very lucky to live in OC and have access to Sarton. Being pain-free is such a blessing.
I had a full time job and exercised daily combined with yoga and meditation. I continued my regimen through my pregnancy and ate a well balanced organic diet. I had hired a doula and did 19 hours of natural childbirth by hypno-birthing and mediating. It was pretty spectacular, although I did have a 2nd degree tear.
At my 6 week OB check up I complained that about recently developing an incredible amount of pain with and after bowel movements. I was diagnosed with hemorrhoids and told to do sitz baths and follow up with my PCP. Eventually I had the hemorrhoids banded and removed with no relief and exacerbations of my pain. Finally, after a fourth opinion, I was diagnosed and treated with having an anal fissure.
I had gone from being an active healthy mom to being bedridden and in constant pain. During the next 18 months I had to have full time care for my son, quit my job, and eventually moved in with my parents after my husband was able to re-locate jobs. It hurt to sit, lie down, nurse my baby, and just to breathe. I tried several treatments, saw numerous physicians, and tried alternative treatments and herbs; all failed. The only option left was surgery, with possible long-term side effects of bowel incontinece, and no guarantee of preventing a relapse. I was hesitant to proceed with surgery, not only because of the complications, but it would not treat the underlying cause.
Luckily, and thankfully, I was referred to Julie Sarton, DPT after finding a colorectal doctor who recognized my rectal pelvic floor muscles were in spasm. After my first treatment I remember leaving with an instant decrease in my pain level. After all these months, Julie was the first person to discuss treating the underlying cause of my condition. I discovered that all the years of painful periods and pain with intercourse were signs and symptoms of a pre-existing condition: pelvic floor muscular dysfunction. Through weekly treatments consisting of both internal and external manual treatment and daily self therapies, I have gained a tremendous amount of pain relief. I am now beginning to enjoy being a mom for the first time in 2 years and am able to take care of my son independently. I am starting to exercise and slowly feeling normal again! I no longer have any pain with intercourse and my painful periods have been gone away since childbirth.
As a new mom who just gave birth to her first baby and should be experiencing the happiest moments in her life, I was dealing with the most excruciating pain 24/7. I was depressed, sad and felt hopeless because I didn’t understand what was going on. All I kept asking myself every single day was: “Why me God?” I couldn’t eat, sleep, sit or take care of my newborn. This burning pain took over my life as well as my vagina, rectum, inner thighs, sacrum and legs. Luckily I came across Sarton Physical Therapy and met two amazing women: Dr. Allea Francis and Julie Carter Sarton.
They taught me to believe that healing is possible and to embrace my body no matter what because it will pay me back. Today, three months after returning back home from the States, I realized they were right. Although I’m still not completely pain free, I’m really close to achieving that goal and the most important thing—I have my life back again. I can sit, sleep, drive my car and enjoy the role of a mom, wife, daughter, granddaughter, niece, cousin, aunt, godmother, maid of honour and a friend. I’ve remembered how it feels to laugh again and I’ve learnt that health shouldn’t be taken for granted because when it comes to that, you are and should be the most important to yourself—and everything is about you. If you’ll ever have pelvic floor or similar issues, you need to know that you’re not alone and that help exists—it’s called Sarton and it’s always here for you.
I am so happy I finally saw a PFPT. 2 kids in less than 18 months did a lot on my body and while I don’t have many glaring symptoms it was good to go in and LEARN about my body and how to use it to the best of my ability as I recover. Karen was also the sweetest! Sherine was so helpful in getting me to understand and helped me visualize what i needed. It may sound odd, but I’m excited to go back!
There are defining moments in our lives that permanently change us, and this desmoid tumor diagnosis was definitely one of mine. Things were now different, and you cannot go back to the way they were before. I realized that in order to be happy, I would have to let go of the picture I had in my mind of the way that it was “supposed” to be and accept what was happening and where I am right now, in this moment. To move forward in life, sometimes we have to let go…read Laura’s full story—including a rare sarcoma, an abdominal wall desmoid tumor, the size of a softball, that was surgically removed and replaced with synthetic mesh—> here> .
A few months after a major surgery 5 years ago, I began to have pelvic pain symptoms that felt like a bladder infection with no infection present. After a series of humiliating tests and misdiagnoses, I was finally referred to pelvic floor physical therapy. I was scared, in lots of pain and had no idea what to expect. Not only did Julie’s team ease me into the process at a pace that was comfortable for me, but I saw real results and significant decrease in my pain within the first few visits. I started with weekly appointments for the first few months, then was able to decrease the number to bi-weekly, then monthly as the time between my appointments and the return of the pelvic pain increased. After a few years of therapy once a month, incorporating stretching, foam rolling and exercises I could do at home, I got to the point where the pain no longer returned. I am forever grateful to Julie and the whole Sarton Physical Therapy team!
The clinic has a very inviting atmosphere that provides a sense of comfort from the moment you enter. Although known for expertise in pelvic floor dysfunction, I believe Sarton PT excels in any condition or injury requiring PT rehabilitation. Following surgical repair of a torn meniscus and torn MCL, I was sent to another clinic where I was aggressively rehabbing. Unfortunately, treatment was too aggressive and I struggled with constant inflammation and the formation of calcium deposits. Upon meeting with my surgeon, we discussed possible surgical intervention as I continued to fall behind in rehab goals and struggle with ADL’s and quality of life. I visited Sarton PT and was paired with Brooke. Through weekly visits, use of their Rapid Release Technology and a unique program designed for me to follow between visits, we had a break through. I am now 6 months post-op and have progressed ahead of the rehabilitation curve according to my Orthopedic Surgeon while we are no longer discussing surgical intervention. My ADL’s and quality of life have drastically improved. I owe this to Sarton PT, Julie Sarton and her team of amazing Physical Therapists.
There was only the constant aching belief that life would always be this way. For eighteen months, my life was filled with despair, with pain, and with tears. Each day crawled by and deepened the black hole that consumed my thoughts, my nighttime dreams and any shred of hope that my life would return to anything even close to what it was before. As I look back now on those dark days and nights, I can still feel the depth of despair, and say with certainty that despair is no longer part of my world. During that time, I could not see even a pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel. There was only blackness surrounding me in every action and every thought.
Let me tell you how I came to be in that darkness and what it was that dispelled it. A surgery to repair abdominal tissues and insert a bladder sling brought low-level pelvic muscle dysfunction to a critically high level. This caused my entire body to respond by tightening up. The symptoms included a bloated and tender torso, tissues everywhere in my body to expand with fluid, a complete shut down of the elimination system that required daily use of enemas, and daily tears for the things I lost – my health, my body, and my life as I knew it.
For eighteen months, I did not know about pelvic floor dysfunction and neither did the parade of sixteen medical specialties that I saw one-by-one. As the eighteen-month mark approached, another problem surfaced. The bladder sling moved and could now be felt upon vaginal internal exam. My gyn referred me to a surgeon to discuss removal surgery. During the first vaginal exam, after the surgeon felt the sling, she touched the deep internal pelvic floor muscles and sent me through the roof with completely unexpected and intense pain. She was as shocked as I was. Before I left that appointment, I had the name and number of Julie Sarton, Pelvic Health Physical Therapy Specialist, and a directive to see Julie at least three times before the surgery scheduled five weeks later to remove the sling.
I met with Julie and during the initial evaluation, she heard me and understood all my symptoms and knew the reason for my pain and knew how to fix it! At the end of that time with Julie, a light appeared at the end of the tunnel! That very first pelvic floor physical therapy appointment made a huge difference in how I felt! The pain was reduced and hope was restored! I saw Julie three times before the surgery and several times after. Julie gave me exercises to do at home and taught me to recognize tight muscles in a part of my body in which I previously had no awareness. My torso is no longer bloated and tender. The tissues that were filled with fluid all over my body are slowly returning to normal. Enemas are no longer necessary. My body now functions normally in that way.
This short summation of the hellacious eighteen months can hardly capture the depth of despair I felt every day, every hour, and the new feeling of joy for knowing I have my body and my life back! Julie’s knowledge, expertise and sweet caring attitude has transformed my life in a way I never expected and could not believe possible.
Pelvic floor dysfunction is real. It presents a wide range of very painful and very distressing symptoms. With your cooperation and willing involvement, Julie can give you your health and your health body back just like she gave me mine! I call Julie my angel!
The therapists at Sarton Physical therapy are truly some of the most amazing, caring & dedicated women I’ve ever met. They have helped me with everything from pelvic pain, lack of mobility, incontinence, constipation & sexual disfunction. They have coordinated my treatment plan and are more than determined to help me improve every week. I can honestly say I would never have been able to make the progress I’ve made without them. The work they do is often quite intimate, but they make you feel so comfortable as if it’s no big deal. I am more than determined to get back to where I was before the surgery. With the help of these therapists I know I will get there. I’m eternally grateful for the expertise & dedication.
Additionally, the ladies at the desk Debbie & Lynn are so helpful with appointments. Often times I’m looking for a cancellation & they always manage to get me in.
This was a whole new world to me, I had never even heard of pelvic floor therapy prior to my surgery. SARTON PT has been a blessing! I would be happy to speak to anyone about my experience.
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