SRPE Resources

Here is a collection of SRPE resources that we have gathered.

Medical Overview of SRPEs
This research is as comprehensive as you’ll find about PGAD/GPD (Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder / Genito-pelvic Dysesthesia), which is the larger umbrella group of disorders that SRPE falls under.

This research was conducted on women with PGAD, but don’t let that fact deter you, because there is significant overlap in the causes and treatments of PGAD and SRPE.
Link

Study on the Effectiveness of Penile Implants on SRPEs
This study showed that, while effective for priapism, penile implants are less effective for treating SRPE. In fact, in this study, none of the participants with SRPEs saw positive results from the procedure.
Link

Adam Carolla and Dr. Drew caller has SRPE-type disorder
(SRPE caller starts around 14:10)
Link

Q&A with a Pelvic Floor Specialist regarding SRPE
Please refer to reddit for the original exchange and for access to the google doc that organizes and summarizes it. The specialist also provides a great list of resources there that are not all mentioned here.
Link

Books
– “Headache in the Pelvis” – by David Wyze;
– “Healing Pelvic Pain” – by Amy Stein.

 

Pelvic Floor Relaxation Exercises
Consult with a pelvic floor physical therapist for a routine specifically suited to you.

1. Diaphragmatic breathing
– Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
– Slowly inhale and let your belly expand, and then exhale and as you do, slowly pull your navel in towards your spine.

Repeat 10 times, and do this twice daily.

2. “Bear down”
– Breathe in, and then while exhaling, gently bear down as if pushing as if to have a bowel movement.

Repeat 5 times, with 3 belly breaths in between each rep. Do this twice daily.

3. Squat, modified, wall support
– Lie on your back with your butt up against a wall, knees bent and feet on the wall.

Relax in this position while focusing on your breathing for 1-2 minutes.

1-2 times daily.

4. Progressive muscle relaxation
Googling those words will bring up many explanations and examples of how to do this, but basically it is the act of tensing muscle groups for a number of seconds and then releasing them, and moving through the body’s muscle groups that way in coordination with your inhale and exhale.

 

Example Physical Therapy Routine
Consult with a physical therapist for a routine suited specifically to you.

This particular PT routine was created for someone who had lumbar spine issues and suspected those issues to be the source of his SRPEs (Reddit user BenKay222). The exercises are grouped by their intended goals.

1. Increasing movement to strengthen the medium surrounding the nerves in the spine:
– Lower Trunk Rotations;
– Book Opener with Cervical Spotting;
– Prone Press-ups;
– Prayer Stretch;
– Standing Lumbar Extension;
– Seated Upper Trunk Rotation;
– Walking and Reaching with Trunk Rotation;
– Pelvic Tilt.

2. Stretching the nerves:
– Sciatic Nerve Glides;
– Dural Flossing Seated.

3. Strengthening the core – a stronger core results in less stress on the back:
– Isometric Dead Bug;
– Plank;
– Reverse kegels.