PALO PINTO GENERAL HOSPITAL ANNOUNCES NEW PELVIC HEALTH PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM THAT DRAMATICALLY REDUCES INCONTINENCE AND PAIN
MINERAL WELLS, TX — Dec. 19, 2022 — Palo Pinto General Hospital (PPGH) has started a rare specialty with its recent hiring of physical therapist Shonda Rowell, a Parker County native.
Rowell has moved back to her home region from Lubbock, where she owned a practice for five years, to offer pelvic health physical therapy to the greater Palo Pinto County area at PPGH. Prior to specializing in pelvic health physical therapy, Rowell, who has more than 30 years in physical therapy, focused on some of the most critically complex neurological and orthopedic patients with Texas Health Resources, Glen Rose Medical Center, and Baylor Scott & White Health.
Most clients who benefit from this new specialty suffer from urinary and bowel incontinence, or pelvic pain or sexual dysfunction that often occurs following trauma, high impact accidents, abdominal surgery, hysterectomy, prostatectomy, childbirth, pregnancy, and post-menopausal muscle loss.
“Physical therapy treatment is successful in 80% of clients and results in a significant quality of life improvement with these often embarrassing and painful conditions,” Rowell said.
Patients often ask how they can get started and whether this kind of physical therapy can help after so long with pain or incontinence.
Potential patients are encouraged to ask their physicians these questions and have a referral or script faxed for a pelvic health physical therapy evaluation to determine their specific treatment needs. If still unsure, please contact PPGH Rehabilitation & Wellness by phone at 940-328-6580.
“Empowered and client-oriented care is fostered and encouraged along the path of care in order to heal,” Ross Korkmas, PPGH CEO, said. “Our patients are the final decision makers about their care and treatment.”
What to Expect from Pelvic Health PT at PPGH
Most clients suffered in silence with many of the conditions PPGH can successfully treat through this therapy. Every client has a unique health or trauma history that has caused loss of pelvic health function, sometimes for months, years or even decades before seeking care.
Often, clients are surprised to hear treatment is available for their symptoms that are sometimes awkward or embarrassing to discuss. It is expected and understandable that patients may not be sure if this specialized physical therapy is right for them. Ask questions. Clients who have made the decision to have pelvic health physical therapy are usually nervous, but by the time they are discharged, they are so pleasantly surprised in their progress they tell their family and friends to come as well.
Goal: Safe Place of Grace and Healing
Gaining the patient’s trust in a place of safety and grace is vital to their healing process. This starts before patients arrive at PPGH’s clinic. Every client is first contacted for a brief phone screen to answer concerns or questions. PPGH’s medical records and all communications are private, and HIPAA certified. Questions are very important, encouraged and appreciated.
Evaluation Expectations
The physical examination is performed by a highly skilled and experienced female physical therapist who works with the patient as a teammate, coach, advocate, and clinician.
The patient’s privacy, safety, dignity, and individual needs are always at the core of each visit. The patient will work with their pelvic physical therapist and be able to influence the direction and care they receive. The first assessment includes history intake and patient interview.
The physical therapy assessment may include the following tests: range of motion, strength, sensation, and gentle external myofascial, external abdominal, trunk, hip, and pelvic palpation. An internal vaginal or rectal manual examination with very gentle palpation, as the patient is comfortable with, may be performed.
About Palo Pinto General Hospital
Palo Pinto General Hospital, operated by the Palo Pinto County Hospital District, is dedicated to providing high-quality convenient health care throughout the region. The county’s leading health care provider operates centers in Mineral Wells, Gordon, Santo, and Possum Kingdom Lake, emphasizing prevention and wellness. PPGH’s growing network includes an acute care hospital and rehabilitation and skilled nursing unit; urgent and primary care clinics; specialty clinics in women’s services, heart, orthopedics and sports medicine, pain management, pediatrics, urology, and pulmonary; and a mobile healthcare unit. Learn more at ppgh.com.