Episode 06: Pelvic Floor Dilator Therapy – A Beginner’s Guide

Did she REALLY just call a pelvic floor dilator a “nervous system re-education tool”? In today’s episode, Dr. Alexis Anderson discusses the use of pelvic floor dilators: their purpose, selection, care, and its potential impact on conditions like vaginismus and rectal pain. The episode emphasizes slow, mindful practice, the role of mental and physical readiness, and the importance of personalized pacing. Welcome to The Alexis Anderson Podcast. - - - - - - - - -  If you liked this episode of the Alexis Anderson Podcast, tell your friends! Find us on iTunes,Spotify, and anywhere you listen to podcasts to rate/review/subscribe to the show. Want more? Visit my website www.alexisandersondpt.com, and connect with me on Instagram (@alexisandersondpt). Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!  RESOURCES AND REFERENCES Good Vibrations: sexual education and inclusive pleausre products Episode 02: Belly Breathing and Total Body Relaxation Episode 01: Pelvic Floor 101 Article on the 2 Scale System SHOW NOTES  0:57 – A welcome and introduction to what we are talking about today! 1:08 – Alexis explains what a dilator is, and shares some examples of how its used 4:08 – Things to consider when choosing a dilator 8:10 – Care instructions for your dilator 8:44 – Addressing skin and tissue issues PRIOR to dilator use 10:44 – Let's talk about how to use dilators 14:25 – Prerequisites before starting dilator therapy 22:34 – It's time to introduce the use of the dilator (make sure to take care of ALL prerequisites, first!) 30:13 – Alexis shares some important notes about dilator therapy 33:47 – Alexis brings the episode to a close with a review of what we talked about