Intimate Rose provides tools like dilators and pelvic wands to help relieve pelvic pain; other products include kegel weights. They're BPA-free, made of medical-grade silicone, and are only to be used with water-based lubricants and for one person. What I noticed immediately is that the guide book uses gender neutral pronouns, which is a plus — not everyone with a vagina is a woman, thus not everyone who experiences pelvic pain is one, either. Not only that, but the products can be used for rectal pain as well. Bahlani calls Intimate Rose's pelvic wand the highlight of their products. The wand is for targeting specific internal trigger points that may be hard to reach, as well as more superficial trigger points. Intimate Rose offers both a standard and vibrating pelvic wand. Radiation therapy to the pelvis can cause scar tissue to form and make the entrance to the vagina less elastic and dry. Ladies often experience shortening and narrowing of the vagina, as well as a decreased blood flow to the area. Scarring of the vaginal tissue results in adhesions which can seal the sides of the vagina together, making vaginal exams and sexual intercourse extremely difficult and uncomfortable. Dr. Bahlani first became interested in Intimate Rose because Dr. Amanda Olson, DPT, PRPC, president and CCO of the company, suffered from pelvic pain herself. Olson developed Intimate Rose following an injury that led her to a pelvic physical therapist. With the help of her PT, manual techniques, and exercises, Olson was cured in six months. While Olson began her career as a pediatric neurology specialist, she shifted focus to pelvic physical therapy.

Intimate Rose Pelvic Wand - Pelvic Pain Foundation Intimate Rose Pelvic Wand - Pelvic Pain Foundation

It's not just those going through pelvic pain that can talk about it. Bahlani wants healthcare providers to have conversations about this, too. She's heard stories of patients in their 50s and 60s who've suffered all their life only to be told by doctors their pain can be managed with lube and a glass of wine.

We need to break the stigma around pelvic pain

It’s almost like as clinicians, we’ve made it seem like it's okay to have pain as long as it's not cancer," Bahlani said. “And that’s not okay." Stimulation using a dilator helps to prevent scar tissue from forming and encourages healthy blood flow to the area, breaking down any scar tissue that may have formed. Even for ladies who are not sexually active and do not intend to be, it is important that gynaecological exams can still take place when required. Therefore, the use of a dilator is recommended on a regular basis following treatment, as scarring can occur at any given time. Sufferers of Vaginismus:

Intimate Rose Vaginal Dilator Handle Intimate Rose Vaginal Dilator Handle

The material makes a difference, according to Bahlani. When placing something into the vagina and pelvic floor, one has to be cognizant of what’s comfortable and what’s not going to alter the pH because either can cause other problems, like recurring bacterial vaginosis or yeast. My experience with Intimate Rose Olson also goes to great lengths to show that pelvic pain is manageable. She said, "There is light at the end of the tunnel, and we are with them every step of the way." When Bahlani compared Intimate Rose’s medical-grade silicone to other companies’ products, she believed the soft material could help her patients. "When I felt that medical grade silicone, and compared it to other products, I [said], 'This is really good for my patients who have things like vulvodynia, or pain with initial penetration, because the texture is not so irritating as certain dilators can be,'" she said in an interview with Mashable. None of those statements are true, of course. But in the beginning of my pelvic pain journey, I didn't know that. After my doctor dismissed my pain, my ambivalence soon led to a late-night doomscrolling of a different kind: Doomscrolling about my vulva, vagina, pelvic health. As one does once in a WebMD wormhole, I was terrified about what afflictions I may have been saddled with.What's more is that, if you're experiencing any amount of pelvic pain, you're not alone. Olson said Intimate Rose is working hard to show that, and said she's also begun seeing social media accounts showing personal journeys. Online communities can further help break the stigma around pelvic pain, she said. That's when I found Dr. Sonia Bahlani, a pelvic pain specialist in New York City. In our consultation I received my diagnoses, several prescriptions — including for pelvic floor physical therapy — and a recommendation for Intimate Rose products. Not only that, but Bahlani gave me the assurance that my pain was real, and the hope that it's manageable.