EP.101/ Your Brain on Pain - How Your Nervous System Affects Interstitial Cystitis and Endo Pain with Dr. Nicole Cozean
Dr. Nicole Cozean is the pelvic floor physiotherapist who is changing the way we think about and treat pelvic floor disorders and pelvic pain - and lucky for us, interstitial cystitis is her passion area.
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Dr. Nicole Cozean is the owner of Pelvic Sanity and author of the incredible The Interstitial Cystitis Solution, which is an amazing resource for both patients and practitioners alike. We know that endometriosis and pelvic pain are more often than not found together, causing those of us who live with them to often feel helpless and confused as we battle two chronic conditions at one time. But Nicole takes a refreshing and almost radical approach to IC and pelvic pain in contrast to the conventional medical approach - she rarely treats the bladder itself. Instead, through extensive research and clinical practice, Nicole has identified three key areas that she addresses to see long-term remission of IC: dysfunction, inflammation and pain signals.
In this episode, we discuss:
How do you know if you have interstitial cystitis when you’ve been in pain for so long with endo - what is ‘normal’ bladder function?
The theories behind interstitial cystitis and the validity of them - what should we believe and what do we know to be true?
The link between the menstrual cycle and interstitial cystitis - is there actually a connection?
Common IC triggers - do oxalates and histamines play a role?
How the brain is more responsible for our IC pain than our bladder is, and what to do about it.
DIY pelvic floor physio and fascia release we can do at home.
This is a really powerful conversation - one that both educates, empowers and provides hope. I know I’m going to be making changes thanks to the advice Nicole has shared in this episode, and I truly hope this conversation helps you with your IC and Endo healing journey too.
Show Notes
Strategies for calming the nervous system episode
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My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here.
If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at hello@thisendolife.com or visit my website.
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My free guide ‘Managing Endometriosis Naturally’ is perfect for anyone just starting out on this journey of managing and reducing their symptoms. Download here.
My free Endometriosis Diet Grocery List is a pdf list that includes all the foods I buy on a monthly basis, categorised into easy sections. I share my personal endometriosis diet plan, free recipe resources, recommendations to help you get started with the endometriosis diet and nutrition tips. Download here.
My free “Endometriosis Symptom Tracker” could help you begin to understand the subtle patterns in your endometriosis symptoms. As always, this guide doesn’t replace your medical treatment and is not intended to treat or cure endometriosis, but provides you with options that helped me to live well with endometriosis. Download here.