Under the Hood
Pelvic floor physical therapist Dr. Alexandra DiGrado and sex & couples therapist Dr. Rebecca Howard Eudy get real about sexual health, intimacy, and the stuff we didn't learn about our body in school. From the clitoral hood to parenthood, no topic is off-limits. Each episode blends a combined 30 years of clinical experience with compassionate advice and humor, giving you trusted knowledge, practical tools, and the confidence to take charge of your health and relationships.
Under the Hood
Episode 8: It's Not All in Your Head (Unpacking Pelvic Pain)
In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Howard Eudy (couples and sex therapist) and Dr. Alex DiGrado, DPT, PRPC (pelvic floor physical therapist) discuss how your nervous system, muscular habits, and past experiences (including trauma and chronic stress) are all connected to chronic pelvic pain. Whether you’ve been dismissed by the healthcare system, or are looking to better understand the connection between your body and brain, this conversation will leave you feeling informed, seen, and empowered to seek relief for yourself and your loved ones.
What You’ll Learn:
- The 10-Year Delay: Why conditions like endometriosis take so long to diagnose and how these conditions contribute to chronic muscular pain.
- The Ab Gripping Habit: How chronic ab-tightening (often thanks to diet culture and fitness trends) can lead to a chronically tight, painful pelvic floor.
- The Fire Alarm Analogy: Why your body continues to send very real, strong pain signals even after an infection (like a UTI) or injury has been treated.
- Lifestyle Optimization: The often-overlooked connection between pelvic tension, low back pain, bowel movements, and overall wellness.
Tune in if you’ve ever thought:
- “I feel like I'm going crazy—I know my pain is real, but my doctor keeps telling me everything ‘looks normal’.”
- “Why does it seem like I constantly have a UTI even though my tests are negative?”
- “How can pelvic floor PT help my chronic pain when it’s caused by a disease like endometriosis (or PCOS, IBS, and more), rather than a specific injury?"
Resources
- Explain Pain by Lorimer Moseley
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
- Nancy's Nook (Endometriosis education + resources)
- Beating Endo by Dr. Iris Kerin Orbuch and Amy Stein
- Find a pelvic floor PT near you: pelvicrehab.com or Pelvic Global Directory
- Under the Hood Newsletter (Boston Pelvic PT)
- Parents in Love Newsletter by Dr. Rebecca Howard Eudy
- Parents in Love: A Guide to Great Sex After Kids by Dr. Rebecca Howard Eudy
Connect with us:
Dr. Rebecca Howard Eudy
- Website: https://www.rebeccaeudy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccahowardeudy/
- Newsletter: https://substack.com/@parentsinlove
Dr. Alexandra DiGrado
- Website: https://www.bostonpelvicpt.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bostonpelvicpt/
- Newsletter: https://bostonpelvicpt.myflodesk.com/underthehood
Under the Hood Podcast
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/underthehooddocs/
- Website: http://www.underthehoodpod.com