Dr. Heather Swain, PT, DPT, CIDN, CPT
Pelvic Floor Therapy
Overview
Website
Phone Number
Email
We offer 90 minute evaluations to ensure that patients have time to tell their story. Most of out patients have complicated extended medical histories that are important. We want you to be heard and understood. We also recognize that trauma informed care is important, and many patients have experienced iatrogenic trauma (trauma in medical offices). We offer in home concierge, and telehealth consultations for patients as options if they are more comfortable at home than in a medical office.
As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I have specialty training in fertility care, bowel, bladder, and sexual function, dry needling, visceral mobilization, myofascial work, biofeedback, pain neuroscience, and many other treatment modalities.
Outside of pelvic health, I have specialty interests in chronic pain, connective tissue disorders, dysautonomia, and autoimmune diseases.
When I am not doing clinical work, I also serve as a pelvic floor therapy expert witness for legal cases, and am adjunct faculty for the University of Findlay, and a guest lecturer for the University of Toledo.
Online Consult Available?
Yes
At a glance
Gender
Female
Education
B.S. Exercise Science - Eastern Michigan University (2013)
Doctorate of Physical Therapy - University of Toledo (2016)
Doctorate of Physical Therapy - University of Toledo (2016)
Affiliations
Ally Total Physical Therapy
I completed my Endometriosis Fellowship under ___________
n/a
Endometriosis Surgeon Questionnaire
What percentage of your patients have endometriosis?
15
Do you practice obstetrics?
Yes - I see patients who are pregnant as a pelvic floor therapist.
In 40 words or less, how do you treat endometriosis? How do you approach adhesions?
- Dry needling
- Myofascial work
- Visceral mobilization
- Manual therapy
- Neuromuscular re-education
- Biofeedback
- Therapeutic exercise prescription
- Blood flow restriction training
- Activity modification strategies and device recommendations
- Nutritional education
- Myofascial work
- Visceral mobilization
- Manual therapy
- Neuromuscular re-education
- Biofeedback
- Therapeutic exercise prescription
- Blood flow restriction training
- Activity modification strategies and device recommendations
- Nutritional education
If you excise endometriosis, what is your goal for a sufficient margin size? If you use other methods of removing or destroying endometriosis, how do you approach this and under which circumstances?
n/a. I do not excise endometriosis.
On the scale of 1 (less experienced (I rarely treat/ mostly refer out)) to 5 (extremely experienced (the majority of my cases)) how would you rate your current experience level and comfort with stage 3/4 endometriosis and complex cases?
2
What is your opinion regarding GnRH agonists and antagonists? What is your opinion regarding hysterectomies?
I do not prescribe medication, and defer to the patient's physician regarding utilization of GnRH agonists and antagonists.
In regard to hysterectomies, I believe in conservative management whenever possible. Physical therapy is often undertaken by patients who are hoping to avoid a hysterectomy, and I am committed to helping them if possible. I also recognize that hysterectomies are an option that can improve quality of life for some patients. If a patient has reached maximum therapeutic benefit with pelvic floor therapy, I believe in helping patients make informed decisions regarding hysterectomies. I seek to ensure they understand the potential impact of the procedure on their health, as well as the rehabilitation measures that can be used to minimize the potential negative health consequences.
In regard to hysterectomies, I believe in conservative management whenever possible. Physical therapy is often undertaken by patients who are hoping to avoid a hysterectomy, and I am committed to helping them if possible. I also recognize that hysterectomies are an option that can improve quality of life for some patients. If a patient has reached maximum therapeutic benefit with pelvic floor therapy, I believe in helping patients make informed decisions regarding hysterectomies. I seek to ensure they understand the potential impact of the procedure on their health, as well as the rehabilitation measures that can be used to minimize the potential negative health consequences.
What is your opinion on using Robotics (ie DaVinci) for the treatment of endometriosis? Do you use it?
I am not a surgeon, and therefore do not utilize robotics in endometriosis treatment.
Do you work with and/or refer patients to other healthcare providers? If so, which types (e.g. physical therapists, nutritionists, etc.) ?
I refer patients to physicians, dieticians, mental health therapists, and holistic providers such as naturopaths.
How do you approach the following: bowel cases, urinary cases, thoracic cases and any other extragenital cases?
Bowel: Manual therapy techniques to address adhesions (abdominally, and intrarectally or intravaginally), nutritional strategies with hormone cycle timing to improve bowel function, biofeedback to address visceral hypersensitivity, dry needling for immune modulation and circulation enhancement to manage stool consistency, bloating, and neurogenic pain. Pelvic floor muscle exercise and coordination training to address dyssynergia if present.
Urinary: Bladder retraining, bladder muscle function optimization, manual therapy for adhesions (abdominally, and intravaginally), nutritional strategies with hormone cycle timing to improve bladder function, dry needling for immune modulation and circulation optimization as well as neurogenic pain. Pelvic floor muscel exercise and coordination training to address incontinence if present.
Urinary: Bladder retraining, bladder muscle function optimization, manual therapy for adhesions (abdominally, and intravaginally), nutritional strategies with hormone cycle timing to improve bladder function, dry needling for immune modulation and circulation optimization as well as neurogenic pain. Pelvic floor muscel exercise and coordination training to address incontinence if present.
Do you follow up with patients at regular intervals post-operatively? If so, what are your findings?
Post operatively, I see patients at frequencies designated by the surgeon depending on the individual case.
What percentage of your patients require re-surgery? How do you track this?
N/a. I am not a surgeon.
Do you have any studies, talks, or publications you'd like to share?
No
What are some fun facts about you? Hobbies, interests, family life, languages, etc. that you would like to share to help patients get to know you as a person?
I speak English and Spanish fluently. I'm an animal lover, and my dog is a therapy animal who often makes appearances at my clinic. I have a specialty interest in hypermobility and connective tissue disorders, and chronic pain, both of which run in my family. The journey towards what each person calls family in their life looks different. I know from personal experience that sometimes things don't end up the way you thought they would be. I respect how challenging fertility journeys can be, and seek to support people as they walk that path, regardless of if it leads to biological children, adoption, or a child-free family, and those who invests in the next generation in alternative ways.
Location
4222 Secor Rd, Toledo, OH, USA
Contact Listing Owner
Dr. Sadikah Behbehani, MD
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