Imagine you go to the gynecologist for your annual pap smear, and you feel excruciating pain when the doctor inserts the specula.

Or imagine that other parts of your life many people take for granted, like penetrative sex with a partner,

become impossible because of the extreme pain that comes with it. Now imagine seeing several doctors trying to figure out what's wrong. They all tell you, everything looks fine. Years go by

without answers, but the pain doesn't go away. Some of you don't have to imagine it because

you've lived it. I started experiencing severe tailbone pain following a back surgery. It was in

physical therapy, and this tailbone pain kept getting worse and worse. Fortunately, my physical therapist was familiar with pelvic floor disorders and referred me to someone.

I had enough stuff done and I have a hypotonic floor or an overactive pelvic floor.

They liken it to people who have tend shoulders or clinch their jaw.

I've been dealing with this for about a year.

It does cause full intercourse,

pain, using the restroom, as well as just generally it's uncomfortable to sit for long periods

time. It's uncomfortable to stay in for long periods of time. I work in health care, and when I thought

of pelvic for dysfunction, I thought of women who'd had multiple children or older women who struggled

with incontinence. Claire, thanks for that message. One in three women will experience a pelvic

floor disorder at some point in their life, and one in four people with vulvas will develop a

vulva vaginal disorder. Yet despite how common pain down there is, 60% of people with these conditions consult three or more doctors before ever receiving a proper diagnosis, and it's a process that can take up to 12 years.

That's according to the National Volvo-Dinia Foundation.

I'm Jen White. You're listening to the 1A podcast. For today's installment of our series

in Good Health, we're discussing vulgar and pelvic pain and why we don't talk about that pain

enough. That's just after this short break. Stay with us.

Welcome back to the 1A podcast. For the latest installment of our series in Good Health, we're

talking vulgar and pelvic pain. Joining us in studio is Dr. Sarah Signer. She's an assistant

...