Alaina K. Vince, PT, DPT, PCES
Doctor of Physical Therapy, Pelvic Floor Specialist

Because this will be out of an insurance network, a referral is not required. However, it is in a patient's best interest to see a medical professional prior to therapy, as many pelvic conditions can be medical in nature, and more serious conditions would need to be ruled out prior to seeing a physical therapist. It is also beneficial to have a managing primary care provider with whom I may coordinate care with to manage your health as a team.

If able, I prefer to have our first appointment be a virtual teletherapy visit, on the computer or smartphone. This provides a flexible, relatively low-stress option to talk through your history, what symptoms you are having, and possible solutions to your problems. I believe we heal best and improve more quickly when we understand what is going on with our bodies, so I also like to use this time to talk through the anatomy and why there is dysfunction, as well as how physical therapy can improve this dysfunction. Following the initial consultation, I prefer to do an in-person physical assessment. Physical examination may include general movement patterns like bending forward and backwards, observing how you move your body, and particular tests for muscles, joints, and nerves. If you are being seen for a pelvic-specific condition. an internal examination of the pelvic floor muscles may be performed (through the vaginal canal, or rectal canal if indicated), which would include me inserting a gloved, lubricated finger into a canal to feel for what the muscles are doing (are they too tight, too weak, lacking coordination, etc.). There is no speculum or aggressive manual palpation. You have the option to opt out of ANY part of examination or treatment with which you do not feel comfortable, internal or otherwise. The most important thing to understand is that you are always in control of the treatment session, and there is no one part of treatment that is vital to your progress, so I encourage open dialogue to let me know your comfort and your boundaries.

Insurance in the United States.... leaves a few things to be desired. I, like many healthcare professionals, have found that insurance-based practice can be very restricting on time spent with people, treatments allowed, and is very limiting for patient-centered care. For instance, one private visit with me through Great Lakes Pelvic Rehab can cover about the same amount of information and treatment that I cover in THREE typical visits in the clinic under the insurance-based system. Additionally, for many people, when the deductible has not been met, clinic care can cost up to $400-500 per 45 minute visit! Working out of network allows me to spend as much time with you 1:1 as needed, allowing me to hear your whole story, spend a thorough amount of time with the evaluation, and creating a plan of care that is specific to YOU, and not think about which codes an insurance plan may or may not pay for. You will never be passed off to a tech or left alone on exercise equipment. Some insurances reimburse for out-of-network care. If you would like, I can provide a list of services rendered that could be reimbursed depending on your insurance plan.

Unfortunately, Medicare limits their beneficiaries from receiving services with providers that are not enrolled with them, even with the cash-based model. At this time, I am not enrolled as a Medicare provider, and unable to see clients who have Medicare. I would be happy to refer you to local providers who take insurance.

If you have a pelvic problem, but are not sure where to start, I would be happy to have a complimentary talk with you to see if pelvic floor physical therapy is right for you. If it sounds like you may not benefit from physical therapy, I will gladly talk through some other resources that can help you to address your problem. Email me at alainavincedpt@gmail.com.

It is typically not necessary to reschedule your appointment, and we can adjust the treatment program for the day to meet your comfort needs.

At this time, I do not. If you are someone with a penis who needs pelvic health, I am happy to make referrals as able!

Yes! I am excited to have this skillset in my toolbox. I am able to dry needle abdominals, low back, pelvis, pelvic floor, and upper thigh. This can be very advantageous if you are having pain in any of these areas, or need a muscle to "wake up" to activate better. It can also be very beneficial for those with irritable bowel issues, urinary incontinence, or chronic pain. I would be happy to talk about how this may be a beneficial part of your care. If dry needling is going to be a part of your typical treatment session, there is no added cost to you. If we find that dry needling is particularly helpful to you, or you just need a quick dry needling session in between regularly scheduled appointments, I can do dry needling only appointments, which will be $50 per session.