& Surrounding ​
Adhesion Related Issues
The Hidden Connection You May Not Know About
Did You Know Your Past Surgery Could Still Be Affecting You Today? Many people are surprised to learn that a C-section from five years ago, an appendectomy from their teens, a hernia repair, or even a laparoscopic procedure might still be contributing to their current pain.
The culprit? Adhesions—internal scar tissue that your body creates as part of its natural healing process, but which can sometimes cause more problems than solutions.
If you're experiencing unexplained pelvic pain, digestive issues, or even persistent back pain, and you have a history of surgery, inflammation, or infection, adhesions might be the missing piece of your puzzle.
If you have had abdominal surgery and subsequently are living with horrible pain for which your doctors do not have any explanation, do not even hesitate to make an appointment to go see them. They will treat you with kindness and great caring, and may just change your life forever.
-Jack S.
What Exactly Are Adhesions?
Think of adhesions as your body's internal "duct tape." When you experience trauma, surgery, or inflammation, your body responds by laying down scar tissue to protect and heal the area. Sometimes, though, this scar tissue connects structures that weren't meant to be connected—like your intestines adhering to your abdominal wall, or your ovary becoming stuck to your pelvic sidewall. These adhesions can create massive pressure and pain, especially in the abdominal and pelvic cavities.
Fresh adhesions start out soft and flexible, but over time—sometimes years—they become thick, rope-like, and rigid. It's this maturation process that often explains why symptoms can appear or worsen long after the original injury or surgery.
​
A true healer! She is gifted with her expertise, acute assessment skills and magical healing hands. She is delighfully kind and helped me feel very comfortable in each session and adjusts her plan to how I am doing that day. Her intuition is spot on, as is her professionalism and talent! The entire office space is clean, bright and a perfect space for healing. Jef is also so warm and supportive. This entire clinic is a gem!!! - Carrie B.
You might be surprised by what causes adhesions
You might be surprised by how many different things can trigger adhesion formation. Even minimally invasive procedures like laparoscopy can lead to adhesions. Beyond surgery, conditions like endometriosis are notorious adhesion-creators because of their inflammatory nature—those endometriosis lesions don't just cause pain where they are, they can create sticky scar tissue that spreads throughout your pelvis, abdomen, and rib cage.
​
Physical traumas such as car accidents, falls, birth trauma, and assault can also contribute to adhesion formation. Tissue damage from trauma-induced adhesions may form in areas beyond the initial injury site, as the body's protective response can affect surrounding tissues.
​
Digestive conditions like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and even severe cases of SIBO can trigger enough inflammation to form adhesions. Infections, whether from complications of surgery, pelvic inflammatory disease, or conditions like peritonitis, often leave adhesions behind as unwelcome souvenirs. Even radiation treatment, particularly to the pelvic area, commonly creates the tissue changes that lead to adhesion formation.
The Ripple Effect: How Adhesions Affect Your Whole Body
Here's what many healthcare providers don't realize: adhesions don't just cause pain where they form. They can create a domino effect throughout your entire body. When internal structures become "glued" together, your body has to compensate for that lost mobility, and those compensations can show up in surprising places. Adhesions can feel like a vice wrapped around your body, making it uncomfortable or unbearable to move at times.
​
That chronic lower back pain you've been dealing with? It might be your body's way of compensating for adhesions restricting your pelvic organs' ability to move normally. Digestive issues like bloating, constipation, or that feeling of incomplete bowel movements could be related to adhesions affecting your intestines' natural movement patterns.
​
Many of our patients are amazed to discover that symptoms they never connected—like difficulty taking deep breaths, hip stiffness, or even recurring UTIs—can all be related to adhesion patterns that developed after surgery or illness.
​
The Frustrating Reality: When Tests Don't Show the Whole Story
One of the most frustrating aspects of adhesion-related issues is that they rarely appear on standard imaging. You can have extensive adhesions causing significant symptoms, but your CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound might look completely normal. This leaves many people feeling unheard or wondering if their pain is "all in their head."
​
We want you to know: your symptoms are real, even if they don't show up on a picture. Adhesions are diagnosed based on your history, symptoms, and physical examination findings, not imaging studies.​​
I have been cured of major digestive issues and interstitial cystitis since seeing them. My liver and sleep issues have also improved significantly. They are knowledgable and gentle.
-Julie E.
How We Help: Manual Therapy That Makes a Difference
Our approach is likely to be the missing piece you never knew you needed. We can't always make adhesions disappear completely, but we can significantly improve how they affect your daily life. Our specialized manual therapy techniques work to restore mobility, reduce restrictions, and create space for your organs to move. Patients are often surprised by how much we can feel with our hands—areas of decreased mobility, tissue thickness changes, and restriction patterns that help us understand your unique situation.
​
Most physical therapists are generalists and come out of school knowing very little about pelvic floor dysfunction, adhesion management, and integrating a whole body approach to treatment. Our entire team has dedicated all of their continuing education to focus entirely on this approach. We have taken the most advanced classes and training available in our field and have been trained by the best PTs in the world. We proudly have the most knowledgeable staff and offer the most comprehensive treatments available. Patients have traveled from the mountains, other states, and internationally to receive treatment from us. The therapy you receive at Align is unmatched by other therapists, we know this because we hear it daily from our patients who have been to other providers and came to us after the fact because they did not get the lasting results they had hoped for.
​
You're Not Alone in This
If you're reading this and thinking, "This sounds like what I've been experiencing," you're not alone. Adhesion-related issues are incredibly common, but they're often overlooked or misunderstood. Many of our patients tell us they wish they had known about this connection years earlier.
The good news is that you don't have to live with the limitations and discomfort that adhesions can create. With the right approach and understanding, we can help you feel more comfortable, move more freely, and better understand your body's unique story. Your past surgeries and medical experiences are part of what makes you who you are, and we're here to help you feel your best despite—and because of—that history.
