Worth It PT

About the Practice

Meet the Pelvic Floor Doc

Welcome! I’m glad you’re here. Exploring pelvic floor physical therapy can be very vulnerable for many reasons. You may have trauma from other experiences, may have grown up in a world where genitals were dirty things to talk about, or even just recognize that society doesn’t want to hear about your “problems” because they’re probably “your fault”.

Due to this vulnerability and how raw that can feel, I am choosing to be vulnerable with you first.

My first experience with pelvic floor health occurred when I was training for the Chicago Marathon in 2017. I was an avid runner, but mainly for my mental health as I also was suffering from crippling anxiety and depression. Little did I know, all of that nervous system tension was slowly creating a physical environment that my pelvis wouldn’t be able to tolerate. One day I stopped at my six mile marker, and lost complete control of my bladder. Humiliation and the realization that I was far from home burned me so deep inside I thought I’d never recover. Was everyone looking at me? Did they see the liquid soaking my socks? I was relatively young at the time, and I didn't understand what was happening.

To make matters more ironic, I was too ashamed to tell anyone despite being in the medical field and knowing I could get help. I wasn’t as ashamed to admit I was leaking after I ran. I was scared that someone would tell me I was weak, because no athlete wants to hear that. The word “weak”, I just knew, would send me into a negative spiral.

While I’ll spare the details of the rest of the story, I’m here to say I understand. I know how it feels to be in chronic pain, and how lonely it is to be up at 4AM wondering why your body is betraying you. I know the feeling of wet underwear and total confusion because I was a healthy (ish), young athlete. I know the feeling of waiting in a cold, sterile medical office while you’re completely naked (except for a gown), having no idea when anyone will come see you for just *five* minutes. I know vulnerability.

I chose to create my business to fulfill a need for those who wanted a better experience of healthcare. My passion for working with chronic and persistent conditions, especially those with high complexity, allows me to offer the quality of care I find lacking from our current medical system. Chronic and persistent cases are often brushed aside, or bounced around from specialty to specialty without anyone sitting down and looking at the larger picture. The message I want to give the world is clear: You can have the quality of life you deserve no matter the complexity or history of your pain, and I will be alongside you every step of the way.

I am happy to report that I no longer have incontinence with exercise, no longer suffer from persistent pain, and live the quality of life I’ve always dreamed of. People believed in me the whole time, and I will be that person to believe in you throughout your pelvic floor physical therapy journey. All of your goals are attainable. So let’s get started, because you’re Worth It.

Dr. Caroline Worth Gamwell, DPT

She / Her / Hers

Founder of Worth It PT

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current evidence behind dry needling?

More recent research has been published focusing on the benefits of dry needling. If you are interested in reading up on specific studies, this dry needling company (IDryNeedle) has a quality collection of full-text articles to browse here.
How is dry needling different than acupuncture?

Dry needling is a modality utilized in a rehab plan of care to improve local blood flow, reduce muscle tension, and decrease chronic inflammation in the targeted area. Other modalities, for comparison, are manual therapy, exercise, stretching, and topical treatments like TENs or heat packs. Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine based on traditional Chinese medicine. While they both include single-use needles, the intention and placement differ based off of your goals and purpose of the treatment. Dry needling may be performed by many different clinicians, however acupuncture may only be performed by licensed acupuncturists.
I tried dry needling before and wasn't sure it helped, is it worth trying again?

Yes. Every clinician is different in their form of practice and preferred treatment techniques. In terms of dry needling, if you didn't respond well to a more aggressive approach perhaps a more gentle form is needed and vice versa. It's important to communicate to your clinician what worked and didn't work for you before, as you are the expert in your own body.
Can I come in just for dry needling?

Since dry needling is a modality, and therefore part of your overall rehab program, it is preferred through Worth It PT to have at minimum an evaluation in our Denver clinic. If it is determined by you and your clinician that dry needling is the main reason you'd need to be seen, then you can just return for shorter dry needling sessions vs full length follow-ups.
Does dry needling hurt?

Dry needling encompasses small, single-use needles inserted into muscle to achieve desired effects listed above. Piercing skin and soft tissue with a needle can be uncomfortable, however it depends on the area and the amount of sensory nerves per area you have. The back is less sensitive than the pelvic floor, for example. Everyone does respond differently, so it is best to maintain constant communication with your clinician to ensure your comfort and understanding throughout the treatment.