#PTonICE Podcast Episode 1977 - Pelvic Dry Needling: A key piece of a complete solution for many patients
Dec 18, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Ellison Melrose, a pelvic health physical therapist and expert dry needling instructor, dives into the transformative potential of pelvic dry needling. She highlights its effectiveness for conditions like pudendal neuralgia and shares insights on patient outcomes. Elli also discusses her course design philosophy, emphasizing hands-on techniques and the importance of student comfort. With her relatable storytelling and humor, she makes complex topics approachable while advocating for both male and female pelvic care.
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Pudendal Neuralgia Responds Quickly To Needling
- Pudendal neuralgia often presents as genital pain, numbness, or tingling worsened by sitting and relieved by addressing nerve compression.
- Ellison Melrose says dry needling with e-stim can calm symptoms in 2–3 sessions when layered with lifestyle changes.
Combine Needling With Pelvic Education
- Use the pelvic dry needling course for hands-on needling techniques and refer to the pelvic L1/L2 courses for broader pelvic management.
- Also refer cyclists to a bike-fit course to reduce pudendal compression from saddles.
Needling Boosts Pelvic Floor Activation
- Needling can rapidly improve pelvic floor muscle recruitment in patients with poor activation by stimulating nearby motor pathways.
- Ellison often targets obturator internus and iliococcygeus to produce immediate in-session strength gains.