Gaslighting IC and Pelvic Pain Patients Increases Stress
Jun 05, 2025
"No One Believed Me Before": Supporting IC + Pelvic Pain patients with Prior Medical Mistrust.
For many people navigating Interstitial Cystitis (IC), OAB, or vulvar discomfort, the experience of being dismissed or gaslit by prior providers can create a deep mistrust of medical care.
When a patient says, "No one believed me before," what they often need isn't a new routine—it's a new therapeutic alliance—one built on validation, collaboration, and safety.
Emerging Research shows that chronic stress, such as repeated medical invalidation, may increase the production of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α)—keeping the nervous and immune systems alert.
But there's good news:
Mind-body practices like breathwork, meditation, and guided nervous system regulation can downshift inflammatory pathways, increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-10) and helping the body regain balance.
Self-soothing isn't "soft." It's a powerful, evidence-based skill that complements HRT, PT, and other pelvic health interventions, especially for clients with a long history of feeling unsafe in their bodies—and unheard in the system.
At PelvicSense, we support all pelvic practitioners by offering a structured digital home program rooted in neuroscience, somatic regulation, and pain science. For clients with IC, OAB, and pelvic distress, it's more than self-care. It's a step toward rebuilding trust in their capacity to heal and possibly increasing their production of anti-inflammatory cytokines.
đź“š References:
Fuss et al. (2024). We didn't start the fire..or did we?- a narrative review of medical gaslighting and introduction to medical invalidation https://lnkd.in/dTsHNnBc
Bower & Irwin (2016). Brain, Behavior, and Immunity – https://lnkd.in/djffSxtN
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