Intimate Rose Tools for Pelvic Health, by Dr. Amanda Olson, DPT, PRPC.
Pelvic health is a foundational yet often overlooked aspect of overall wellbeing, influencing urinary, bowel, sexual, and musculoskeletal function. Many individuals experience pelvic floor dysfunction at some point in their lives, whether due to pregnancy and childbirth, surgery, trauma, hormonal changes, high-impact athletics, chronic pain conditions, or persistent stress. Intimate Rose wands and dilators have become widely recognized for their role in self-management of pelvic floor conditions. These devices are not merely tools, but rather therapeutic instruments that empower people to reach their pelvic health goals by providing support to neuromuscular retraining, pain modulation, and improved tissue mobility. Created by Dr. Amanda Olson, a pelvic health physical therapist, they are gentle, soft, and FDA-compliant; they are the safest tools for pelvic health.
Intimate Rose dilators are smooth, medical-grade silicone devices that come in a graduated set of sizes and are uniquely FDA cleared. They are used intravaginally to help individuals who experience pain with penetration, pelvic floor hypertonicity (overactivity), or difficulty relaxing the pelvic muscles. They are used by people who experience pelvic pain coupled with an inability to tolerate a tampon, speculum examination, or penetrative intercourse. Conditions such as vaginismus, dyspareunia, vulvodynia, pelvic floor tension myalgia, and post-surgical or post-radiation tissue changes may benefit from a structured dilator program. The primary purpose of dilators is not simply to “stretch” the vaginal canal, but to retrain the pelvic floor muscles to respond to pressure with relaxation rather than guarding.
In a pelvic health physical therapy setting, dilator use is often integrated into a broader treatment plan that includes education, breathing techniques, manual therapy, and movement-based exercises. A therapist may first assess a patient’s pelvic floor tone, sensitivity, and tissue flexibility before recommending a specific starting size. The individual is then guided in how to use the dilator at home in a gradual, progressive manner. Typically, this involves inserting the dilator slowly while practicing diaphragmatic breathing, allowing the pelvic floor to soften and lengthen. Over time, as comfort and confidence improve, the individual may progress to larger sizes. This process helps to desensitize painful tissues, improve proprioception, and restore a sense of control over the pelvic muscles.
Intimate Rose pelvic wands serve a complementary but distinct purpose. These curved, ergonomic tools are designed to help people of all genders access specific pelvic floor muscles internally, particularly along the sidewalls of the vagina or rectum, where trigger points and areas of muscle tension are commonly found. The wand allows for targeted pressure, sustained holds, or gentle sweeping techniques to release hypertonic muscles and reduce pain. Many patients use the wand as part of a home program to perform self-myofascial release between therapy sessions or as a means of self-treatment for pelvic pain caused by pelvic floor muscle spasms.
From a therapeutic perspective, wand use can help facilitate pelvic floor muscle relaxation. This can be particularly helpful for individuals with chronic pelvic pain, painful intercourse, or persistent urinary urgency related to pelvic floor tension. As with dilators, proper instruction is helpful to ensure safe and effective use.
Both dilators and wands are frequently paired with mindfulness and breath work. Because the pelvic floor is closely linked to the diaphragm through mechanical and neurological connections, slow, deep breathing can significantly enhance relaxation and reduce pain during use. Many therapists encourage patients to focus on breathing and relaxing the pelvic floor while gently applying pressure with the wand or inserting a dilator. Mental imagery, such as imagining that the pelvic floor is a rose blooming down and outward, is helpful. Another imagery cue is to imagine that you are a chicken gently laying an egg- it sounds silly, but this cue helps to create a gentle downward opening and expansion of the pelvic floor muscles. This creates a coordinated pattern of relaxation that can translate into improved function during daily activities such as walking, running, sitting, or engaging in intimacy.
In summary, Intimate Rose pelvic wands and dilators are valuable, versatile tools in pelvic health care. When used thoughtfully, and at times in conjunction with pelvic physical therapy or occupational therapy, they can help reduce pain, restore mobility, and retrain the pelvic floor muscles to function optimally. Quite simply, they are not just medical devices; they are instruments of empowerment, supporting healing, self-understanding, and long-term pelvic wellness to help people feel their very best.