Pelvic Floor Condition
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
By Dr. Anthony J. Gordon, Doctor of Acupuncture | Last reviewed September 2026
Your cycles are irregular or absent, and when a period does come it can be heavy and painful. There may be a one-sided pelvic ache, bloating or pain with intercourse. PCOS care usually focuses on hormones and metabolism, which is important. The pelvic pain, cramping and muscle tension that come with it deserve attention too.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (516) 597-5400. Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks.
Overview
Understanding PCOS and Pelvic Pain
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common hormonal condition that affects how the ovaries work. It can cause irregular or missed periods, higher androgen levels, and many small follicles on the ovaries. It is linked with insulin resistance and can affect weight, skin, hair and fertility.
Pelvic pain is not always considered part of PCOS, but many women experience it: aching from enlarged ovaries or cysts, heavy and painful periods when they arrive, bloating, and pain with intercourse. Just as with other ongoing pelvic pain, the pelvic floor, abdominal wall and low back can tighten in response and add their own discomfort.
Your gynecologist or endocrinologist manages hormonal, metabolic and fertility care. Acupuncture is commonly used alongside that care to support cycle regularity and stress, and Dr. Gordon treats the pelvic floor and muscle patterns that contribute to pain.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) at a Glance
Also called
PCOS, polycystic ovarian syndrome
Who it affects
Up to one in ten women of reproductive age
Common symptoms
Irregular periods, pelvic ache, painful periods, bloating, acne, hair changes
Typical medical care
Hormonal treatment, insulin-sensitizing medication, lifestyle and fertility care
What Dr. Gordon addresses
Pelvic pain, muscle guarding, cramping, stress, cycle support alongside medical care
The Gap in Care
Why PCOS Pelvic Pain Is Often Overlooked
PCOS care rightly focuses on hormones and metabolic health. Pelvic pain, however, is often left out of the conversation, along with the muscle tension that develops around it.
What routine testing is looking for
- Hormone and androgen levels
- Ovarian appearance on ultrasound
- Insulin resistance and metabolic markers
- Ovulation and fertility status
What often keeps symptoms going
- Pelvic floor tension around recurrent pelvic ache
- Abdominal wall and low back guarding
- Heavy, painful periods when they arrive
- Pain with intercourse from pelvic floor tension
- Stress that affects both symptoms and cycles
These are assessed with a hands-on exam and a look at your cycle patterns, which is how Dr. Gordon approaches PCOS-related pain.
Signs & Symptoms
Does This Sound Like You?
Symptoms vary from person to person. These are the patterns Dr. Gordon sees most often.
Irregular or missed periods
Cycles that are long, unpredictable or absent for months.
Pelvic or ovarian ache
A dull ache on one or both sides of the lower abdomen.
Heavy, painful periods
Periods that arrive heavy and crampy after long gaps.
Bloating and pressure
Abdominal fullness or pelvic pressure that comes and goes.
Pain with intercourse
Deep discomfort during or after sex.
Low back aching
Low back and pelvic tension that tracks with pelvic symptoms.
Root Causes
The Four Drivers Dr. Gordon Looks For
Most people have more than one of these in play. Finding which one leads makes treatment more efficient.
Hormonal and ovarian changes
Hormonal imbalance and ovarian follicles or cysts can cause aching and irregular cycles, managed by your physician.
Pelvic floor guarding
Recurring pelvic pain trains the pelvic floor to tighten, adding pain with intercourse and pressure.
Abdominal and low back muscles
Shared nerve supply leads to trigger points in the abdominal wall and low back that add to pelvic pain.
Stress response
Stress affects both hormonal regulation and pelvic floor tension, and managing it supports overall care.
Your First Visit
How Dr. Gordon Evaluates Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
The initial evaluation runs 60 to 75 minutes. You leave with a clear picture of what is driving your symptoms, a written plan, a realistic timeline, and in most cases your first treatment.
Records and history review
Dr. Gordon reviews your hormonal workup, ultrasound findings, cycle history, medications and fertility goals.
Abdominal and low back assessment
Assessment of the abdominal wall, low back and hips for tension and trigger points.
External pelvic floor assessment
The pelvic floor muscles are examined from the outside, with no internal exam. With you draped for comfort, gentle pressure around the perineum, sit bones, tailbone and inner thighs checks tone, tenderness and trigger points.
Cycle and stress review
Dr. Gordon looks at your cycle pattern, sleep, stress and symptom triggers.
Plan and coordination
A clear plan, plus communication with your gynecologist or pelvic floor PT when that helps your care.
When to see a physician first
- Fever or chills with pelvic pain
- Unusual discharge, sores or lesions
- Bleeding after menopause, or bleeding heavy enough to soak a pad or tampon every hour
- Sudden, severe pelvic or abdominal pain
- Possible pregnancy with new pelvic pain
- New numbness in the saddle area or loss of bladder or bowel control
If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department.
Bring to your first visit
Records
Recent lab results, imaging reports and specialist notes. These can also be faxed ahead.
Treatment history
A short list of what you have tried and what did or did not help.
Clothing
Something comfortable and loose fitting.
Treatment
How Dr. Gordon Treats It
These are the tools Dr. Gordon uses most often for PCOS, chosen from your exam findings.
Primary approach
Intrapelvic & Extrapelvic Dry Needling
Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in both intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling. Treatment addresses pelvic floor, abdominal and low back muscles that tighten around pelvic pain. The needles go in through the skin of the buttock, perineum or inner thigh, never through the vagina or rectum.
Learn about pelvic floor treatmentNerve focus
Neuro-Functional Acupuncture
Acupuncture protocols commonly used to support cycle regularity and stress regulation, applied alongside your medical care.
See servicesBetween visits
Cycle Support & Team Coordination
A plan that accounts for your cycle and goals, coordinated with your gynecologist, endocrinologist or fertility team.
Referring provider? Contact the clinicWhat to Expect
A Typical Recovery Arc
Visits 1 to 3
Find the main driver
Dr. Gordon confirms which muscles and nerves are behind your symptoms and starts calming the most reactive areas. Many people notice early changes between visits.
Visits 4 to 8
Lower the baseline
Day-to-day symptoms ease, flares become shorter and less frequent, and normal routines start to feel more manageable.
Visits 9 to 12 and beyond
Build resilience
Visits are spaced out as improvement holds. You leave with a maintenance and early-flare plan.
Most patients are seen weekly or every other week during active care. Individual results vary with how long symptoms have been present and how reactive they are. Progress is reassessed at every visit.
Not sure how to describe it? Put your pain or discomfort into words before your visit
"Dr. Gordon is thoughtful, thorough and incredibly knowledgeable. He has significantly helped me with pain management and pelvic floor issues. I am grateful to have his expertise in my corner."
Dina Isola, Google Review
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Questions
Answers About Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Still unsure whether this is the right fit? Reach out before you book and Dr. Gordon will talk through your history with you.
No. PCOS is managed medically. Acupuncture is commonly used alongside medical care to support cycles and stress, and Dr. Gordon treats the muscle side of pelvic pain.
Recurring pelvic pain and painful periods often cause the pelvic floor to guard, which adds its own discomfort.
Yes. Continue all medications prescribed by your physician.
Yes. Let Dr. Gordon know your fertility plans and timing so he can coordinate with your care.
Many women start with eight to twelve sessions, often timed across a few cycles.
Often. Treating pelvic floor and abdominal tension can reduce the pain of periods when they arrive.
Before You Book
General Questions
The clinic is an out-of-network practice. The initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up visits are $250. After each visit you receive a detailed superbill to submit to your PPO plan for possible reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are accepted, and the clinic can run a complimentary benefits check before your first appointment. The check is a courtesy, so please confirm your coverage with your plan. See Insurance & Fees for details.
The first evaluation is 60 to 75 minutes and usually includes treatment. Follow-up visits run 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes. Call (516) 597-5400 or send a message through the contact page. This is especially helpful if your case is complex and you want to understand the approach before committing to a full evaluation.
1508 Union Turnpike, Suite 133, North New Hyde Park, NY 11040, with free parking on site. The clinic is an easy drive from Manhasset, Great Neck, Garden City, Lake Success, Floral Park and Mineola. Early morning, evening and weekend hours are available.
Most people feel a quick muscle twitch or a deep ache that lasts a few seconds. That twitch is a normal sign the trigger point is releasing. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward, similar to a hard workout, is common. Depth, angle and stimulation are adjusted to your comfort.
Both use the same fine, sterile, single-use needles. Dry needling targets specific trigger points and tight bands in muscle based on your exam. Neuro-functional acupuncture targets nerve pathways, often with gentle electrical stimulation, to calm nerve sensitivity. For PCOS, Dr. Gordon commonly uses both.
When performed by a trained, licensed provider with detailed knowledge of anatomy, it has a strong safety record. Tell Dr. Gordon if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system so he can plan accordingly.
It is a technique that reaches the deep pelvic floor muscles, including the levator ani, obturator internus and coccygeus, to release trigger points and restore normal muscle function. The needles go in through the skin of the buttock, perineum or inner thigh, never through the vagina or rectum. Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in this technique, which few practitioners in New York have.
Yes. Your privacy and comfort come first. When undressing is needed for the area being treated, you are fully draped. Needles are placed through the skin only, and nothing is ever inserted into the vagina or rectum. You can pause or stop at any time.
Yes. Many of Dr. Gordon's pelvic floor patients come to him after difficult experiences elsewhere. Every step is explained before it happens, you set the pace, and Dr. Gordon treats adults of all genders and identities in a respectful, welcoming setting.
It helps to have had a medical workup so serious causes have been checked. If you have not seen a gynecologist for these symptoms yet, call the clinic to talk through the best order of steps.
About Dr. Anthony J. Gordon
Dr. Anthony J. Gordon is a Doctor of Acupuncture licensed in New York and board certified. He holds ASE certification in intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling, along with advanced certifications in Functional Dry Needling and Neuro-Functional Acupuncture. With more than 18 years of clinical experience and over 3,000 complex cases treated, he focuses on pelvic, spinal and orthopedic conditions that have not responded to standard care, and works closely with each patient's physicians and physical therapists.
Read Dr. Gordon's full bioBook an Evaluation for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Book an evaluation with Dr. Gordon to address the pelvic pain and muscle tension that come with PCOS.
Early morning, evening and weekend appointments available. Free on-site parking.
Symptoms
Common Symptoms of PCOS
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