I became hysterical and when my husband got home I fell down on the floor and just begged him to kill me because I couldn’t do my job, I couldn’t be a wife, I couldn’t take care of my child, and there was no reason for me to go on.

– Jane (interviewee)

The doctors told me it was all in my head, that I really couldn't be having any pain because I was no longer testing positive for a urinary tract infection. I would pray before going to see each new doctor. I'd walk in the office thinking, "Please. I don't care if I have cancer at this point. Just tell me it's something so I can learn to deal with it or take steps to make it better."

– Kat (interviewee)

I was diagnosed with vulvodynia when I was 20, but I know I had it much longer than that. My family physician had no idea that vulvodynia was a condition and even went so far as to tell me that the pain was all in my head.– A patient of Dr. Echenberg

– Jane (interviewee)

When the pain first started, I silently continued intercourse. When the pain was severe, I just had to stop. We would try at times, but I couldn't stand the pain. Eventually, my husband quit going to bed with me. He would stay up at night watching porn and satisfying his needs. We were married only two years when the pain started.– Survey Respondent

November 2025

You're not alone. Your pain is real. Your voice matters.

Discover trauma-informed education and advocacy for chronic pelvic, genital, and sexual pain disorders

 

About us:

The Echenberg Institute is a non-clinical telehealth education and advocacy service founded by Dr. Robert Echenberg, a retired Gynecologist and national thought leader. We empower patients, educate providers, and promote compassionate, evidence-based care for underrecognized pain disorders. 

What we offer: 

  • Educational consults for patients navigating complex pain in the pelvic region

  • Strategic guidance for providers seeking compliant, trauma-informed workflows

  • Branded materials, including intake packets, consent forms, and outreach templates

  • Advocacy resources to reduce stigma and promote national awareness

Our values:

  • Patient Empowerment   

  • Evidence-Based Education

  • Compliance and Integrity

  • Provider Collaboration

  • Equity and Accessibility

Get involved:

  • Whether you are a patient, provider, or supporter -- your voice matters. Explore our resources, support our mission, and help us build a future where pelvic, genital, and sexual pain are met with dignity, clarity, and hope.

  • If you are living in Pennsylvania, Dr. Echenberg can go a step further, providing prescriptions, ordering and interpreting tests, and giving direct medical advice.

  • For those outside of Pennsylvania, Dr. Echenberg can help guide you and your providers with further education, resources, and collaboration.

  • He has trained other practitioners to perform his detailed physical exam and office treatment regimens, and he continues to work integratively with them.

  • The Echenberg Model of Care is unique for these disorders, and Dr. E is seeking help to develop Centers of Excellence for genital and sexual pain disorders.

Click here for all options available to you

 

Click here for an important message from Dr. Echenberg

 

 

 

 

New E-Book Now Available - 165 Pages

 

Loaded with clickable videos, articles, and many resources

 

Click on book cover for purchase from our website

 

 

 

Do you have any combination of these symptoms and can't find help?

The Pelvic region consists of all aspects of the male and female body between the umbilicus (belly button) and the mid-thigh. Chronic Pelvic Pain is a complex of painful pelvic symptoms including, but not limited to:

        1) spontaneous and unwanted sexual arousal in the genital area,  (spectrum of genital hyperarousal disorders - PGAD/RGS)

       2) urinary frequency and urgency associated with pain, (Painful Bladder Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis) - (IBS)

       4) lower abdominal bloating and pressure.

       5) vaginal, vulvar, penile itching, burning, and sensitivity,

       6) sitting pain - constantly trying to favor one side or the other.

       7) sexual pain (entrance, during, or after sexual activity in females, and erectile and ejaculatory pain in males), 

       8) lower back, sacral, hip, or lower abdominal pain.  Unexplained tailbone or buttock pain.

Have you had invasive diagnostic testing, multiple treatments, and surgeries - and still have no diagnosis that makes sense to you?  

If any of these symptoms sound familiar to you, and you want to "connect the dots" then we can help you.