Long, effortful bowel movements
Worse on busy or stressful days, and soft stool doesn't always make it easier.
Chronic constipation can mean going less often, pushing hard for a long time, or never feeling quite done. Fiber and water may help a little, but the effort stays. It’s a symptom with more than one possible source, and some of them have little to do with diet.
A bowel movement needs the intestines to move stool forward and the pelvic floor and anal sphincter to relax and open. Commonly, those muscles stay tight, the belly wall stays braced, and breathing stays shallow. You can push hard without much result. Stress can slow the bowel further and make the area more guarded.
I treat the muscle side of this with dry needling, a form of acupuncture, to the belly wall, hips, low back and pelvic floor muscles. The puborectalis is the muscle sling around the rectum. If it stays tight along with the levator ani, it can crowd branches of the pudendal nerve. Needling those muscles aims to give the nerve room. Your GI doctor stays in charge of testing and medication.
Most people have tried fiber, stool softeners, laxatives and sometimes a colonoscopy. These matter, and testing is how disease gets ruled out. Medication changes the stool, though, not whether the pelvic floor can relax and open. More fiber can even add bloating and pressure when emptying is the hard part. A normal colonoscopy doesn’t show muscle tension or how the outlet coordinates.
I start by asking how often you go, how long it takes, what your stool is like, and what you’ve already tried. Then the exam:
I work alongside GI doctors and primary care. Your bowel testing and medication stay with them, and if something in my exam points back their way, I’ll tell you and pass along my notes.
Sometimes. If you strain, feel blocked even with soft stool, or rarely feel finished, the outlet muscles are often part of it. The bowel itself and the belly wall can also be involved, so I look at all of them.
If the pelvic floor isn’t relaxing to let stool out, more bulk can add pressure and bloating. That usually means emptying is the harder part. Your GI doctor can help adjust diet and medication while I work on the muscles.
It can, when tight belly, hip or pelvic floor muscles are part of the pattern. I needle the muscles holding tension so they can relax when you bear down. Softening the puborectalis also eases the squeeze on the pudendal nerve branches beside it. It’s aimed at the muscles, not the bowel itself.
Most people start weekly for a few weeks, then space visits out as things settle. It depends on how long this has gone on, your stress levels, and your medications. I adjust the plan based on how you respond.
See a doctor promptly for blood in your stool, black or tarry stools, unexplained weight loss, persistent vomiting or fever. The same goes for severe or quickly worsening constipation, anemia, or new constipation after age 50. A strong family history of colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease is also a reason to be checked first.
Yes. Your GI doctor handles testing and medication, and I focus on muscle tension and coordination. The two don’t conflict. With your permission, I’m glad to share what I find with them.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
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118 W. 72nd St, Rear Lobby, New York, NY 10023
Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
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