Let’s talk pelvic floor!
This “sling” of muscles attaches:
- On the front of your pelvis at your pubic bone
- On the back of your pelvis at your tailbone (coccyx)
- On the bottom of your pelvis (sits bones)
It is literally the muscular floor of your torso and helps hold your pelvic organs in place. The pelvic floor also plays an important role in sexual function, spinal and pelvic stability, and bowel and bladder control—so yeah, we definitely want it working well.
When the pelvic floor isn’t functioning properly—either the muscles are too weak, too tight, too stretched out, or not firing at the correct times—a range of uncomfortable signs and symptoms can show up. Before getting into what these symptoms are, however, I thought it’d be worth clearing up a common misconception:
The myth: pelvic floor dysfunction only happens in older women or women who have had babies.
The reality: it’s true that compared to men, women seem to be more at risk for developing pelvic floor dysfunction. 2008 research from the National Institutes of Health estimates that pelvic floor conditions affect nearly 1 in 4 women (!), and that the incidence increases with age.
BUT—and this is a big but—pelvic floor dysfunction is NOT unique to older and/or postpartum women! Men and women of all ages can experience pelvic floor issues- even children and teenagers! And by the way: just doing kegels isn’t always enough to address your underlying dysfunction and get relief from your symptoms (and can actually make your problem worse!)
The good news: there is such a thing as effective pelvic floor dysfunction treatment—and the first step is connecting the dots and realizing you (or your loved one) might have a problem.
10 Signs of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Most of the signs and symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction affect men and women both, although the severity, type, and frequency of symptoms vary a lot from person to person. Here are the ones we see the most:
- Urinary frequency—you feel like you have to go a lot
- Incomplete emptying—when you go, you don’t feel like you empty your bladder all the way
- Painful urination (the fancy term for this is dysuria)
- Stress incontinence—you accidentally let a little pee out while jumping, coughing, sneezing, laughing, etc.
- Constipation—and even if you are able to have a bowel movement, it’s difficult, painful, and/or feels incomplete
- Pain in the lower back, pelvis, genitals, bladder, or rectum that can’t be explained by something else
In women, we may also see symptoms such as:
- (7) Heavy or bulging sensation the rectum or vagina
- (8) Pain during sex (fancy term: dyspareunia)
In men, pelvic floor dysfunction might also show up as:
- (9) A urine stream that frequently starts and stops
- (10) Erectile dysfunction
It Sounds Like Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Now What?
As I’ve said, simply doing “kegels” and other pelvic floor exercises might not be enough to resolve your symptoms. Very often, pelvic floor symptoms are not due to weak muscles but rather tight or misfiring muscles—which means strengthening exercises could even make things worse.
This is why pelvic floor dysfunction physical therapy is so beneficial. A physical therapist trained in pelvic health can help uncover the specific nature of your dysfunction and then prescribe comprehensive and personalized services that restore pelvic floor health and function, including:
- External and internal manual therapy
- Dietary recommendations
- Postural evaluations
- Specific exercises
A good pelvic floor physical therapist will also refer you to other specialists as needed, including urologists, OB/GYNs, Naturopathic Physicians, and even mental health professionals. This might be necessary for people who could benefit from additional interventions like medications, functional nutrition and diving into the mind-body connection.
Could Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Physical Therapy Help You?
Do you live near Bethesda MD or McLean VA and are looking for pelvic floor dysfunction physical therapy? Contact ITR Physical Therapy today at 301-770-7060 to schedule an appointment.