Pelvic floor physio is a type of rehabilitation that focuses on the muscles and tissues of the pelvis and surrounding areas. It can help with various conditions affecting the pelvic region, including incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and pain disorders. At Doreen Physio, we offer pelvic floor physio to address your needs.
Pelvic floor physiotherapists may address these issues by administering a combination of manual therapy techniques, exercises, and education on self-management strategies.
Some patients may seek pelvic floor physical therapy to improve their overall quality of life. In contrast, others may turn to it to recover from surgery or other medical treatments. Regardless of the specific reason for seeking treatment, pelvic floor physiotherapy can be an effective way to address a range of issues affecting the pelvis and related structures.
Causes of a weak pelvic floor include but may not be limited to:
- Delivering a child
- Pregnancy
- Episiotomy
- Prostate cancer
- A much lower estrogen level or time after menopause
- Chronic constipation
Importance of Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
Pelvic floor physiotherapy can address many of the issues but if left untreated, can worsen with time. That’s why it is imperative for those suffering from pelvic floor issues to seek professional help. We’ll go into the next section and discuss the available options.
Pelvic floor muscles are an important group of muscles that span from the pubic bone to the tailbone and sitting bones on each side. They create a sling and support the pelvis and internal organs. Whenever there is pelvic floor dysfunction, it can be because the muscles are either overactive or weakened.
When the pelvic floor muscles are weak, this can lead to inability to control your bladder and bowel, causing urinary incontinence or prolapse of the internal organs.
On the other hand, if the pelvic floor muscles are overactive, it can cause pain during sex or difficulty emptying the bladder.
Our physiotherapists at Doreen will be able to identify the issues. The way pelvic floor physiotherapy works is when a skilled physical therapist completes a detailed history of the client, followed by a physical examination. Sometimes, an internal examination may be required to check the tone of the pelvic floor muscles. Depending on the findings, some manual work may be required to relax tight pelvic floor muscles. The objective is to improve tone, strength and function of the muscles.
Professional and experienced therapists at Doreen are able to help with urinary incontinence or pelvic floor pain. Women recovering from childbirth will also benefit from pelvic floor therapy. Likewise, men who have gone through a prostate operation or something similar will recover sooner, with decreased danger of rectal prolapse with the use of pelvic floor physical therapy.
What are the Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
Symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction may vary. However, it is commonly associated with the inability to relax and coordinate pelvic muscles for bowel movements and urination. Some women may also feel immense pain during sexual intercourse, and men may have problems holding their erections or suffer from erectile dysfunction.
One of the ways of knowing if you need to treat pelvic floor dysfunction and receive pelvic floor therapy is by getting your condition diagnosed. However, a diagnosis can be tedious, primarily because so many other issues can lead to similar symptoms. So, the best way for anyone to get a good diagnosis is to see a doctor and visit a physical therapist. Below are a list of symptoms:
- Pee that leaks out when wheezing, laughing, running or even when there is intense coughing
- Passing of gas either from the anus or vagina when lifting something or when twisting
- Urinary urgency where, you are unable to arrive at a toilet on time
- The vagina has diminished sensation
- There is the feeling of weight in the vaginal region
- Tampons used will often fall out
- There is a lump in the opening of the vagina
- Muscle spasms causing difficulty to urinate
Pelvic Floor Assessment
A pelvic floor assessment may often start with the doctor reviewing the patient’s history. The goal is to find a starting point for the symptoms or to determine what triggered them.
There is no one standard for assessing the pelvic floor muscle. However, various inspection methods are employed to evaluate the strength or lack thereof of the pelvic region. The examination is therefore individualized to what the therapist feels is essential.
The examination is mainly to determine the ability of the pelvic floor to contract adequately.
Usually, this is an external visual observation of the perineum. This helps the therapist understand the mechanics of a pelvic floor contraction. It is the first step to assessing the problem.
However, solely an observation may not be appropriate as the only means of assessment since there is some inward movement of the skin tissue when contraction is achieved of the perineal muscles and no contraction of the levator ani muscles.
What to Expect at My First Pelvic Floor Physio?
While it can feel overwhelming, a pelvic floor physiotherapy session at Doreen isn’t as intense as many people would expect. The physio will look at your complete medical history and then make notes of your fitness level.
After the exam, our Doreen physiotherapist will come up with a treatment plan which may include internal and external therapy. The treatment can range from biofeedback to the pelvic floor region, manual therapy and various exercises. It can also be a combination of various techniques to ensure the best results.
Can Pelvic Floor Exercises Cure Incontinence?
Incontinence can undoubtedly be treated to a great degree, and the symptoms can be relieved by strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. Physical therapy, usually a combo of education and strengthening exercises, can help strengthen the muscles.
Many women may complain of incontinence after labor. This problem is caused mainly because the muscles have become debilitated and thus leads to issues. Therapy after childbirth can help relieve symptoms, alleviate pain and the stress associated with incontinence.
Kegel Exercises
Kegel Exercises are performed by mainly squeezing the pelvis’s sphincter muscles. It involves repetition, practising sustained holds as well as strong contractions to strengthen pelvic floor muscles.
Biofeedback
During this, a series of electrodes on specific muscles measure the movement of your pelvic floor muscles. The biofeedback method helps to control the muscle group using reinforcement methods.
Exercises
Exercises to strengthen the muscles – Physical therapists will often train patients suffering from pelvic floor weakness to extend and reinforce other connecting muscles. This helps in supporting the bladder and pelvic organs.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Electrical stimulation usually involves applying light electrical stimulation, which helps with muscle function.
Pelvic floor physiotherapy may be imperative for many individuals. However, inexperience can often worsen a situation because the right exercises aren’t performed. Fortunately, you can make an appointment to see our experienced physiotherapists at Doreen to help anyone exercise correctly.
It is worth keeping in mind that exercise technique is one of the keys to exercising correctly to strengthen your pelvic region. That’s why you always need a professional to help you. Contact us to book your next appointment with one of our pelvic floor physiotherapist. We provide physiotherapy services across Doreen, Mernda, Yan Yean, Yarrambat and surrounding areas.