The pelvic floor is a group of muscles located near the base of the pelvis. These muscles tense to support your organs throughout regular activities and release to let you use the restroom. When these muscles aren't working correctly, you may have symptoms like discomfort or incontinence. This is when physical therapy might come in handy.

A pelvic health physical therapist is someone who has specialized training and knowledge of the pelvic muscles and bones. A pelvic health therapist can treat you with a variety of issues, especially the ones mentioned below:

1. Urinary Incontinence

The inadvertent leakage of urine, feces, or gas is referred to as incontinence. Stress incontinence, urge incontinence, and a combination of the two are all kinds of incontinence. Involuntary leakage caused by pressure, such as when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or jump, is referred to as stress incontinence. Urge incontinence occurs when you have a strong urge to use the toilet while having low pee output or when you use the bathroom more often.

2. Constipation

Constipation is the condition of having trouble passing stool, and it can be caused by several factors, including lack of fibre in the diet or lack of exercise. Symptoms of constipation include abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue and straining.

3. Pelvic Pain

Pelvic pain is typically a symptom of another condition, such as pelvic floor dysfunction, which is when the muscles that support the bladder and uterus are not contracting and relaxing properly. This can cause pain deep in the pelvis.

4. Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the pelvic floor muscles weaken and the pelvic organs, such as the uterus, bladder or rectum, begin to drop. This can cause symptoms such as urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, urinary frequency, abdominal distention, and the feeling of pulling or pressure in the groin.

5. Pregnancy and Postpartum

Pregnancy and post-pregnancy can cause pelvic pain as well as incontinence. During pregnancy, the uterus is supported by the pelvic floor muscles, and after giving birth, the pelvic floor can sometimes be weakened. The good news is that pelvic health physical therapy can help you in your recovery and during pregnancy and post-pregnancy.

6. Coitus Pain

The name for intercourse pain is dyspareunia, and it is primarily the result of damage to the vagina or pelvic floor. This damage can be caused by childbirth, surgery, and trauma to the area. This condition can be caused by many things, including psychological factors, anxiety and depression, or by anatomical factors such as a mismatch between the size of the vagina and penis or vaginal dryness.

7. Cancer

Pelvic physical therapy can be used to treat cancer patients, especially those receiving radiation and chemotherapy. This is because the pelvic floor muscles play a huge role in protecting the organs in the pelvis, which are the most often affected by the side effects of these treatments.

8. Athletic and Orthopedic Issues

Injuries sustained during athletic activities, and chronic conditions like arthritis can cause pelvic weakness. A pelvic health physical therapist can treat these conditions to prevent further damage caused by pain and muscle weakness.

Conclusion

Injuries sustained during athletic activities, and chronic conditions like arthritis can cause pelvic weakness. A pelvic health physical therapist can treat these conditions to prevent further damage caused by pain and muscle weakness.

While you may be hesitant to visit a pelvic health physical therapist, it's important to remember that these specialists have undergone specialized training and have undergone additional education in pelvic health. In addition, they are specifically trained in patient education and fall prevention. There are multiple types of pelvic health dysfunction, and a pelvic health physical therapist is trained to work with you to find the proper treatment to address the type of pelvic health dysfunction you're suffering from.

Look after your pelvic health in Whitehorse with the help of Whitehorse Physiotherapy! Our approach is holistic and individualized. We find and target the root cause with focused treatments and empower you with the knowledge to help you remain pain-free when you finish at our clinic. Book an appointment today!