Women's Pelvic Health in Barrie, ON
Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when you cannot relax your pelvic floor muscles. This dysfunction is present as urinary problems, bowel dysfunction, and loss of pelvic organ support. Although many women avoid the subject of pelvic health due to embarrassment and lack of information, it is common. Fortunately, it is easily treatable.
Pelvic health affects your overall well-being and daily life. You can discuss your symptoms with a physiotherapist and get appropriate treatment. Our pelvic health team in Barrie treats several pelvic disorders and is ready to help you live your best life.
What is Women's Pelvic Health?
Pelvic health is crucial to the complete physical, social, and sexual well-being of a woman. Good pelvic health is the absence of disease or weakness in the bowel, bladder, and reproductive organs. Women's pelvic health therapy also focuses on treating pelvic floor disorders to restore health and well-being.
How Do You Know You Have Pelvic Health Issues?
There is dysfunction if your pelvic floor muscles keep tightening instead of relaxing. Pelvic health issues are present with symptoms including painful sex, inability to orgasm, recurrent urinary tract infections, and a sensation of vaginal heaviness. Other symptoms of pelvic health dysfunction include trouble releasing the bowels, incomplete bowel movement, and leaking urine or stool.
What are the Causes of Women's Pelvic Health Problems?
Several factors contribute to women's pelvic health issues, but the most common is pregnancy and childbirth. These factors add extra pressure to the mother's pelvic floor muscles, making them widen during childbirth. In addition, vaginal delivery stretch and compress the pelvic floor.
Other factors causing women's pelvic health issues include;
- Chronic constipation
- Straining during urination or bowel movements
- Obesity
- Heavy lifting
- Low estrogen due to menopause or hysterectomy
What are the Risk Factors for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
Although all women are prone to pelvic floor dysfunction, some women are at a higher risk than others. Risk factors for pelvic floor disorders include;
- Age: increasing age increases the risk of an overactive bladder and urinary incontinence
- Family history: there is an increased risk of developing pelvic floor dysfunction if there is a family history of the condition
- Weight: overweight women are at a higher risk of developing pelvic floor disorders. The pressure of the excess weight can weaken the pelvic floor muscles resulting in organ prolapse and incontinence.
- Number of pregnancies: women with multiple pregnancies are at a higher risk of developing pelvic floor dysfunction than women with single pregnancies
- Mode of birth: vaginal birth stresses the pelvic floor muscles, increasing the risk of developing incontinence compared to cesarean delivery
- Hysterectomy: this is the removal of the uterus, and it can adversely affect pelvic floor function
Benefits of Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy, Barrie
Pelvic floor physiotherapy aims to help you regain control of your pelvic floor muscles. Other benefits of pelvic physiotherapy include the following;
- Alleviating pelvic pain. Physiotherapy can help release tension in the pelvic floor, relieving pain.
- Improving bowel movement. Pelvic floor physiotherapy helps you control your muscles such that they relax sufficiently enough to allow the passage of poop.
- Helping urine leakage. Physiotherapists use treatment methods to strengthen the pelvic floor and provide urethral support. This then suppresses urgency and prevents leakage.
- Relieving sexual pain. Physiotherapy treatments relax and balance the pelvic and vaginal muscles to increase blood flow and decrease pain. Completing a pelvic physiotherapy program can help you enjoy pain-free sex.
- Alleviating postpartum issues. Pregnancy and childbirth strain the pelvic floor muscles. Pelvic floor therapy aids tissue repair and balances the muscles that control continence.
- Stopping pelvic organ prolapse. Physiotherapy strengthens the pelvic floor muscles to support pelvic organs and prevent further slippage.
What Conditions Does Barrie Pelvic Therapy for Women Treat?
There are several pelvic health conditions that physiotherapists in Barrie treat. These conditions include;
- Urinary and bowel incontinence
- Pelvic pain
- Sexual dysfunction
- Overactive bladder
- Urinary hesitancy
- Pelvic organ prolapse
Women's Pelvic Therapy, Barrie
After an initial assessment of your condition at Concept of Movement Physiotherapy, your physiotherapist will discuss the treatment plan. The evaluation is usually comfortable; you can ask your physiotherapist questions about the treatment. Women's pelvic therapy in Barrie consists of different treatment methods, including;
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Strengthening your pelvic floor can dramatically improve your symptoms and help you regain control. Pelvic floor exercises include rigid contractions and strengthening exercises. Your physiotherapist will recommend the best exercises for you. However, you should follow the instructions and do the exercises as often as recommended for the best results.
Biofeedback
When doing kegel exercises, you may not target the right muscles. But biofeedback helps you know if you are targeting the right muscles. Biofeedback is often used with an exercise program, providing information on a computer screen or making a sound that lets you know you are contracting the right muscles. Therefore, you can learn how to control your muscles when you sit, stand, or lie down.
Bowel And Bladder Retraining
Incontinence increases the frequency of restroom visits. With bowel retraining, you can gradually reduce the frequency of bathroom trips and also learn how to control your urinating urges. In addition, you will learn techniques to help you empty your bladder.
Furthermore, your physiotherapist will advise you on modifying your daily habits to help you control your bladder. For example, you may have to monitor what and how much you drink and exercise regularly to reduce your symptoms.
Relaxation Techniques
Stress and anxiety can worsen the symptoms of pelvic health dysfunction. Physiotherapy for pelvic health includes relaxation, breathing, and postural techniques to calm you and help you control your symptoms.
Muscle Stimulation
Physiotherapists use muscle stimulation when pelvic exercises and biofeedback does not improve muscle strength. This treatment method involves the electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor muscles, helping your muscles remember how to contract. Once the muscles start responding to treatment, your physiotherapist will include strengthening exercises in your treatment program.
Pelvic Floor Myofascial Release
Myofascial release is a manual therapy of the soft tissues of the pelvic floor muscles. Your physiotherapist will administer this treatment externally around the pelvis and via the vagina to the pelvic floor muscles. This treatment helps to reduce tension and improve blood flow.
Lifestyle Modifications
Lifestyle modifications like weight loss and dietary changes can improve overall health and reduce symptoms. Usually, this treatment method is used in combination with pelvic floor exercises for the best results.
Why Should You Choose Women's Pelvic Therapy in Barrie?
A licensed physiotherapist in Barrie is trained in treating pelvic floor dysfunction. Although many people see discussions around pelvic health as a taboo, pelvic health dysfunction can significantly affect physical, social, mental, and sexual well-being.
Physiotherapists at Concept of Movement Physiotherapy are patient and willing to answer all your questions. We will also discuss your issues and advise you on your best treatment options. So if you are in Barrie looking for Pelvic health services, you can book an appointment with us.
FAQs
What are Common Pelvic Health Issues Faced by Women?
Pelvic health issues in women can affect the reproductive organs, urinary tract, and bowels. Some common women's pelvic health issues include;
Pelvic organ prolapse: this issue results from weak pelvic floor muscles and tissues. Consequently, the pelvic organs drop through the weak muscles and press into the vagina. Pelvic prolapse symptoms include a leaking bladder, uncomfortable pressure during sex, bowel movement issues, and feeling an emerging bulb from the vagina.
Urinary incontinence: this is when you have a problem holding in your urine regardless of how full or empty your bladder is. Urinary incontinence occurs when the pelvis cannot support the bladder. Symptoms of urinary incontinence include urine leakage when coughing, laughing, or sneezing, needing to rush to the restroom, and passing urine if you don't get there in time. Also, if you experience urine leaking when you move or exercise, it is a symptom of urine incontinence.
Urinary retention: unlike urinary incontinence, urinary retention is when you cannot empty your bladder fully. Bladder sagging or moving out of its position or the pelvic floor lacking strength are the causes of urinary retention. Other causes of urinary retention include urinary tract infections, bladder weakness, and nerve problems.
Symptoms of urinary retention include a slow urine stream, inability to empty the bladder when urinating, difficulty starting urine flow, and frequent urination in small amounts.
What Does a Pelvic Health Physio Do?
Pelvic health physiotherapy aims to strengthen and rehabilitate the pelvic floor muscles. This therapy starts with an examination. This helps your physiotherapist to understand what the problem is and to develop an appropriate treatment plan. Physiotherapy treatments target the pelvic floor, hips, abdominal region, and lumbar spine.
Is Physio Good for Pelvic Pain?
Physiotherapy can address pelvic pain. Although pelvic pain can range from mild to severe, it is present with symptoms like incontinence, prolapses, and urinary urgency. Usually, this pain may result from gastrointestinal, gynecological, or musculoskeletal problems.
Physiotherapy treatments for pelvic pain include pelvic floor rehabilitation and pain management. These treatments include electrical stimulation, stretches, manual therapy, and myofascial release of pelvic floor trigger points.
