What is the pelvic floor?
- This is a question many women have! Everyone has a pelvic floor, but what exactly is it? We all have a “box” of core muscles, made up of the abdominal muscles in front, the spine muscles in the back, the diaphragm at the top, and the pelvic floor at the bottom.
- In women, the pelvic floor has three openings, one for the bladder, one for the vagina, and one for the rectum.
- The pelvic floor acts to support or hold up our organs like the bladder, uterus, and rectum.
- Natural things that occur during our lifetime can weaken or damage the pelvic floor, such as childbirth, aging, menopause, or chronic coughing or constipation. Also, some of us are born with stronger tissue that will last longer.
What is Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?
- If you twisted your knee, you would see a special physical therapist to rehab the knee and strengthen the muscles around it to relieve pain and restore function.
- Our pelvic floor physical therapist works with you in the same way to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor and help you to regain support and continence, relieve pain, and improve sexual satisfaction.
What will happen during my therapy?
- During the initial visit, our therapist will review your history and symptoms to be sure you will get the results you desire.
- The therapy itself involves improving muscle tone with external, vaginal and/or rectal sensors.
- Home therapy will also be individualized for each patient to and taught in your private, one-on-one session.
What else do I need to know?
- Pelvic floor therapy may be recommended for a variety of symptoms, such as:
- Loss of urine with a cough and sneeze
- Urinary urgency or frequency
- Strong urge to urinate then loss of urine
- Difficulty holding in gas or stool
- Painful bladder syndromes
- Pain with intercourse
- Pelvic pain due to pelvic muscle spasm
- Our doctors recommend weekly sessions of pelvic floor therapy for 8 to 10 weeks depending on your symptoms; following that, treatment will be individualized.
- During the first visit, you will need to purchase your own sensor for $60. We will keep this in the office for use during all of your sessions.
- Most patients will start to see positive results from the therapy after 4-6 sessions.
- It is important to combine the therapy we provide in the office with maintenance exercises at home. Our therapist will outline these exercises for you. We also recommend working to strengthen your full core muscles and maintaining a healthy weight.
- Copays and deductibles may apply to this therapy. If you are concerned about the cost, please speak with our office manager. Our staff will make every effort to make this therapy available to you!
