By Emily Tran, PHRC Westlake Village
When it comes to overall health, there is one area that is often overlooked or under-discussed: pelvic health. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the importance of taking care of their pelvic floor muscles, and they pay little attention to the myriad of issues that can arise from poor pelvic health. To help raise awareness and dispel misconceptions, here’s what people typically think when they hear the phrase “pelvic health” — and the truth behind them.
Misconception One: Pelvic health only affects women.
Truth: Men can suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction just as much as women can. Poor posture, weight gain, injury or chronic illnesses can affect men’s pelvic floor muscles in ways similar to those suffered by female patients.
Misconception Two: Pelvic health only matters after giving birth.
Truth: While pregnancy or childbirth is certainly a major contributing factor for weakened pelvic muscles, it’s important to note that any kind of physical trauma or surgery can also impact how strong your pelvic floor muscles are. Poor posture and lack of exercise can lead to weaker core and hip muscles which contribute to an overall weakening in the area. So even if you have never given birth before (or plan on doing so), it is still important to know how you should take care of your own individual needs when it comes to your body’s most intimate areas.
Misconception Three: Incontinence is something that only happens with age.
Truth: Not necessarily! For both men and women who do not suffer from any major medical conditions like diabetes or multiple sclerosis, urinary incontinence often occurs due to weak pelvic floor muscles which don’t provide adequate support for bladder control. The good news is that all adult individuals — regardless of age — can benefit from simple exercises designed specifically for strengthening this area; these exercises are easy enough for anyone, but may require a doctor or physical therapist’s guidance if needed in order to ensure safety and progress towards better muscular strength over time.
Misconception Four: Pelvic health issues only affect older people.
Truth: Although age can be a factor in the development of pelvic health issues, it is not the only factor. Poor lifestyle choices and underlying medical conditions that weaken the muscles around the hip and core area, as well as any kind of physical trauma or surgery, can also lead to weakened pelvic floor muscles for people of all ages.
Misconception Five: People don’t need to worry about their pelvic health until they experience symptoms.
Truth: It is important for everyone – regardless of gender – to pay attention to their overall body condition in order to prevent any further damage down the line due to prolonged muscle weakness or other conditions unrelated to aging such as an underlying medical issue or lifestyle choices (diet, exercise etc). There are easy exercises for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles that anyone can do, but if needed, it is best to seek out professional help from doctors or physical therapists knowledgeable in this field.
Misconceptions Six: Pelvic floor weakness is the only dysfunction people can experience.
Truth: The pelvic floor muscles can also become too tight which can cause unwanted symptoms. Pelvic floor muscles that are too tight can contribute to urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunction and/or pelvic pain. If the pelvic floor muscles are too tight, strengthening exercises, like Kegels, are not appropriate. It is important to see a pelvic floor specialist to determine what exercises and treatment are appropriate for your specific needs.
In addition to seeking professional assistance when necessary through doctors or physical therapists knowledgeable in this field, regular self-care activities and preventive measures (like wearing protective wear during sports) can go a long way towards helping maintain good pelvic health over time!
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FAQ
What are pelvic floor muscles?
The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that run from the coccyx to the pubic bone. They are part of the core, helping to support our entire body as well as providing support for the bowel, bladder and uterus. These muscles help us maintain bowel and bladder control and are involved in sexual pleasure and orgasm. The technical name of the pelvic floor muscles is the Levator Ani muscle group. The pudendal nerve, the levator ani nerve, and branches from the S2 – S4 nerve roots innervate the pelvic floor muscles. They are under voluntary and autonomic control, which is a unique feature only they possess compared to other muscle groups.
What is pelvic floor physical therapy?
Pelvic floor physical therapy is a specialized area of physical therapy. Currently, physical therapists need advanced post-graduate education to be able to help people with pelvic floor dysfunction because pelvic floor disorders are not yet being taught in standard physical therapy curricula. The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center provides extensive training for our staff because we recognize the limitations of physical therapy education in this unique area.
What happens at pelvic floor therapy?
During an evaluation for pelvic floor dysfunction the physical therapist will take a detailed history. Following the history the physical therapist will leave the room to allow the patient to change and drape themselves. The physical therapist will return to the room and using gloved hands will perform an external and internal manual assessment of the pelvic floor and girdle muscles. The physical therapist will once again leave the room and allow the patient to dress. Following the manual examination there may also be an examination of strength, motor control, and overall biomechanics and neuromuscular control. The physical therapist will then communicate the findings to the patient and together with their patient they establish an assessment, short term and long term goals and a treatment plan. Typically people with pelvic floor dysfunction are seen one time per week for one hour for varying amounts of time based on the severity and chronicity of the disease. A home exercise program will be established and the physical therapist will help coordinate other providers on the treatment team. Typically patients are seen for 3 months to a year.
What is pudendal neuralgia and how is it treated?
Pudendal Neuralgia is a clinical diagnosis that means pain in the sensory distribution of the pudendal nerve. The pudendal nerve is a mixed nerve that exits the S2 – S4 sacral nerve roots, we have a right and left pudendal nerve and each side has three main trunks: the dorsal branch, the perineal branch, and the inferior rectal branch. The branches supply sensation to the clitoris/penis, labia/scrotum, perineum, anus, the distal ⅓ of the urethra and rectum, and the vulva and vestibule. The nerve branches also control the pelvic floor muscles. The pudendal nerve follows a tortuous path through the pelvic floor and girdle, leaving it vulnerable to compression and tension injuries at various points along its path.
Pudendal Neuralgia occurs when the nerve is unable to slide, glide and move normally and as a result, people experience pain in some or all of the above-mentioned areas. Pelvic floor physical therapy plays a crucial role in identifying the mechanical impairments that are affecting the nerve. The physical therapy treatment plan is designed to restore normal neural function. Patients with pudendal neuralgia require pelvic floor physical therapy and may also benefit from medical management that includes pharmaceuticals and procedures such as pudendal nerve blocks or botox injections.
What is interstitial cystitis and how is it treated?
Interstitial Cystitis is a clinical diagnosis characterized by irritative bladder symptoms such as urinary urgency, frequency, and hesitancy in the absence of infection. Research has shown the majority of patients who meet the clinical definition have pelvic floor dysfunction and myalgia. Therefore, the American Urologic Association recommends pelvic floor physical therapy as first-line treatment for Interstitial Cystitis. Patients will benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy and may also benefit from pharmacologic management or medical procedures such as bladder instillations.
Who is the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Team?
The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center was founded by Elizabeth Akincilar and Stephanie Prendergast in 2006, they have been treating people with pelvic floor disorders since 2001. They were trained and mentored by a medical doctor and quickly became experts in treating pelvic floor disorders. They began creating courses and sharing their knowledge around the world. They expanded to 11 locations in the United States and developed a residency style training program for their employees with ongoing weekly mentoring. The physical therapists who work at PHRC have undergone more training than the majority of pelvic floor physical therapists and as a result offer efficient and high quality care.
How many years of experience do we have?
Stephanie and Liz have 24 years of experience and help each and every team member become an expert in the field through their training and mentoring program.
Why PHRC versus anyone else?
PHRC is unique because of the specific focus on pelvic floor disorders and the leadership at our company. We are constantly lecturing, teaching, and staying ahead of the curve with our connections to medical experts and emerging experts. As a result, we are able to efficiently and effectively help our patients restore their pelvic health.
Do we treat men for pelvic floor therapy?
The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center is unique in that the Cofounders have always treated people of all genders and therefore have trained the team members and staff the same way. Many pelvic floor physical therapists focus solely on people with vulvas, this is not the case here.
Do I need pelvic floor therapy forever?
The majority of people with pelvic floor dysfunction will undergo pelvic floor physical therapy for a set amount of time based on their goals. Every 6 -8 weeks goals will be re-established based on the physical improvements and remaining physical impairments. Most patients will achieve their goals in 3 – 6 months. If there are complicating medical or untreated comorbidities some patients will be in therapy longer.