TOWNSHEND, Vt. – Are you struggling with pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, or some other pelvic floor dysfunction? If so, you are not alone. More than one-third of American women, and some men, have a pelvic health disorder.
In case the term “pelvic floor” is unfamiliar to you, it will help to know that the pelvic floor muscles are at the base of your pelvis. Both men and women have a pelvic floor. These muscles support your bladder, uterus and vagina or prostate, and rectum. The pelvic floor helps these organs function, and problems can occur when the pelvic floor is weakened or injured.
When the pelvic floor muscles aren’t working correctly, you may experience pelvic pain when you go to the bathroom or during sex. Or you may have leaking urine or a need to urinate too often.
Pelvic health disorders are more common in women than in men, and more common as women age. Pregnancy, childbirth, aging, obesity, and other conditions can cause the pelvic floor muscles to stop supporting a woman’s pelvic organs, a condition known as pelvic organ prolapse. The organs press down on each other, causing pain.
Grace Cottage’s Outpatient Rehabilitation Center now offers pelvic health therapy, which can help those dealing with the conditions listed above, as well as with interstitial cystitis (inflamed bladder), sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence, vulvodynia (painful vulva), orthopedic and sports injuries affecting the pelvic region, and pelvic issues due to pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum complications.
A pelvic health therapy session begins with private and supportive conversation. First, the therapist asks about the issue – its symptoms, how long it has been going on, and the emotional stress that goes with it. Then, the therapist does a physical examination to assess the situation and determine the best treatment approach.
Pelvic health therapy helps with physical conditions, but ultimately, it treats the whole person. Treatment is individualized for each patient’s needs, and may include physical exams, therapeutic exercises, biofeedback, ultrasound, and conversation about the emotional stress that often accompanies this issue.
Most insurance will cover this kind of therapy when a patient has a medical provider’s referral. Talk to your primary care provider to determine if this therapy is right for you.
If you are encountering an issue of pain or dysfunction in the pelvic region or incontinence, don’t lose hope. Please reach out for help by calling Grace Cottage’s Outpatient Rehabilitation Center at 802-365-3637.
Written by Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital.