pelvic health physiotherapy
Symptoms include pain or numbness in the pelvic area that interferes with normal daily activities. They may also affect a woman’s sexual function and comfort, resulting in decreased intimacy or even complete cessation of sex. Pelvic pain is most common in women but can affect men too, especially after childbirth or during menopause. It is estimated that around 15% of women and 20% of men experience pelvic pain and dysfunction. Many patients don’t seek treatment because they are embarrassed or fear that their symptoms will get worse, but it is important to find a pelvic health specialist for effective management and recovery.
A physiotherapist trained in Pelvic Health Physiotherapy East Sheen can evaluate your symptoms and perform a physical exam of the hips, spine and bony pelvis as well as the internal pelvic muscles. They will use manual techniques including joint and soft tissue mobilization as well as muscular re-training to bring the pelvic floor muscles to their natural resting tone. Incorporating electronic modalities, such as bio-feedback or ultrasound, is also an effective way to help with the relaxation of these muscles.
Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction can contribute to bladder/bowel dysfunction including urinary frequency, urgency or incontinence. It can also cause back pain or numbness in the lower spine and groin. It can also lead to sex dysfunction for both men and women including poor vaginal lubrication, pain during sex or difficulty inserting tampons.
Is pelvic pain a common reason for seeking pelvic health physiotherapy?
There are a number of causes for pelvic pain including pregnancy, labour and delivery, postural and structural problems, infection and chronic conditions such as arthritis. It is important to address these factors in order to prevent them from causing ongoing symptoms and reducing quality of life.
The first step to addressing pelvic pain is to book an appointment at our clinic in East Sheen. Your physiotherapist will take a detailed history of your symptoms and do a thorough physical examination. They will be able to determine the source of your symptoms and develop an individualised plan to address them. This will be based on your specific goals, medical history and severity of the condition.
They will spend time listening to your concerns and goals, assessing all the different parts of your body that are affected by the pelvic pain. This can be a very intimate discussion and they will ask you many intimate questions about your bladder, bowels, gynaecological, obstetric and sexual histories as well as any symptoms you are experiencing.
Your therapist will explain the findings of your assessment and work with you to set realistic and achievable goals. They will guide you through the different modalities and exercises to help manage your symptoms and improve your pelvic pain and function.
Most people with pelvic floor dysfunction will have a combination of tight and weak muscles. The physiotherapist will teach you specific pelvic floor and core stability exercises to strengthen the muscles that are overactive or over-tense as well as retrain the weak ones to relax and have a normal resting tone. Most patients who have pelvic pain or urinary/bowel dysfunction do not respond to kegel exercises alone and this can actually make the muscles worse!