WHAT IS YOUR PELVIC FLOOR AND PELVIC FLOOR DYSFUNCTION?

The pelvic floor is the hammock of muscles between the pubic bone in the front and the tailbone at the back. These muscles support the uterus, bladder, and bowel, urethra, vagina, and anus.

Guess what? Men have a pelvic floor too that supports their bladder and bowel.

The pelvic floor helps you control your bladder and bowel, supports your core, and is involved with sexual function. Because of these essential functions, it’s critical to keep your pelvic health top of mind – especially if you’re pregnant, postpartum, or are trying to conceive.

A functional pelvic floor can:

*Improve bladder and bowel control

*Reduce the risk of or heal prolapse
*Improve recovery from childbirth
*Increase sexual sensation or allow for pain-free sex

A dysfunctional pelvic floor can:

*Lead to urinary or bowel incontinence
*Result in organ prolapse
*Decrease sexual sensation or result in painful sex

Pelvic floor dysfunction can be the outcome of different factors – not just childbirth – although it is the most common. Traumatic injury, overuse (pushing too hard while going to the bathroom), obesity, and getting older.

Symptoms include:

*Frequently needing to use the bathroom.
*Constipation, or a straining pain during your bowel movements.
*Straining or pushing really hard to pass a bowel movement, or having to change positions on the toilet or use your hand to help eliminate stool.
*Leaking stool or urine (incontinence).
*Painful urination.
*Feeling pain in your lower back with no other cause.
*Feeling ongoing pain in your pelvic region, genitals, or rectum
*A sensation of heaviness, or like something is being “pushed up” when you sit down

Pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms typically remain consistent or become worse if they’re not treated. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS – YOU CAN TREAT IT!!!

Instead of living with pain and discomfort, see a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist who can do an internal and external exam to identify the exact cause of your dysfunction. It’s NOT always due to weak muscles, so self-diagnosis via Kegels may not serve you.

Find a practitioner in-network, near you: https://pelvicrehab.com/