Pelvic Floor Care

What is pelvic floor care?

Your pelvic floor is made up of the muscles that support the organs in your pelvic region. They extend from the pubic bone in the front of your core to the tail bone in the back. They span from the left to the right side of your body.

Both men and women have pelvic floor muscles, but pelvic floor dysfunction is much more common in women than men. It affects around a third of all women.

Pelvic floor care involves treatments and services to maintain these muscles’ strength and overall function, which play a significant role in controlling your urination and bowel excretion. Since the muscles hold organs like your bladder, uterus or prostate, and the lower portion of your large intestine, the functions of these organs rely on a supportive pelvic floor.

What are some signs of a pelvic floor issue?

You might benefit from pelvic floor care at Vantage Medical Associates if you experience symptoms like:

• Incontinence
• Frequent visits to the restroom
• Constipation
• Lower back pain with no other discernible cause
• Painful urination
• Pain in the pelvis or genitals
• Erectile dysfunction in men
  
  

If you have symptoms like these, the team does a physical exam and might recommend other tests. They find out if your symptoms are related to pelvic floor dysfunction with a targeted physical exam of pelvic floor function and possibly other tests, like a uroflow test.

What causes pelvic floor dysfunction?

Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t always have a known or identifiable cause. A few things can influence your pelvic floor strength. The Vantage Medical Associates PC team considers possible causes like:

• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Aging
• Prior pelvic surgeries
• Progressive neurological conditions
• Traumatic injuries
• Pushing too hard while using the bathroom
• Using the bathroom too often
• Strain from heavy lifting
  
  

There are also possible genetic links to pelvic floor dysfunction. You might be more likely to develop it if you have family members with it.

How does pelvic floor care work?

There are a few nonsurgical approaches to pelvic floor care. The team at Vantage Medical Associates PC can recommend and implement different treatments and therapies in your plan, including:

Medications

Medications like stool softeners are often an essential part of a pelvic floor treatment plan. They help by easing the strain on the muscles while you defecate.

Physical therapy

Pelvic floor physical therapy trains these muscles to get stronger. Your physical therapist teaches you exercises to stretch your pelvic floor muscles.

Biofeedback

Biofeedback works best in conjunction with physical therapy. It gives you more information about specific muscles in the pelvic floor and how they’re functioning.

If you experience problems like incontinence or constipation, don’t hesitate to call Vantage Medical Associates PC today for pelvic floor care or book an appointment online today.