What is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
According to Cleveland Clinic, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction “ is a common condition where you can’t correctly relax and coordinate the muscles in your pelvic floor to urinate (pee) or have a bowel movement (poop).” This can also be known as Bowel and Bladder Dysfunction (Reborn). If you are struggling with pelvic floor dysfunction, your body will keep tightening the muscles on your pelvic floor instead of relaxing them. This tension can mean that you may have trouble releasing a bowel movement, an incomplete bowel movement, and have pee or poop leakage.
Signs that you are struggling with dysfunction includes symptoms such as:
- Frequent bathroom visits.
- Having to frequently start and stop when you’re trying to pee.
- Straining or pushing to pass a bowel movement.
- Having to change positions on the toilet or use your hand to eliminate stool.
- Constipation (Experts estimate that up to half of the people with long-term constipation also have pelvic floor dysfunction).
- Leaking stool (fecal incontinence).
- Leaking urine (urinary incontinence).
- Painful urination.
- Unexplained low back pain.
- Ongoing pain in your pelvic region, genitals or rectum — with or without a bowel movement. (Cleveland Clinic)
What Causes Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
Researches are still not sure what exactly causes pelvic floor dysfunction, but incidents such as these can definitely can increase your chance of having it:
- Traumatic injury to the pelvic floor area (a car accident can be a great example of this).
- Sexual Abuse
- Vaginal or C-section birth
- During long labor, strain on tissues and muscles during birth
- Obesity
- Nerve damage
- Chronic coughing
- Constipation as a chronic condition
- Heavy weightlifting without proper form
- Excessive use of the pelvic muscles (frequent urination, bowel movements, or straining)
- Prior pelvic surgery (like a hysterectomy or prostatectomy).
- Overusing your pelvic muscles (straining to go).
- Menopause and aging (muscles naturally weaken somewhat over time).
- Stress and anxiety.
- Connective Tissue Disorder (Cleveland Clinic) (Reborn)
What’s the Best Ways to Treat Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
Services you can look into are:
- Pelvic floor physical therapy
- Biofeedback
- Medications
- Homeopathic
- Relaxation Techniques
- Exercises to strengthen and stabilize your core (Cleveland Clinic) (Reborn)
At The Utah Birth Place, we want to provide as many mom, and men, help when it comes to their pelvic floor health. Here are three Physical Therapists/Pelvic Floor Therapists/Companies that we recommend and know will take great care of you and help strengthen your pelvic floor.
- Dr. Bettly DeLass – Reborn Pelvic Health and Wellness – Home
- Located in West Jordan, Lehi, and Layton
- Dr. Pauli – Beyond the V – Beyond The V – Home
- Located in Pleasant Grove and offers an Online Course
- Dr. Kashley Carter – Mountain Land Physical Therapy –Kashley Carter, PT, DPT – Mountain Land Physical Therapy
- Located in Payson
References/Resources
- Bowel and Bladder Dysfunction in West Jordan & Lehi
- What Is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
- West Jordan & Lehi Pelvic Floor Therapy Program
