Are You Living With Any of These Women’s Health Issues?
Many women experience common problems like pelvic pain, incontinence, and other similar conditions. Women’s health issues can have a negative impact on one’s mental, physical, and social health.
Is a health issue interfering with your lifestyle and happiness? At PhysioStrength Physical Therapy, we understand how frustrating this can be.
The good news is you’re not alone, and physical therapy treatments can help you! To discover more information about your treatment options, contact our physical therapy clinic today! We can help you return to the life you love.
Do any of these conditions sound familiar?
If you’re experiencing any of the issues listed below, don’t hesitate to reach out to a licensed physical therapist. The team at PhysioStrength Physical Therapy has the tools to help you recover and prevent further issues from occurring.
Incontinence
Our physical therapists assess and treat patients who have urinary incontinence symptoms such as increased urinary frequency, leaking while coughing/sneezing, lifting, or exercising. These symptoms could be caused by weak or tight pelvic floor muscles, poor muscle coordination, low abdominal strength, or poor bladder habits.
Muscle re-education, strengthening for weak pelvic floor muscles, soft tissue massage, bladder health education, biofeedback, and core stabilization may be used as treatments.
Pelvic Pain
It is critical to identify the source of pelvic pain. Our evaluations consider the many symptoms associated with the pelvic area, such as abdominal pain, groin pain, pain during intercourse, difficulty urinating/defecating, and bladder pain.
Pelvic pain can be caused by pelvic muscle tension, weakness, and poor muscle coordination, as well as scar tissue restriction from surgeries, a history of poor bladder/bowel habits, spine and pelvic joint dysfunction, and episiotomy or tears from deliveries.
Muscle re-education, strengthening and/or relaxation of pelvic floor muscles, postural education, soft tissue massage, lumbosacral alignment, and biofeedback may be used as treatments.
Pregnancy Musculoskeletal Dysfunction
Pregnancy puts a tremendous strain on a woman’s body. Changes in posture, muscle strength, ligament stability, and pelvic alignment can all result in long-term, painful consequences such as pelvic or back pain.
However, having a child does not require you to live with the painful changes indefinitely, and most women can significantly improve their pain and function with physical therapy.
Our physical therapists treat pregnancy and postpartum musculoskeletal issues such as incontinence, pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, and prenatal joint/muscle dysfunction. Musculoskeletal dysfunction can also be caused by weakness, poor muscle coordination, abdominal strength, or bladder habits.
Our therapists will recommend posture changes and review proper body mechanics, bowel, and bladder habits after evaluating the muscles, joints, or nerves that are causing pain. Soft tissue massage, mobilization, stretching, and core stabilization are some of your available treatment options.
How can pelvic floor therapy help?
Pelvic floor therapy focuses on strengthening the ligaments, tendons, and muscles of the pelvic floor. When muscles in the pelvic area become tight or weak, your daily life can be negatively impacted, because this region helps in supporting the core of your body and is a key part of everyday movement.
One of our licensed physical therapists will take a look at your medical history, and conduct a thorough examination to decide what type of treatment you’ll need. This may include stretches, ultrasound therapy, manual therapy, and at home exercises to reduce pain and strengthen or loosen your pelvic muscles, depending on your condition.
Did you know that pelvic floor rehabilitation is a common option with women who are preparing for childbirth? It ensures an easier delivery and oftentimes can prevent the need for a C-section.
Some common techniques used during pelvic floor rehabilitation include:
- Ultrasound therapy. This kind of therapy focuses on using soothing heat for relief in the affected pelvic region. It’s a safe and effective way to relax tight muscles and tissue.
- Diaphragmatic breathing. Your physical therapist can teach you how to practice deep breathing exercises. These will allow your diaphragm to expand and contract properly, which helps in relaxing muscles in the pelvic area. Relaxed muscles will drop and lengthen, providing simple pain relief. These breathing exercises can also be done at home.
- Relaxation techniques. Physical therapy also focuses on relaxing! Relaxing your muscles allows them to ease tension, which makes it easier to stretch and massage them later. It’s not always easy to relax on command though, so your physical therapist may suggest specific relaxation techniques, such as guided imagery or biofeedback, to assist you with the process.
- Postural exercises. These specific types of exercises are aimed at refining and strengthening the pelvic floor muscles that affect posture. These exercises are typically done with large medicine balls.
Contact PhysioStrength Physical Therapy today!
If you are experiencing any of the issues listed above, please know that we are here to help you achieve results discreetly and return to the activities you enjoy! Call us today to find out how we can assist you. We are looking forward to supporting you throughout your recovery journey.