"It felt like a team supporting me."
— Angela, Women’s Services Patient
Who is the pelvic floor program for?
Patients who are experiencing urinary incontinence or pelvic pain, either occasionally or regularly. The pain can be described as aching or burning and is considered chronic when symptoms last longer than six months.
Ask your doctor for a referral if you have:
- Trouble with leaking urine during normal daily activities.
- Leakage with sneezing, coughing or laughing.
- Pain in your lower abdomen, pelvis, hip, buttocks or tailbone.
- Pain with sexual intercourse.
- Trouble starting the urine stream.
- Trouble holding urine when feeling a strong urge to go.
- Frequent urination.
- Limited sitting tolerance.
- Painful bowel movements.
Treament Options
A women's health physical therapist can help you gain control of your symptoms with an individualized treatment plan.
Your treatment plan may include:
- Diet and nutrition education.
- Behavior changes.
- Pelvic floor and surrounding muscle exercises.
- Biofeedback.
- Techniques for decreasing urinary urge and frequency.
- Electrical stimulation.
- Postural training and strengthening of abdominal core muscles.
Urinary Incontinence Causes
Urinary incontinence may be caused by:
- Pregnancy
- Childbirth
- Surgery in the Vagina or Rectum
- Episiotomy
- Lack of Exercise
- Joint Pain
- Muscle Weakness
Pelvic Pain Causes
Pelvic pain is in the lower abdomen or pelvis. Symptoms are often caused by weakness and dysfunction of the pelvic floor.
Pelvic pain may be caused by:
- Pelvic Joint Dysfunction
- Muscle Weakness and Tightness
- Tender Points in the Muscle
- Pressure on Nerves in the Pelvis
- Trauma
- Childbirth
- Scar Tissue after Surgery
- Cycling on Hard, Uncomfortable Seats
- Stress
