Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy provides pelvic floor physical therapy for people of all genders. Our physical therapists are committed to helping you improve your condition. Whether your pelvic floor issues are making intercourse painful, they are making it difficult to control your urination and bowel movements, or you find yourself in pelvic pain, pelvic floor physical therapy is an effective treatment method that is often used as a first-line treatment method for many types of pelvic floor conditions.
What Is The Pelvic Floor?
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that support your pelvic area, including your reproductive, urinary, and colorectal tracts. It also supports the uterus or prostate and the rectum.
Your pelvic floor is responsible for stabilizing your trunk, preventing the loss of urine or stool, supporting your internal organs, and assisting in sexual function and sensation. When your pelvic floor is either too loose or too tight, this can result in pain and a number of other issues that can impact your daily life.
Types Of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction can occur when your pelvic floor muscles become either too tight or too loose. This can result from a myriad of factors, such as childbirth, aging, injury to the area, overuse, being overweight, and more.
Some of the common conditions that pelvic floor physical therapy can treat include:
- Incontinence
- Constipation
- Pelvic pain
- Sexual dysfunction
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Lower back pain
Men who struggle with pelvic floor dysfunction may experience erectile dysfunction, groin pain, or problems with ejaculation.
Women who struggle with pelvic floor dysfunction may experience pain during intercourse, vaginismus, endometriosis, and more.
What To Expect From Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
In many cases, pelvic floor physical therapy is the ideal treatment option for pelvic floor issues. While sometimes, pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate surgery, pelvic floor physical therapy can still help you with both pre-and post-operative care.
When you start pelvic floor physical therapy, you can expect your physical therapist to go over your medical history with you, as well as ask questions about anything that may contribute to your condition, such as your diet and whether or not you are sexually active.
Pelvic floor physical therapy is conducted in a private treatment room, as it often includes both an external and an internal component in order to properly address your symptoms. The initial assessment allows your physical therapist to determine the appropriate treatment method for you and customize your treatment plan according to your specific needs.
Your physical therapist will assess the strength of your pelvic floor muscles and provide you with exercises that you can do at home in order to improve your condition. Some of the treatments physical therapists do to help pelvic floor conditions include:
- Stretching or strengthening pelvic muscles
- Relaxation techniques for pelvic muscles
- Biofeedback
- Coordination exercises
- Education on how behavior and lifestyle habits can impact your pelvic floor
- Electrical stimulation
Physical therapists are sensitive to the needs of each patient and work to ensure that you feel comfortable and safe throughout treatment.
Does Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Work?
If you struggle with incontinence, pain in your pelvic area, or another pelvic floor condition, pelvic floor physical therapy can help you regain control of your life. Pelvic floor physical therapy helps your pelvic floor muscles function properly and relieves pain, incontinence, and other issues that can result from a pelvic floor that is either too tight or too weak.
Pelvic floor physical therapy can make people feel self-conscious and uncomfortable, given the areas of the body pelvic floor issues arise and the resulting symptoms. However, obtaining treatment when you need it can greatly improve your pelvic floor problems and allow you to regain control of your pelvic floor and your life.
If you are struggling with pelvic floor dysfunction, Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy provides physical therapy to help you improve your condition. We have multiple locations throughout Northern Utah and provide outpatient, pre-operative, and post-operative care. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how pelvic floor physical therapy can help you in Northern Utah.