Sensitive issues require sensitive care. Our pelvic health team, including urogynecologists and pelvic floor physical therapists, provides comprehensive, comfortable specialty care and treatment for a variety of pelvic floor conditions.
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
Often, pelvic floor disorders are caused by weakened pelvic floor muscles, and just like any other muscle in your body, they can be strengthened through various exercises and physical therapy.
Benefits of Pelvic Floor Therapy
Pelvic floor therapy is a conservative, non surgical treatment for urinary or bowel incontinence, urinary or fecal urgency, pelvic pain and other pelvic floor disorders that aims to restore and maintain pelvic floor muscles’ strength and health.
Part of pelvic floor therapy is biofeedback, a technique that uses specialized sensors to monitor and identify the pelvic floor muscles that need training. It also helps you learn how to contract and relax those muscles.
At-Home Pelvic Floor Exercises
Although there are common at-home pelvic floor exercises, including Kegels, bridge pose, squats, wall sits and more, we strongly recommend you schedule an appointment with a pelvic floor therapist instead of attempting at-home exercises because often, at-home exercises are performed incorrectly and result in a lack of progress.
Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a common condition that can be remedied through a variety of treatments, including pelvic floor therapy, electrical stimulation and lifestyle changes. Rest assured, our pelvic health team will work with you to identify your condition and develop a treatment plan that is right for you.
What is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is defined as the involuntary loss of urine. This could range from a few drops to a complete loss of bladder control.
Types of Urinary Incontinence
There are a few different types of urinary incontinence—Learn what they are and their potential causes.
- Stress Incontinence: the leakage of urine during physical activities, such as coughing, sneezing or exercising. This could be caused by weakness in the pelvic floor muscles, and it is common in women, especially after childbirth or menopause.
- Urge Incontinence: the sudden and intense urge to urinate, followed by involuntary leakage. This can be due to overactive bladder muscles and triggered by certain foods, drinks or medications.
- Overflow Incontinence: this is defined as the frequent or constant dribbling of urine or an inability to completely empty the bladder. This is likely caused by a blockage or weak bladder muscles.
When to Seek Medical Care for Urinary Incontinence
If you are experiencing pain or discomfort while urinating, noticing blood in your urine, experiencing waking up at night to urinate (nocturia), bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) or if urinary incontinence is affecting your quality of life, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with one of our providers.
Pelvic Pain Disorders
Pelvic pain disorders can be caused by a wide variety of factors, including gynecologic conditions, urinary tract abnormalities, bowel conditions, muscle and nerve hypersensitivity and weakness, menopause and more.
Symptoms of Pelvic Pain Disorders
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Lower abdominal pain and/or swelling
- Pain with periods, intercourse or urination
If you are experiencing any of these or additional pelvic symptoms, schedule an appointment with one of our providers.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the muscles, tissues and ligaments supporting organs such as the bladder, uterus or rectum weaken, causing the organ to descend from its normal position and bulge into the vaginal canal.
Common Symptoms of Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Changes in urination
- Difficulty making bowel movements or a feeling of incomplete emptying
- Heaviness in the vagina or lower back
- Low back pain
- Noticeable vaginal bulge
Common Causes of Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Chronic constipation or cough
- Connective tissue disorders (Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome)
- Heavy lifting
- Obesity
- Pregnancy, childbirth or menopause
Treatment of Pelvic Organ Prolapse
There are both surgical and non surgical treatment options for pelvic organ prolapse, including:
- Pelvic floor therapy
- Pessary fitting (the insertion of a device designed to support the pelvic floor)
- Reconstructive surgical repair through various approaches
