Pelvic Floor Therapy
Help for incontinence, prolapse and pelvic pain
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Therapy for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Improves Quality of Life
When you're dealing with urinary or fecal incontinence, life can be difficult. Bowel or bladder frequency issues can be just as challenging. So can pelvic organ prolapse — a condition that causes organs in the pelvis such as the bladder or rectum to move out of place and sag.
Pelvic floor physical therapy may improve or resolve your symptoms. At Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), we have compassionate pelvic floor specialists who are ready to help. We work with you to find treatments that can help you return to normal activities and enjoy a better quality of life.
What is Pelvic Floor Therapy
Your pelvic floor is between your tailbone and your pubic bone. It's made up of muscles that form a supportive sling or “hammock.” The muscles hold your bladder and rectum in place. They also support a woman's uterus and a man's prostate gland. As these muscles contract and relax, they help you control your urine flow, bowel movements and sexual functioning.
Like other muscles in your body, your pelvic floor muscles can weaken or become tight. Pelvic floor therapy is designed to help your pelvic floor muscles work better. Our specially trained physical therapists (PTs) evaluate your condition. Then they recommend the treatment or treatments that are right for your situation.
How Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Help
Our physical therapists (PTs) are musculoskeletal experts. We teach you how to use your pelvic floor muscles correctly. We also offer a variety of treatments to stretch and strengthen your muscles and help them function better. This combined approach can often help you effectively manage your symptoms. Both male and female pelvic therapy is available.
More About Pelvic Floor Therapy
Conditions that may be linked to problems with your pelvic floor muscles include:
- Constipation and fecal incontinence
- Overactive or painful bladder syndrome
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Pelvic pain
- Urinary incontinence
Many things can cause these problems, such as:
- Genetics
- Heavy lifting
- Obesity
- Radiation therapy to the pelvis
- Repeated straining (such as during a bowel movement or with a chronic cough)
- Surgery
Women may have other causes, including:
- Damage to the pelvic floor after pregnancy and childbirth
- Decreased estrogen levels during menopause
- Pregnancy-related changes in the body
- Straining during childbirth
There are many treatment options for pelvic floor disorders. Depending on your condition, we may recommend more than one type of treatment.
Treatments we may offer include:
- Abdominal and core strengthening
- Biofeedback
- Bladder training
- Body mechanics education
- Dietary modifications
- Electrical stimulation
- Heat and cold therapy
- Pelvic floor muscle training
- Soft tissue mobilization
During your first visit, you and your physical therapist (PT) discuss your pelvic floor concerns. You also go over your health history and undergo an internal physical exam. The exam helps us assess your pelvic floor muscles and determine what’s causing your symptoms. As part of your visit, you get information about your specific condition.
You and your PT create a personalized treatment plan. It typically includes therapies we offer in-house. Biofeedback, for example, uses sensors to monitor your pelvic floor muscles as we work with you to help them work better. But we also provide detailed explanations and demonstrations of at-home exercises. In some cases, your PT may suggest involving other specialists in your care. If so, they communicate with your medical team and help coordinate your follow-up care.
If you have any questions, we’re always available to help.
Additional Services
Your therapy team coordinates your care with other specialty providers throughout our medical center. This ensures you receive comprehensive, streamlined care.
