Women's Health Treatment Information
The body goes through many changes during the 9 month journey to prepare for your newborn. Pregnancy Related Pelvic Girdle pain is one of the major complaints of women, especially in their second and third trimesters. Specific management strategies such as stretching, muscle releases, exercise and pelvic belts or support garments can be beneficial.
We can provide safe exercise programs during pregnancy, especially high risk pregnancies such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, Placenta Previa or Acreeta.
At Sydney Physio Solutions we perform post-natal return to exercise screening including checking your pelvic floor strength, prolapse risk and your abdominal separation measurement to ensure you return to exercise safely and at the right speed to keep you on your health and fitness journey.
There are many different reasons why an individual can lose control of their bladder or bowel which can be determined through a detailed subjective and objective assessment from a Pelvic floor physiotherapist.
Stress urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine during increased abdominal pressure for example during jumping, running, coughing, sneezing, laughing or picking something up. Usually the main problem is rarely the force on the bladder, it is the lack of force closing the bladder opening. Pelvic floor Physiotherapy can assess the ability of your pelvic floor to contract during changes in abdominal pressure and can design a unique and personalised Pelvic Floor muscle program to achieve your goals and address your problems.
Faecal incontinence is the inability to control wind (flatus) or faecal contents. This can occur from torn muscles during pregnancy, decrease strength in the muscles surrounding your Anal Canal (Rectum) or decrease coordination and speed of these muscles to contract in a timely manner. Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy can assess these symptoms and provide an unique and personalised pelvic floor muscle program to achieve your goals and address your problems.
Increased frequency is a complaint by an individual that they go to the toilet too often. This can often lead individuals to avoid social situations as they feel embarrassed. There are many reasons why this can occur. Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy can assess this via a bladder diary to pinpoint the causes of your frequency and help you with tools to overcome this.
Urgency refers to a sudden, compelling, difficult-to-defer desire to pass urine. Normal bladder sensation allows an individual to be aware of bladder filling with increasing sensation up to a strong desire to void over a period of time. An individual with urgency will often have a strong desire to void with the inability to stop this sensation, with the complaint ‘I have to go to the bathroom, I have to go right NOW!’ This can have a large impact on an individual’s life with them avoiding social situations or public transport in the fear that they may not make it to the bathroom in time. Some times this urgency can be triggered by running water, putting the key in the door, walking into a bathroom etc. Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy can teach you techniques and help you implement strategies to gain more control over your bladder.
One of the muscles of your Pelvic Floor, called your Puborectalis, assists and maintains your faecal control via contraction. When you go to defecate on the toilet the correct action of this muscle is to lengthen, allowing you to pass a stool. Often with chronic constipation instead of this muscle relaxing, this muscle can contract and ‘kink’ blocking the path of your stool leaving you to strain and attempt to go to the toilet for long periods of time. This occurs in 20-50% of individuals suffering from chronic constipation. Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy can give you the tools to learn how to relax this muscle and to retrain this muscle to give you more control over your symptoms.
Dyspareunia is a term used to describe painful intercourse which can occur on penetration, orgasm or after intercourse. It often goes undiagnosed because women are afraid to speak up about their symptoms, but it affects up to 20% of the female population in Australia. The pain can be at the entrance of the vagina, for example the superficial muscles of the Pelvic Floor are too tight, or can be deep within the vagina, for example aching sensation as a result of a Pelvic Disease such as Endometriosis. Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy can help determine the cause of your pain or discomfort and assist you with tools such as stretches, self massage techniques, relaxation techniques and objects to help reduce muscle overactivity and decrease pain.
Pelvic organ prolapse is a slipping of the organs from their original place. This could be the Uterus, Bladder or the Rectum. 75% of women will develop some degree of pelvic organ prolapse in their lifetime. Prolapse is now considered as one of the most common health problems in Australia.
Symptoms include: a heaviness or dragging sensation, bulging or physical mass in the vaginal area/entrance, pelvic pain or discomfort, pain or discomfort with intercourse, difficulty emptying your bladder or bowels (feels like something is obstructing it or that you go to the bathroom a lot passing at small volumes.)
Who is at risk of prolapse? Any woman with weakness or damage to the pelvic floor muscles:
- Any woman who has given birth, especially a natural birth using Forceps or Vacuum instruments
- Any woman who has a history of chronic respiratory conditions or chronic constipation
- Any woman with a history of regular heavy lifting (including weight lifting at the gym)
- Any woman who has been an elite/high level athlete particular impact sports such as gymnastics, athletics, running etc.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy can assess what is causing these symptoms and work with you to put in specific management strategies to help you.