Why You Don’t Need a Vagina to See our Pelvic Health Physiotherapist!

— 2 min read —
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From Insta Reels to TikToks, women everywhere are talking about the amazing benefits of pelvic health physiotherapy leading up to their labour and delivery and during the postpartum period !  And while we have come a long way from the days of birthing in solely the lithotomy position (lying on your back) and suffering from “peezing” (pee during a sneeze - always a fave) we still have more to do, say and educate.

But we bet you didn’t know that pelvic health physiotherapy can be extremely helpful to address some of the challenges men may have when their pelvic floor muscles do not work optimally - including things such as erectile dysfunction, chronic constipation, nocturia (night time peeing) and incontinence. 

And while the male pelvic floor performs similar functions to that of the female pelvic floor, including sexual function, bowel and bladder function, core stabilization, and lymphatic fluid circulation - men’s pelvic health awareness and research has fallen behind leaving a lot of men feeling confused, isolated and searching for answers. 

Here are 5 common pelvic health conditions in males that can be treated (with success!) with pelvic floor physiotherapy:

Chronic Nonbacterial Prostatitis

What it is: a chronic pain syndrome in males characterized by pain and inflammation of the prostate in the absence of infection. 

Signs and Symptoms:

  • Pain in the pelvis, prostate, penis, and/or lower urinary tract

  • Difficulty initiating stream of urine

  • Pain during and/or after urination

  • Urinary urgency and frequency

  • History of infection or injury to the prostate causing inflammation

Interstitial Cystitis

What it is: a chronic pain syndrome in males characterized by bladder pain in the absence of infection. The term Interstitial Cystitis is often used interchangeably with Painful Bladder Syndrome.

Signs and Symptoms:

  • Pain in the bladder, penis, and/or suprapubic region

  • Pain with bladder filling (may be triggered by drinking fluids)

  • Resolution of pain after emptying bladder

  • Urinary frequency and urgency

  • History of lower urinary tract infection or injury to the bladder

Nocturia

What it is: a condition characterized by waking up more than once during the night with an urge to urinate.

Signs and Symptoms:

  • Urinary urgency and frequency during the night

  • Difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep

  • Fatigue in the morning

Erectile Dysfunction

What it is: repeated inability to attain or maintain an erection that results in impaired sexual function.

Signs and Symptoms:

  • Inability to achieve or maintain an erection

  • Reduced sex drive

  • High levels of stress

  • Heavy alcohol usage

Coccydynia

What it is: persistent pain in and around the tailbone

Signs and Symptoms:

  • Pain with sitting, especially on hard surfaces

  • Pain with load-transfer activities (e.g. sit-to-stand, mountain climbers, jump lunges)

  • Tenderness and pain when touching in/around the tailbone

  • History of trauma to the tailbone (e.g. fall)


From muscle retraining to releasing tissue tightness to education, Hayley can help you feel better!  If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment with Hayley, please send an email to info@hellowellbe.com.

This blog post was written by wellbe’s pelvic health physiotherapist Hayley O’Hara.


men's healthwellbemen's health, pelvic floor physiotherapy, pelvic healthComment