7 Reasons to See a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist
Maybe you’ve heard of pelvic floor physiotherapy (it’s been a buzzword for a couple of years) and perhaps you’ve scrolled past a few posts about it before… But how do you know if YOU need to see a pelvic physiotherapist?!?
We’ve got you friend - we’re sharing the top 7 reasons you should consider seeing a pelvic health physiotherapist if only for a quick debrief on what exactly is going on “down there”?
So, you have heard of pelvic floor physiotherapy -but how do you know if you need a pelvic floor assessment? This blog will help give you a better understanding of when you should consider seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist.
1. You are experiencing incontinence or increased urgency
Incontinence is the accidental leakage of urine (urinary incontinence) or stool (fecal incontinence). It can happen for various reasons, and although it is quite common in certain stages of life (pregnancy, postpartum and post-menopause), it is never NORMAL. A pelvic floor physiotherapist can determine the cause of your incontinence and will help guide you through a specific treatment plan to address the contributing factors.
Increased urinary urgency and/or frequency, commonly termed “overactive bladder”, occurs when you feel an increased need to empty your bladder. Sometimes this urge may feel very intense and difficult to control. You may urinate and shortly after feel the need to go to the toilet again. You may wake up during the night to urinate. This can be very disruptive to your daily routine and will impair your ability to have a good sleep at night. Similarly to incontinence, there are many different reasons this could be happening, and having an assessment with a pelvic floor physiotherapist can help to determine the cause of your urgency and address the underlying issues.
2. You have painful intercourse
Consensual intercourse should be a positive, pleasurable experience for both parties. If you experience any pain or discomfort during intercourse, this is something a pelvic floor physiotherapist can help you correct! Similarly to incontinence, this can be common during certain life phases (post-partum, post-menopause) but it is never NORMAL. A pelvic floor physiotherapist will help narrow down what could be causing your discomfort or pain during intercourse and address those factors.
It is important to note that painful intercourse is not always caused by physical impairments in isolation. There can often be an emotional and psychological component that contributes to the pain experience as well. Working with a trauma-informed physiotherapist is important in these situations. It can be helpful to work with a social worker, psychotherapist or sex therapist to address this component of pain as well.
3. You have painful periods
If you experience intense abdominal cramping, lower back pain or pelvic pain during or before your menstrual cycle, pelvic floor physiotherapy could help. Although it has been normalized in our society, it is not normal to have painful periods that require intervention or prevent you from functioning throughout the day. Increased tension or tightness in your pelvic floor muscles could be a contributing factor to this pain, and a pelvic floor physiotherapist can teach you how to improve this tension.
*If you are experiencing intense pain related to your menstrual cycle, you should also consult your family doctor or a naturopathic doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
4. You are currently pregnant
This is one of the most well-known reasons for someone to see a pelvic floor physiotherapist. Throughout pregnancy, your pelvic floor muscles are under progressively increasing loads as the baby grows. It is so important that you can connect to, control and strengthen your pelvic floor so that it has the capacity to support you as your pregnancy progresses, and pelvic floor physiotherapy can help with that!
You should come for an assessment if you have any pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms (discussed earlier), but it is also a great idea to come in even if you do not have any symptoms. This can help you prevent any dysfunction from occurring later in the pregnancy or in your post-partum recovery!
Your pelvic floor physiotherapist will also spend time preparing you for labour and delivery. You will learn how to connect to your pelvic floor and control the lengthening of your pelvic floor muscles, how to work on perineal stretching, how to breathe through pushing and what positions you can try throughout your labour.
5. You have been pregnant before
As described above, pregnancy and labour have a large effect on your pelvic floor muscles, and it is important to have your pelvic floor assessed when you are post-partum to ensure that everything is healing properly. If you can come in early in your post-partum period (6-8 weeks post) that can help you get started on recovery right away, but it is NEVER TOO LATE to have an assessment and start working on your recovery. In the postpartum period, it is very common to experience pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms (incontinence, painful intercourse, etc.) but as mentioned above, it is not NORMAL. These are dysfunctions that a pelvic floor physiotherapist can help you correct.
6. You are currently perimenopausal or postmenopausal
Perimenopause and the postmenopausal transition can have a huge effect on your pelvic floor. The fluctuation of hormones during this phase causes many changes in our entire body and specifically in our pelvic floor. If you have any of the pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms listed above, you should have your pelvic floor assessed, but it can also be a good idea to come in proactively during perimenopause to help prevent future issues from occurring. If you would like to learn more, there is a blog post here (link to my menopause post) that discusses menopause in more detail.
7. You have chronic lower back, hip, pelvic or tailbone pain
Your pelvic floor is an important component of your deep core strength, and if there is impairment in the function of these muscles, it can contribute to pain in your lower back, hips, pelvis and/or tailbone. There could be a weakness in your pelvic floor muscles, leaving your back, hips, and other areas with less support, causing these areas to overcompensate for the lack of strength in your pelvic floor. There could be tension in your pelvic floor muscles, causing referred pain in other areas of your body. If you have been receiving treatment for these areas that have not responded as expected, a pelvic floor physiotherapist can assess your pelvic floor and determine if your pelvic floor is contributing to your pain.
Hopefully, this has helped you learn when you should consider booking an assessment with a pelvic floor physiotherapist! If you are experiencing any symptoms that are not listed here, please reach out to our team to learn if pelvic floor physiotherapy is a good option for you!
This post was written by wellbe’s pelvic floor physiotherapist Amber Watkins. Click here to learn more about how pelvic floor physiotherapy can help and to book your first session.