Pelvic Pain

PELVIC PAIN
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy for the Treatment of Pelvic Pain
Pelvic pain can be a life-altering, chronic condition that no one should have to experience or live with. There is significant innervation in the pelvis which can increase the severity of painful symptoms compared to other parts of body. Some of the symptoms of pelvic pain include pain around the bladder, pain with urination, constipation or painful bowel movements, pain with intercourse, sacroiliac joint and low back pain, as well as increased painful symptoms with sitting and other foundational daily activities. You should not have to continue to live with pelvic pain and you can find long-lasting relief through Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy. Suffering from pelvic pain can significantly affect your mental and emotional well-being, in addition to restricting you from participating in your regular activities of daily life. Pelvic pain can present in various forms whether chronic, caused by post-surgical complications, or from other types of pelvic conditions such as pudendal neuralgia, endometriosis, vulvodynia, and vaginismus. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy can help to provide relief from these pelvic conditions in various ways.
​
Treatment begins with taking a thorough history in order to consider all potential contributing life and health factors before a physical assessment is performed. Stress, anxiety, depression, and auto-immune conditions can all be significant contributors and can exacerbate pelvic pain whatever the origin. Significant life changes such as moving, experiencing the death of a loved one, or sexual trauma can all bring on an episode of pelvic pain. With pelvic pain, especially chronic pelvic pain, the body's nervous system can be described as being on "high alert," and dis-regulated from its normal state. Factors such as stress and anxiety need to be addressed for improvement of symptoms. It is important to seek a psychotherapist that can help with these factors alongside your Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy so that your treatment is as effective as possible. The nervous system is continuous throughout the entire body, from the brain all the way through the pelvis and into the arms and legs. Because the brain is a crucial part of the nervous system where pain is integrated, your mental and emotional state must be addressed in conjunction with Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy treatment for long-lasting relief.
​
For the physical examination, your hip, spinal mobility and strength will be assessed as well as your nervous system. Your posture, along with functional movements you perform everyday, will also be assessed due to how significantly these can contribute to pelvic pain. Your pelvic floor will be assessed through an external and internal examination by your Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist. This assessment will provide information on the state of the localized structures of the pelvic floor musculature, nerves, and blood vessels. These structures are typically the focal point of your pain and the reason why Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy is so successful in treating pelvic pain. ​All of these findings will bring together a comprehensive and specialized treatment plan designed for your specific needs.
​
This individualized treatment plan will consist of activities such as breathing strategies, stretching and strengthening for the hip musculature, as well as manual therapy. The breathing strategies will assist in down-regulating your nervous system as well as helping to relax and mobilize your pelvic floor. With pelvic pain there can be stiffness and spasming in the pelvic floor and hip musculature, and diaphragmatic breathing will help to relax and relieve these symptoms. Depending on your specific presentation, you will be prescribed various physical activities with a balance of hip and core strengthening, as well as stretching and mobility exercises. Your Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist will also perform different manual therapy techniques to help alleviate your symptoms.
During the internal examination your therapist will be able to assess if there are any specific "trigger points" in the pelvic floor muscles. Trigger points are specific areas of a muscle that are stiff and tight, decreasing the overall movement of your pelvic floor and restricting the nerves and blood vessels in the area. Your Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist will be able to perform different manual therapy techniques internally in order to release these trigger points, providing relief of your symptoms. In addition to releasing internal trigger points, other manual therapy techniques can be performed externally to hip and abdominal tissues. This can include cupping, soft tissue massage, and dry needling, which is another tool to help release and resolve trigger points. Joint mobilizations around the hips and pelvis can improve overall movement as well if there are restrictions in these areas. The hip joints, sacroiliac joints, as well as joints in the lumbar spine can all be mobilized and manipulated by a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist that specializes in manual therapy techniques. Addressing restrictions in these joints can provide pain relief from feelings of stiffness and spasming in the surrounding muscles of the pelvis.
​
Seeking Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy for any of the listed pathologies and symptoms of pelvic pain can help significantly in your quality of life. No one should have to deal with pelvic pain that can affect such foundational functions of the pelvic floor including urination, bowel movements, and intercourse. Many other activities throughout your day which are specific to your lifestyle can also be impeded by pelvic pain, then leading to symptoms of depression and anxiety which exacerbate symptoms significantly. Reach out to a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist if any of this sounds familiar to what you have experienced. Participating in Pelvic Floor Therapy can assist in leading you on a path to a pain-free pelvis and a pain-free life.
​
Book your Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy evaluation today to get started!
​
​