When you have health concerns related to your pelvic region, you will likely need pelvic floor rehab. This is a treatment that uses physical therapy to restore the function of the muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues in that specific area. It helps strengthen the muscles as well as alleviate pain, weakness, and other related symptoms like bowel and bladder incontinence.

The basics of this rehabilitation therapy

Rehab therapy is often associated with those who have had a stroke, shoulder surgery, or a knee injury. When you think about physical therapy, you likely imagine a room with multiple people using equipment to restore muscle use. But, pelvic floor rehabilitation is different in many ways.

First, you will not be in a room full of people, but doing exercises in one-on-one sessions and possibly at home. This type of rehabilitation doesn’t usually require any equipment, either. Finally, the goal of pelvic floor rehab is to restore function and strength for internal functions of the body (in the rectum, bladder, or vagina), rather than outward functions like walking or lifting something.

Before you begin any treatment, your doctor will work to create a record of your condition and its symptoms, as well as your general medical history. They may also call for orthopedic exams to assess your gait, posture, and lumbar spine health. Both internal and external exams will be ordered to get a complete idea of what you are experiencing.

Exercises you can expect to use

Once your doctor knows your history and current condition, they will be able to create a strong care plan. The types of exercises you do will depend on your symptoms. First, you will need to know about the techniques used in pelvic floor rehab therapy.

• Internal: Many people are reluctant to use internal rehabilitation methods, so doctors and therapists don’t tend to use it first. Techniques include trigger point therapy, dilation, electrical stimulation, anesthesia injections, and Botox injections. Be sure to know the benefits of internal techniques before choosing to use them or not.
• External: This is the pelvic floor therapy that is most often used. It includes methods like nerve release, deep tissue massage, joint mobilization, and trigger point therapy. These serve to stretch, relax, and enhance flexibility, depending on your needs.

There are other treatment options that may be included in your care plan. They work alongside physical therapy to restore the functionality of your pelvic floor and alleviate pain. Education, coordination exercises, and even cold/hot therapy techniques can all help you accomplish this goal.

• Urostym Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation: This treatment protocol, made by Laborie Medical, is a non-invasive, non-surgical treatment for pelvic floor dysfunctions. It typically takes 6 to 8 weeks to complete this treatment course, although some patients need less or more time.

Is this therapy right for you?

Only your doctor can tell you if any treatment is right for your health concerns. Pelvic floor rehabilitation is known to be successful in helping with a lot of issues including:

• Restoring bowel and bladder function
• Helping strengthen the muscles that hold up the internal organs
• Restoring sexual function
• Alleviating unexplained pain
• Possibly helping with conditions like endometriosis and cysts

Pelvic floor rehabilitation therapy in Amarillo

At Women’s Healthcare Associates, we are focused on providing quality care for women of any age. We offer a variety of services to help restore pelvic floor function and your quality of life. You can reach us at (806) 355-6330 to learn more about our services.