The first time I heard the term ‘Pelvic floor dysfunctions’ was just 7 years ago. Sounded scary at first. It was my aunt who got diagnosed by her family physician. She had moderate pelvic organ prolapse. “Oh so when is the surgery?”, I asked ignorantly. I was in awe when she was referred to a ‘pelvic floor therapist’ instead.
Confession#1: I honestly didn’t know much about pelvic floor dysfunctions despite my extensive chiropractic training.
In recent years, thanks to advances in research and education and increased awareness, the term pelvic floor dysfunction has become far more recognizable. It is definitely a growing hashtag on social media.
So what are pelvic floor dysfunctions?
Let’s first break down the name.
What is the pelvic floor?
Pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments and tendons that extend from the front of the pelvis (our lower abdomen) and wraps around to the tailbone. The pelvic floor holds our pelvic organs such as bladder, rectum, bowels and uterus. The pelvic floor acts like a hammock to hold all these important organs.
What is the function of the pelvic floor?
Aid in passage of urine, gas and bowels.
Aid in sexual function
Offer internal support to the internal organs
Help support our spine and pelvis
What are pelvic floor dysfunctions?
Side note: There is a reason why it is called pelvic floor dysfunction and not pelvic floor disease.
Pelvic floor dysfunction is an umbrella term used for conditions that result from a dysfunction in the pelvic floor. These dysfunctions can be due to muscular imbalance where the muscles in the pelvic floor are either too tight or too weak. Other causes of dysfunctions in the pelvic floor are pressure imbalance, postural imbalance or hormonal imbalance. Read more on the causes of pelvic floor dysfunctions in this blog post.
Confession #2: My title isn’t exactly accurate. Pelvic floor dysfunction is rarely a singular term. Pelvic floor dysfunctions usually are a result of multiple ‘dysfunctions’.
What are the common conditions that result from pelvic floor dysfunctions?
Urinary leakage or incontinence (stress or urge incontinence)
Pelvic organ prolapse
Painful bladder syndrome
Overactive bladder
Sexual dysfunctions
Vaginismus
Low back pain
Tail bone pain
Are pelvic floor dysfunctions treatable?
Not only are most pelvic floor dysfunctions treatable, they are also preventable. With the right approach which includes a combination of postural awareness, breathing assessment, mindfulness and rehabilitation, pelvic floor dysfunctions can be treated. I highly recommend women to get in touch with a pelvic floor therapist regardless of whether they suffer from pelvic floor dysfunctions or not.
Pelvic floor dysfunctions don’t just develop overnight. It may seem like you woke up one day with a prolapse or your leakage started suddenly with no cause. But the main cause of the dysfunction was probably there for years. Read my blog post where I talk about 5 causes of pelvic floor dysfunction that you can control. Taking control of these 5 imbalances can help prevent and treat pelvic floor dysfunctions. I can’t say this enough, prevention is the key!
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Here are two great books I recommend you read to have a better understanding of your pelvic floor.
Heal Pelvic Pain by Amy Stein. A great tool to understand pelvic floor dysfunctions and how to manage them using a natural approach.
2. The pelvic floor bible by Jane Simpson.
Looking for a kegel set? Here is what we recommend at our clinic.
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