WOMEN’S & MEN’S HEALTH ISSUES
Many people, both male and female, suffer from urinary leakage (incontinence). For some people this may be a few drops of urine leaking out when coughing, sneezing, or laughing, and for others it may mean large amounts of urinary leakage with or without warning. This is often embarrassing and can be costly if medications and/or pads are purchased frequently. A physical therapist who has special training in treating these symptoms can help minimize or alleviate urinary leakage.
Pelvic pain can consist of different things, and also affects men and women. For some people it is bladder pain from spasms or frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs), and for others it is pain with intercourse or tampon usage, pain along the seam of tight-fitting pants, or pain from tight muscles in the pelvic region, just to name a few. Pelvic pain is far more common than most people realize.
While learning to properly perform a Kegel exercise may be an integral aspect to some pelvic floor therapy, it is far from the only component. A successful program for management of incontinence and/or pelvic pain or dysfunction may include training of the bladder, techniques for relaxing tight musculature, learning to correctly coordinate the abdominal musculature and pelvic floor musculature, proper breathing techniques, “un-learning” bad habits, and sometimes modifications to diet and fluid intake.
