If you have ever leaked a little urine after laughing or sneezing, you may have pelvic floor problems. In most cases, individuals with these challenges start searching for best physical therapy near Cherry Hill. This is information about pelvic floor exercises you should know.
Strengthen Pelvic Floor Muscles
Your pelvic floor muscles connect to your pelvic bone and support your pelvic floor, which includes your intestines, urethra, rectum and bladder as well as your sex organs. Therefore, these muscles support your organs and affect your sexual health, including your arousal.
Strengthening these muscles is especially important if you hope to avoid surgery and control any symptoms of your dysfunction. You may even reduce or eliminate your need for pads, medicine and other incontinence supplies.
Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
If you have problems with your pelvic floor, you may experience pelvic pressure or feelings of fullness, urine leakage and incontinence, constipation or bowel leakage. You may find it challenging to actually empty your bladder and feel pain when urinating. You may also feel pain in your lower back and when you have intercourse. Finally, you may experience muscle spasms and discomfort in your pelvis or genitals.
Causes of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Your pelvic floor can be damaged during childbirth and pregnancy. However, age, surgery, prolonged sitting and consistently lifting heavy objects can also damage these muscles. In addition, excessive weight and menopause as well as several medical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, and holding your bowel movements can also damage your pelvic floor.
Get Control of Your Bladder Again
Contracting your pelvic muscles causes your organs to lift toward your head and stops gas and urine while your anus puckers. You can start gaining control by focusing on activating your pelvic floor muscles. First, you need to locate your muscles, so while standing, hold your lower muscles as if you were holding in gas.
Next, simply lay on your back with your knees bent while you pull in your abdominal muscles as you exhale and focus on squeezing the muscles around your pelvic organs, including your vagina if you are a woman. When you let the muscles go, you should feel them drop slightly.
Advancing Your Control
When you are ready for more difficult exercises and gaining greater control, you may consider contacting a facility that offers physical therapy in Philadelphia. Your therapist may suggest you complete various Kegel exercises every day. They can help you target specific muscles using a real-time ultrasound to show where you are contracting muscles. These professionals may also suggest you undergo gentle electrical stimulation and stretching exercises.
Your physical therapist may also suggest changes to your diet. You will review your behaviors to determine if any modifications are necessary. You may receive instructions on creating a bathroom schedule. You will also be directed to drink more healthy liquids, such as teas and water.
You may be able to gain control over your bladder and bowels through pelvic floor physical therapy. As you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, you can gain better control over the rest of your life.